True Righteousness

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm 1:6

What does it mean to be righteous?

Some people confuse it with being self-righteous—that is, seeing ourselves as better than other people and being proud of it. The proud Pharisee in Jesus’ story “stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector’” (Luke 18:11 NIV). But Jesus condemned his self-righteous attitude, commending instead the tax collector for his humble prayer for mercy.

But true righteousness—the kind of righteousness the Bible urges us to have—comes only from God. By nature we are unrighteous and sinful, but when we come to Christ, our sins, like filthy garments, are cast aside, and we become clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ. Now God counts us as righteous in His sight, because He has imparted to us “the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith” (Philippians 3:9 NIV).

Once we have committed our lives to Christ, however, God calls us to live righteous lives—lives of purity and goodness and love. In ourselves this is impossible, but as we submit to the control of His Holy Spirit, we find strength to live the way we should, “bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father” (Colossians 1:10–11 NIV). This is true righteousness! Is it your goal?

Our Father and Our God, I thank You that You have taken away all my sins and clothed me instead with the perfect righteousness of Christ. Now help me to turn away from the impurity and sin of this world every day, and to live a life of purity and righteousness that brings glory to You. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

Billy Graham, Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2010).