Righteousness
Since ADONAI put the just in justified, we are left with the understanding that our actions and treatment of others should resemble His towards us. THAT THERE is the issue. We don’t want to; and we don’t because we often don’t understand what He expects of us.
There is eternal connection between being righteous and compassionate. Righteousness has little about “being good” and a whole lot about gentle, kind and caring treatment of people.
All over the Bible, righteousness is largely a social and physically legal model to be LIVED OUT.
Many people don’t know much about the original language of Scripture and get lulled by the Greek of things. However, the Scriptures, while some of them are transliterated into Greek from Hebrew were originally spoken and derive from Aramaic, Hebrew and some Chaldee and Akkadian roots. In this case, righteousness is from the Hebrew root word tsadaq, which means “to be straight or fit”. What it describes is the expected behavior that GOD wants His people to conform to. Yep. ADONAI had and still has a specific standard. That way of treatment and living is the very character that shapes the Covenant He ratified with blood and Love.
In the Torah (Instruction) – The Five Books of Moses, righteousness is characterized as faithfulness to the covenant and adherence to GOD’s legal and moral Instructions.
Righteousness is still the "plumb line" of GOD’s own excellence.
Do you know that Abraham’s trust in ADONAI was "credited to him as righteousness", by the LORD? –Genesis 15:6
That means, GOD acknowledged explained that righteousness will always begin with a relationship of trust before it displays itself in the actions of a person.
How are you living today? How a person treated another individual was a great and rather clear indicator of his or her righteousness, and subsequently, love for their GOD.
Reading the many books of the Prophets, you and I should notice how well they emphasized societal virtues and the restoration of the Covenant. By using GOD’s Words, they are often heard and found critiquing those who perform religious rituals while neglecting justice for the vulnerable.
Remember, GOD is consistent. It did not matter if He was in Person, or acting in us. His righteousness is often linked to His life altering Power. Have you not noticed He is always in the mind and commitment to deliver His people and fulfill His promises, even when they are unfaithful?
Isaiah shows righteousness as a robe or cloak (Isaiah 61:10), being a gift from GOD that covers the wearer's "unclean lips".
He also uses Jeremiah to prophesy of a future King Whose name will be "The LORD Our Righteousness" (ADONAI Tsidkenu), signaling that GOD Himself will be the Source of His people's right standing –Jeremiah 23:6
In Amos, the Father demands that "justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream". Righteousness and His Words portray a life-sustaining force for all of Israel society.
I would be silly to overlook how the Psalmist compared the righteous man to a tree planted by streams of water (Psalm 1:3). This is one of my favorite Biblical references of how man should live and treat one another. It illustrates how a man should be stable and fruitful.
A buddy and I refer this this approach used in Proverbs. It talks about using accurate weights and measures to clarify righteousness (Proverbs 16:11), showing that it involves honesty and fairness in daily transactions.
Yet another book talks about righteousness. Our brother Job—even in his proving ground, his "righteousness" is defended as his integrity and fear of GOD resounds, even when his circumstances seem to dispute GOD's justice.
All through the Scriptures, They consistently define righteousness by how one treats others, especially the vulnerable. Ibn your spare time look into this word (tzedakah). It means — righteousness expressed as justice, generosity, and right relationships.
Can you see how we people get mixed up and twisted when we don’t know what GOD’s Words really mean? Take a look around your local church body and see how people are treated and compare what you see to what the Scriptures detail.
Do you recall reading how Job 29-3 shared his defense of his own righteousness by describing how he treated the following people?
The poor
The widow
The orphan
The stranger
His servants
As ours should be, his righteousness is social ethics, not private spirituality. There is ZERO EXTRA credit, when we are living according to the Word of GOD. Here are some more helpful hints of having GOD character, especially when dealing with people.
Honest weights and measures (Lev 19:35–36)
Fair treatment of workers (Deut 24:14–15)
Leaving gleanings for the poor (Lev 19:9–10)
Loving the stranger (Deut 10:18–19)
Protecting the vulnerable (Exod 22:21–27)
No partiality in judgment (Deut 16:19–20)
Please don’t tell me that “this is no longer for today” because “the Old Testament has been done away with”. That is an unBiblical and heretical way of saying, I am lazy and unlearned.
Don’t forget, your Creator put the just in justified; and people are His focus, per His Word!