Introduction. Most of us remember our earliest experiences with righteousness. As we learned the rules, we also learned the discipline of their violation. When punished fairly, we meekly accepted it as the just consequence of our selfish action, but if punished for something we didn’t do, we cried in outrage: “That’s Not Fair!” Powerful emotions are at play between righteous and unrighteous outcomes. Joy and satisfaction when treated fairly or anger and outrage over injustice. Yet righteousness is more than justice and fairness in judgment. It is a way of life where all interactions with others are fair and just. We recognize the needs of others and treat them with respect. This too was learned early in life. When someone took something of ours, once again, there was the outrage expressed in: “That’s Mine!”
Righteousness is justice, equity, fairness, and integrity in every interaction. When we treat the needs of God and of our fellow man fairly, with justice and equity in our thoughts, words and deeds, we are righteous. We allow others to keep what is theirs.
God calls every act of unfairness and injustice: SIN! Every sin cheats someone of something precious. “It’s Not Fair” to be robbed or cheated of our possessions (stealing/coveting), our integrity (false witness), our life (murder), our spouse (adultery), our souls (false teaching), or our peace (anger). Those who recognize this and want to be fair are acting righteously. While those using lusts and selfishness to take what they have no right to have are unrighteous
Righteousness is justice, equity, fairness, and integrity in every interaction. When we treat the needs of God and of our fellow man fairly, with justice and equity in our thoughts, words and deeds, we are righteous. We allow others to keep what is theirs.
God calls every act of unfairness and injustice: SIN! Every sin cheats someone of something precious. “It’s Not Fair” to be robbed or cheated of our possessions (stealing/coveting), our integrity (false witness), our life (murder), our spouse (adultery), our souls (false teaching), or our peace (anger). Those who recognize this and want to be fair are acting righteously. While those using lusts and selfishness to take what they have no right to have are unrighteous
All of God’s laws are based on the righteousness of treating others fairly. Our own subjective feelings of fairness are far too limited. Only God’s Word can reveal the true depths of righteous dealings with others. “The Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments” (Deut. 6:24-25).
Since God always treats others with fairness, justice and equity, He is the objective standard of righteousness. “For the lord is righteous; He loves righteousness” and “righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;” (Ps. 11:7; 89:14). God is always fair, always looking at all sides and examining every witness. Our outrage over unrighteousness is a reflection of His: “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18). Created in His image and likeness, unless marred by selfish lust, we want to give fairness and equity as badly as we desire to receive it.
Righteousness is the dividing line between children of God and children of the devil. A child always possesses the characteristics and the desires of their parents. “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God.” Since God is righteous, anyone who is unrighteous is not His child. “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” “He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1Jn. 3:10; 2:29; 3:7). Jesus gave a terrible indictment that many still share today. “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (Jn. 8:44). We proclaim our father by our actions!
The intensity of our desire for fairness and equity is seen in our “hunger” and “thirst.” Hunger and thirst are both relative needs that begin with interest and grow in intensity. There are few times in the day we are not thinking of one or the other because they are continual needs. Jesus used a present active participle to emphasize continual action. He wants us “hungering” and “thirsting.”
Are we satisfied with our fairness and equity or always hungering to learn and do more? “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4:4). “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12). Are we like this? Can we truly say that our interest in God’s standards of righteousness revealed in His word are as continual as our daily hunger? “Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger.” (Lk. 6:21,25).
What about our “thirsting?” Does it rise to the level as described by others in Scripture? “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” “My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water” (Ps 42:1; 63:1). Are we thirsting for righteousness as the deer pants for water? Do we recognize the dry and thirsty land of unrighteousness we live within and thirst for righteousness?
Conclusion. Our interest and desire for treating others fairly and justly are the basis of Jesus’ words here. The stronger our desire for righteousness, the more we will hate sin and the stronger our mourning over taking from others what we had no right to have will become. This godly sorrow will lead to a true sense of our need for repentance and confession and keep us poor in spirit.
Since God always treats others with fairness, justice and equity, He is the objective standard of righteousness. “For the lord is righteous; He loves righteousness” and “righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;” (Ps. 11:7; 89:14). God is always fair, always looking at all sides and examining every witness. Our outrage over unrighteousness is a reflection of His: “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18). Created in His image and likeness, unless marred by selfish lust, we want to give fairness and equity as badly as we desire to receive it.
Righteousness is the dividing line between children of God and children of the devil. A child always possesses the characteristics and the desires of their parents. “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God.” Since God is righteous, anyone who is unrighteous is not His child. “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” “He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1Jn. 3:10; 2:29; 3:7). Jesus gave a terrible indictment that many still share today. “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (Jn. 8:44). We proclaim our father by our actions!
The intensity of our desire for fairness and equity is seen in our “hunger” and “thirst.” Hunger and thirst are both relative needs that begin with interest and grow in intensity. There are few times in the day we are not thinking of one or the other because they are continual needs. Jesus used a present active participle to emphasize continual action. He wants us “hungering” and “thirsting.”
Are we satisfied with our fairness and equity or always hungering to learn and do more? “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4:4). “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12). Are we like this? Can we truly say that our interest in God’s standards of righteousness revealed in His word are as continual as our daily hunger? “Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger.” (Lk. 6:21,25).
What about our “thirsting?” Does it rise to the level as described by others in Scripture? “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” “My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water” (Ps 42:1; 63:1). Are we thirsting for righteousness as the deer pants for water? Do we recognize the dry and thirsty land of unrighteousness we live within and thirst for righteousness?
Conclusion. Our interest and desire for treating others fairly and justly are the basis of Jesus’ words here. The stronger our desire for righteousness, the more we will hate sin and the stronger our mourning over taking from others what we had no right to have will become. This godly sorrow will lead to a true sense of our need for repentance and confession and keep us poor in spirit.