Righteousness? What is righteousness? That is the question for today, both in this missive and in the world. It has been all but lost: filed in our minds as unimportant and irrelevant for our daily walk. To try to define and understand righteousness using the New Testament commentaries of Paul, Peter, James, John or Jude is almost impossible. But when we go back to the word, the Law (Torah) and the Prophets we begin to see quite another picture. How does our Father define righteousness for us, and for all men? Using Torah to define words and concepts is my preferred method of study which has led me into many truths and precepts, which in turn has revealed many wonderful discoveries. Here is how our Father defines righteousness.

And YHVH (the LORD) commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear YHVH 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 before YHVH our God, as He has commanded us.’ (Deu 6:24-25)

Yet they seek Me daily, And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness, and did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching God. (Isa 58:2)

“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, nor be afraid of their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but My righteousness will be forever, and My salvation from generation to generation.” (Isa 51:7-8)

Clearly, righteousness is obedience to the ways of the Creator and heavenly Father; while sin, also known as wickedness, is disobedience to His ways. Righteous and sin (wickedness) are diametrically opposed to one another.

The righteous [those who do righteousness] should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked [those who do not do righteousness] leads them astray. (Pro 12:26) Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. (Mal 3:18)

But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die. (Eze 18:24)

If our righteousness is anything less than striving to be in total compliance to YHVH’s ways delivered through Moses, it is not righteousness! “Broad Road” theology makes obedience to the ways of men and compliance to the “laws of the land” their righteousness; and repentance in Broad Road repentance means – If I was not wearing my seat belt when I drove, or my helmet when I rode my bike – I will start now. Many of us will remember however, that when we were children neither of these man-made laws even  existed. Man made laws are always changing, just like the sands on the sea-shore. There is no consistency in the kingdoms of the world because there is no solid definition or understanding concerning how YHVH’s creation is to conduct their actions. Does our Father, the Creator of heaven and earth, promote the idea that His people are to obey the “laws of the land?” Never, never, never!

Then YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am YHVH your God. According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am YHVH your God. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am YHVH. (Lev 18:1-5)

Again YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of YHVH and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. (Num 15:37-41

Am I saying that we should run stop lights and stop signs, disobey the speed limit or not buckle our seat belts? That would be silly and unsafe, both for us and others. What I am saying is that “If we are YHVH’s people, we will keep His ways.” There are many ways of men that are not compatible with His ways. Yeshua (Jesus) said, For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:18-19)

I want to be  great in the kingdom by learning, doing, and teaching righteousness (obedience to the Creators ways); and I want that for you too.

Go to Precept 6

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