Day 21 | Righteousness Definition
Read Romans 3
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (IBWM) is an organization sponsored by 59 nations that act together on the measurement standards for metrology. Based in France, the IBWM holds the official standards for what is used for measuring objects around the world. The IBWM established objective criteria for the meter, and all other measurements are held to what they collectively say is a meter. They also possess an object whose mass is officially one kilogram. Both the meter-long stick and the one-kilogram object are what they are because the 59 nations which form the IBWM declare that is what they are. Collectively, they agree on the standards, and every other measurement on the earth has to “measure up” to their objective standards.
In similar fashion, God’s attribute of righteousness (Psalms 89:14) is based upon who He is. He sets the standard for righteousness. He is right, and He cannot be wrong. He is the IBWM of proper morality and character. To say it another way, God’s righteousness is the divine attribute that God always acts within His own righteous character. If God does something, it is right because God was the One who did it. He—and He alone—is the standard.
Our problem is that when anyone or anything is measured up against Him, we are all found wanting. None of us is God, and therefore, not one of us is righteous (Romans 3:10). Due to sin, none of us can be righteous like He is righteous. Unless…
Unless He decides to declare us righteous. You see, the only chance we have to be righteous is if God declares it. Why? Because God is always right. He cannot be wrong. This is one reason why this attribute of God is so awesome because even if something “is not,” it becomes “is” if God declares it to be so. And what has to happen for God to declare our righteousness as so? We choose to put our faith in Christ’s righteousness and not our own. We admit our own failures, we trust in the atoning work of Christ on Calvary, and God chooses to declare us righteous. Hallelujah!
Pray for 10 minutes