Psa 85:10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!
Psa 85:11 Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
Psa 85:12 Yes, the LORD pours down His blessings. Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
Psa 85:13 Righteousness goes as a herald before Him, preparing the way for His steps.
In contemplating God's righteousness vs man's, I thought about the elder brother of the prodigal son. He was full of his own righteousness and so was condemning and judgemental towards his younger brother who had squandered his heritance on riotous living. (Luk 15:11-32) Angrily he looked at what he had done "right" as opposed to what the younger brother had done "wrong" and this comparison made him bitter, unloving and unforgiving. He did not see, or understand that the self-centred younger brother left saying, "Father give me" and returned in a spirit of repentance, humbled and changed with a contrite heart that said, "Father make me". The older brother wanted judgement to be passed and did not consider giving mercy.
Psa 71:19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with You, O God?
Isa 28:17 I will test you with the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness
God is the only standard of Righteousness that we have and will be judged upon. No wonder it is something we can't attain too, yet God is His great mercy "made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2Co 5:21 We appropriate this righteousness by faith and though we work out our salvation with "fear and trembling", we need always remember that it comes not of our own "works" but with the sanctifying help of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us when we displease the Father and we heed His voice to repent and obey. We have no basis for pride that would cause us to not give mercy or grace to others, when we have received mercy and grace in abundance by the Father. As the old proverb goes, "There by the grace of God, go I."
We are purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ and brought into right relationship with Him and are given new life.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2Co 5:17
If we have been a Christian for a long time, we must remember that the changes we see in ourselves is purely the work of the Holy Spirit in us and our obedience to His gentle conviction. Let us not be like the elder brother who can tick off the list of right living like some badge and then use that as our standard by which to compare others. We are all on a journey in Christ and at different stages of maturity. Sure our obedience and faith play a role in our growth but we don't know the struggles and hurts that others harbour in their souls and the struggle towards glorious freedom in Christ. I am convinced that all of us struggle in some area in our life in total surrender to Jesus Christ. We cannot see what goes on in another person's heart and their heart cry to God the Father in their battle of surrender.
All of us desire mercy. Let us extend mercy too, even if it means we may err on the side of mercy over judgement, knowing that God the Father will call each of us to account one day. Let us rather cry out to Him on behalf of those we deem "less spiritual" and be an encourager in their faith rather than a stumbling block to their healing. And let us constantly go to the Father to ask for His grace and mercy on our lives and on the lives of others.
Let us keep our eyes on Jesus so we don't have the time to look around and judge but ask Him to open our eyes instead to the one who needs a helping hand. Let us not be too righteous in our own eyes to help and instead harden our hearts toward those God has called us to love.
And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever. Isa 32:17
Righteousness yields the fruit of peace; peace with God, peace with ourselves and peace with others. I encourage all of us to pursue right and holy living and to keep short accounts with God and our neighbour, remembering......
Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honour. Pro 21:21
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