Question 1

What is righteousness?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 6:9Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.Job 1:1There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.Romans 4:3, 20-22The Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” . . . Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.Righteousness is being completely blameless before God and involves consistently following God’s Word and will, walking with God daily, having an unwavering faith in God and his promises, loving him deeply, demonstrating persistent integrity, and avoiding evil.

Question 2

How can I be considered righteous?

Accepted Answer

Romans 1:17This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”Romans 3:21-22God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.Romans 5:1-2Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.Romans 10:10It is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.2 Corinthians 5:21God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.Philippians 3:8-9Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.We are considered righteous before God when we trust in Jesus Christ to save us from the punishment we deserve for our sins. When we believe in Jesus, confess our sins, and truly turn from sin to live for God, God looks at us as though we had never sinned. We are righteous not because we are perfect, but because God, through his forgiveness, sees us as holy in his eyes.

Question 3

How can I pursue and practice righteousness?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 21:21Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor.Matthew 25:37-40“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”1 Timothy 6:11You, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.1 John 3:7Don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.We pursue and practice righteousness by doing our best to follow Jesus’ example. This means following what Jesus taught through his actions and his words. We should ask the Holy Spirit to help us imitate Christ.

Question 4

In what ways are the righteous blessed?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 15:29The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.Proverbs 28:1The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.Proverbs 18:10The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.Matthew 13:43“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!”Those who are righteous in Jesus’ eyes are safe in God’s care (their souls cannot be snatched away by Satan), bold in God’s work (they have the courage to do the right thing and are not ashamed of their faith), persistent in prayer (they enjoy close fellowship with God), and radiant in their inner beauty (others can see they are different and that something is very attractive about them).