What is the Bible
definition of
righteousness?
By Garner Ted Armstrong [excerpt from Armor of God booklet]
David said, "My tongue shall speak of Thy word, for all Thy commandments are
RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Psalm 119:172). The Ten Commandments of God are, by biblical
definition, "righteousness."
God is Righteous. David prayed, "Righteous art Thou, O Eternal, and upright are
Thy judgments. Thy testimonies that Thou hast commanded are righteous and
very faithful" (Psalm 119:137,138).
The Ten Commandments comprise God's most basic laws. The first four tell us
how to love God, while the last six tell us how to love our fellow man.
The "testimonies" of God spoken of by David comprise every word God ever
spoke. The Bible itself is the "testimony" of God.
Jesus said, when defeating Satan by using God's armor, "It is written, Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
of God!" (Matthew 4:4). Satan had just asked Jesus, Who was on the brink of
starvation, to miraculously turn stones into warm, fragrant bread to eat. Christ
countered Satan's evil thrust into Christ's mind, trying to tempt Jesus
to give in to the power of the devil, by the Word of God. Christ, through
forty days and nights of fasting and prayer, was heavily armored against
Satan's darts and spears.
"Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" means the entire
"testimony" of God. It means all the Bible.
Modern philosophers sneer and scoff at God's laws. To millions, moral
relativism is the order of the day. To them, every conceivable human
situation, from murder to rape, from lying to abortion, "depends" upon
circumstances.
But they are merely educated fools, without the knowledge of God, and with no
fear of God.
Millions of humans, in dozens of societies, know the difference between
"right" and "wrong." Hundreds of human societies know it is wrong
to steal from one another, wrong to murder someone, wrong to be disobedient to
parents.
Lacking God's law, they are a "law unto themselves." Paul wrote, "For when the
Gentiles [nations], which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in
the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the
work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness,
and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another" (Romans
2:14,15).
God has given to humanity a conscience. It is a part of human nature,
when living together in a community, to seek the most functional method of
harmony, mutual protection, productivity, and happiness. Therefore, many human
societies, "do by NATURE the things contained in the law."
This is merely to illustrate the point that all human societies, to some
degree or other, recognize the difference between right and wrong. By no
means is this biblical righteousness, but it certainly gives the lie to
"situation ethics," and the simpering excuses of liberal extremists who would
make sodomy an act of love, and the murder of millions of the unborn a "choice"
for young mothers.
God's Word clearly points out what is "righteousness." It is living by every
word of God (Matthew 4:4); living according to God's perfect law; living the
life of Christ; living a life of faith, of love, and of obedience!