All Scripture passages are from the NKJV.
The meaning of righteousness … “And they were both righteous before God,
walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” (Luke 1:6)
No one is perfect, so IMO this would include sincere repenting of occasional unfaithfulness!
“For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”
(Galatians 5:5) … “Hope” here is Strong’s #1680, “favorable and confident expectation”.
This is the expectation of the truly faithful … All Vine’s says is: “the hope of righteousness”;
i.e. the believer’s complete conformity to God’s will, at the coming of Christ.”
• “… whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35)
• “… you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether (slaves) of sin leading to death,
or (slaves) of obedience leading to righteousness” (Romans 6:16)
“If you love Me, keep My commandments … He who has My commandments and
keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father,
and I will love him … If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will
love him … He who does not love Me does not keep My words” (John 14:15-24)
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments …
… But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.
By this we know that we are in Him.” (1 John 2:3-5)
• “… so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness” (Romans 6:19)
• “... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14)
• “But you, O man of God, flee these things (sins) and pursue righteousness” (1 Timothy 6:11)
• “All Scripture… is profitable for … instruction in (practicing) righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16)
• “… we, having died to sins, might live for (the practicing of) righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24)
• “… you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1 John 2:29)
• “… let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous” (1 John 3:7)
• “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
whoever does NOT practice righteousness is NOT of God” (1 John 3:10)
Notice above that “the children of God” practice righteousness!
And “the children of the devil” do NOT practice righteousness!
In the church, would these be the tares, the foolish virgins, those with bad fruit, etc.?
• “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12)
Notice those who do evil (sin) are contrasted with those who are righteous.
• “… those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who
have done evil (practiced sin), to the resurrection of condemnation.” (John 5:29)
• “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit’,
and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’ ” (2 Peter 2:21-22)
True believers who are faithful will be obedient and practice righteousness,
and therefore will be seen by God as continuing to be righteous!
Those who habitually practice sin will NOT be allowed into the kingdom of God/heaven
(1 Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:21, Ephesians 5:5)
The Holy Spirit’s “ministry of righteousness” transforms believers unto holiness.
• “... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14)
The Scriptures above clearly show that this requires the co-operation of believers!
• “… how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious (than the OT ministry of death)?
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much
more in glory … But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
(2 Corinthians 3:8-9,18)
• “… beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
• “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God.
I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:34)
The meaning of righteousness … “And they were both righteous before God,
walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” (Luke 1:6)
No one is perfect, so IMO this would include sincere repenting of occasional unfaithfulness!
“For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”
(Galatians 5:5) … “Hope” here is Strong’s #1680, “favorable and confident expectation”.
This is the expectation of the truly faithful … All Vine’s says is: “the hope of righteousness”;
i.e. the believer’s complete conformity to God’s will, at the coming of Christ.”
• “… whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:35)
• “… you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether (slaves) of sin leading to death,
or (slaves) of obedience leading to righteousness” (Romans 6:16)
“If you love Me, keep My commandments … He who has My commandments and
keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father,
and I will love him … If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will
love him … He who does not love Me does not keep My words” (John 14:15-24)
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments …
… But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him.
By this we know that we are in Him.” (1 John 2:3-5)
• “… so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness” (Romans 6:19)
• “... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14)
• “But you, O man of God, flee these things (sins) and pursue righteousness” (1 Timothy 6:11)
• “All Scripture… is profitable for … instruction in (practicing) righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16)
• “… we, having died to sins, might live for (the practicing of) righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24)
• “… you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1 John 2:29)
• “… let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous” (1 John 3:7)
• “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
whoever does NOT practice righteousness is NOT of God” (1 John 3:10)
Notice above that “the children of God” practice righteousness!
And “the children of the devil” do NOT practice righteousness!
In the church, would these be the tares, the foolish virgins, those with bad fruit, etc.?
• “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers;
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12)
Notice those who do evil (sin) are contrasted with those who are righteous.
• “… those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who
have done evil (practiced sin), to the resurrection of condemnation.” (John 5:29)
• “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit’,
and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’ ” (2 Peter 2:21-22)
True believers who are faithful will be obedient and practice righteousness,
and therefore will be seen by God as continuing to be righteous!
Those who habitually practice sin will NOT be allowed into the kingdom of God/heaven
(1 Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:21, Ephesians 5:5)
The Holy Spirit’s “ministry of righteousness” transforms believers unto holiness.
• “... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14)
The Scriptures above clearly show that this requires the co-operation of believers!
• “… how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious (than the OT ministry of death)?
For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much
more in glory … But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
(2 Corinthians 3:8-9,18)
• “… beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
• “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God.
I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:34)
