God’s righteousness is seen throughout the Bible. His righteousness is seen in the nation of Israel, and in his will, the word of God. As we come to know his righteousness, we realize that we have this righteousness when we are born again. As it says in 1 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Isaiah 45:21 Declare and set forth [your case;]. Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none except Me.
Isaiah 5:6 But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
Zechariah 8:8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
God’s Righteousness and the Nation Israel
God’s righteousness was to be seen in His every dealing with the nation Israel:
Psalm 71:19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
2 Samuel 12:6-7 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. 7 So now, take your stand, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did for you and your fathers”
God’s righteousness in His dealings with the nation Israel has various manifestations.
(1) God reveals His righteousness by revealing His will and His word to the world through the word.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8 “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. 6 So keep and do [them], for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has a God so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him? 8 Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?”
Psalm 33:4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
The statutes and judgments of God included in the whole law are righteous. They show the righteousness of God. God’s word is his bond. It is truth and righteous and we can rely on his word.
God deals with men on the basis of what He has revealed to them. He often tells men what He will do well in advance of the event so they will know God is God and that He has accomplished what He promised:
(2) God reveals His righteousness by instructing men in His word.
Psalm 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
Often this instruction came through the levitical priests
Leviticus 10:11And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. ;
or through the prophets like Moses.
Exodus 18:20And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Nehemiah 9:7-8,Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; 8 And Thou didst find his heart faithful before Thee, and didst make a covenant with him to give [him] the land of the Canaanite, of the Hittite and the Amorite, of the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite—to give [it] to his descendants. And Thou hast fulfilled Thy promise, for Thou art righteous.
(4) God reveals His righteousness by judging the enemies of Israel
Exodus 9:27 Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time; the LORD is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones”.
Psalm 96:13 Before the LORD, for He is coming; For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, And the peoples in His faithfulness.
God likewise shows Himself to be righteous when He judges the nation Israel for their sin and disobedience:
2 Chronicles 12:1-6 1 It took place when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong that he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the LORD. 2 And it came about in King Rehoboam’s fifth year, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem 3 with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. And the people who came with him from Egypt were without number: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. 4 And he captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he said to them, “Thus says the LORD, ‘You have forsaken Me, so I also have forsaken you to Shishak.’” 6 So the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is righteous” .
Ezra 9:15 15 O LORD God of Israel, Thou art righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as [it is] this day; behold, we are before Thee in our guilt, for no one can stand before Thee because of this.
Daniel 9:7-8 7 Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near by and those who are far away in all the countries to which Thou hast driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against Thee. 8 Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against Thee.
Daniel 9:14 Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
(5) God reveals His righteousness in the way He rules.
Psalm 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom.14
Psalm 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before Thee
Psalm 97:2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
Psalm 48:10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
Psalm 50:6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.
(6) God reveals His righteousness in His hatred and in His anger.
Psalm 11:5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.
Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge; And a God who has indignation every day.
(7) God reveals His righteousness in His protection of the poor and the afflicted.
Psalm 140:12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, And the right of the poor;
(8) God reveals His righteousness when He shows mercy and compassion.
Psalm 116:5-6 5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate; 6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me .
Isaiah 30:1818 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. The LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are those who long for Him.
(9) God reveals His righteousness in saving sinners.
Psalm 98:2-3 2 The LORD has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God .
Isaiah 53:11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.
(10) God reveals His righteousness to comparison to the sins of Israel.
Ezra 9:15 O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
Job 35:2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?
The righteousness of God and the justice of God are not secondary matters; they are primary. The righteousness or justice of God is to be the guiding principle for the people of God. When the Old Testament prophets sought to sum up the essence of the Old Testament teaching regarding God, it was that God practices righteousness or justice.
God’s Righteousness in the New Testament
(1) God’s righteousness is revealed in faith.
Romans 1:16-17 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
(2) God’s righteousness is manifest in his kingdom.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(3) God’s righteousness judges sinfulness.
Romans 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
(4) Jesus rules in righteousness.
Hebrews 1:8-9 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Revelation 16:7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
Goode Christian: learning how to be a good Christian in today's world. 