According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the definition of righteousness is: “morally correct behaviour, or a feeling that you are behaving in a morally correct way.”
The Century Dictionary defines it this way: “1.The character of being righteous; purity of heart and rectitude of life; the being and doing right; conformity in character and conduct to a right standard. 2.Hence, also In theology, a coming into spiritual oneness with God, because for Christ’s sake the believer in Christ is treated as righteous. 3. A righteous act or quality; anything which is or purports to be righteous.”
Much of the world today isn’t living in a very righteous way. So much of the behavior we see is not moral – people are not being and doing what is right – not conducting themselves in a right standard.
I know that many people get upset when you talk about difficult and tragic things happening as punishment from God. But all you have to do is read the Bible to see that God doesn’t have an unlimited amount of patience with habitual, unending bad, sinful, immoral behavior. His chosen people, the Jews, turned their backs on Him and his commandments repeatedly, living sinful, immoral lives – and repeatedly suffered difficult and tragic things as a result. They then would tire of their suffering, pray for God’s forgiveness, pledge to change and turn from their evil ways. Because His love for humans is so deep, He would hear their prayers and bring them back to restoration. But it was a cycle that repeated itself many, many times. Humans seem to have a difficult time learning the hard lessons the first time around. Unfortunately, people are no different today than they were then.
I believe that today it is past the time that we need to look at what’s happening in our world and see that we need to pray for forgiveness, pledge to change and turn from our evil, unrighteous ways. It’s time for Christians to get on their knees and pray with all their might for the world we live in. I like the way The Message translation puts it:
Isaiah 32:15-20 (MSG) says this: “Yes, weep and grieve until the Spirit is poured down on us from above. And the badlands desert grows crops and the fertile fields become forests. Justice will move into the badlands desert. Right will build a home in the fertile field. And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace and the progeny of Right: quiet lives and endless trust. My people will live in a peaceful neighborhood—in safe houses, in quiet gardens. The forest of your pride will be clear-cut, the city showing off your power leveled. But you will enjoy a fortunate life, planting well-watered fields and gardens, with your farm animals grazing freely.”
How wonderful it would be if instead of division, anger, unrest, deceit and all the unpleasant noise that we have around us, we could have justice, peace, trust, security and quiet.
It’s time to come into that spiritual oneness with God. It’s time for us to step up, weep and grieve over the unrighteousness in the world today until God pours out His Spirit on us so that we can experience the benefits of right living.
Written by Karran Martin – August 25, 2023
[All bold emphasis is mine]
Karran's Korner 