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.
Only Yehovah’s People Do Righteousness
How does the Creator defines righteousness for us, His called-out men? Using Torah to define words and concepts is my preferred method of study – this has led me into many truths and precepts, which in turn have revealed many more wonderful discoveries. Here is how the Creator defines righteousness for His righteous men who lead all those who dwell with them.
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 [Elohim – their lawmaker and Judge]. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching Elohim. (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)
And Yehovah commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear Yehovah 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 Yehovah our God, as He has commanded us. (Deu 6:24-25)
Clearly, righteousness is obedience to the ways of the Creator; while sin, also known as wickedness, is disobedience to His ways.
Righteousness Is The Opposite Of Wickedness
Righteousness 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 Elohim 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 wanting to be in total compliance to Yehovah’s ways delivered through Moses, it is not righteousness!
Righteousness Has Nothing To Do With “The Laws Of The Land”
“Broad Road” theology makes turning to righteous synonymous with obedience to the ways of men and compliance to the “laws of the land.” 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 foundation for how His people are to conduct their lives.
Does Yehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth, promote the idea that His people are to obey the “laws of the land?” Never, never, never!
Then Yehovah spoke to Moses, saying, “Israel’s seed [perversely known as “the children of Israel”], and say to them: ‘I am Yehovah, 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 Yehovah, your God. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am Yehovah.’ (Lev 18:1-5)
Yehovah Never Commanded Any Gentile To Do Righteousness
Yehovah did not give His Ezrach men His commandments until after we left Egypt, our old Elohim, and became only His people. He said,
I am Yehovah, thy Elohim, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shall have no other elohim existing before My face. (Exo 20:2-3)
Doing righteousness before we (men) are wholly His people shines forth a false light into the world. This just may be worse than not doing righteousness at all.
Do Women Do Righteousness?
Because men and women do not understand their created purpose, many assume that a woman is to keep Yehovah’s commandments, statues, ordinances and judgments. But contrary to broad road theology there is no place in Torah (or in the prophets) where Yehovah talks about a righteous [צדיק, a tsad·deek] woman.
A little that a righteous [צדיק, tzad·deek] man [×יש×, eesh] has is better than the riches of many wicked. (Psa 37:16)
A man [×ד×, a·dam] is not established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous [צדיקי×, tsad·de·kim, plural form of tzad·deek] cannot be moved. (Pro 12:3)
This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just [צדיק, tzad·deek] man [×יש×, eesh], perfect in his generations. With the God [×”×להי×, the Elohim], Noah walked. (Gen 6:9)
The righteous [צדיק, tzad·deek] man [×ד×, a·dam] walks in his integrity; and his sons are blessed after him. (Pro 20:7)
By transgression an evil man [×יש×, eesh] is snared, but the righteous [צדיק, tzad·deek sings and rejoices. (Pro 29:6)
A wicked man [×יש×, eesh] is an abomination to the righteous [צדיקי×, tsad·de·kim], and he who is upright [יש×ר, yasher] in the way is an abomination to the wicked. (Pro 29:27)
The righteous [צדיק, tzad·deek] perishes, and no man [×יש×, eesh] takes it to heart; merciful men [×× ×©×, e·nosh, plural of eesh] are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous [הצדיק, ha·tzad·deek] is taken away from the evil. (Isa 57:1)
How much more, when wicked men [×× ×©××™×, e·no·shim] have killed a righteous [צדיק, tzad·deek] man [×יש×, eesh] in his own house on his bed? Therefore, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and remove you from the earth? (2Sa 4:11)
So If A Woman Does Not Do Righteousness, What Is Her Created Purpose?
Well, that is a discussion for another day, and I have written much to help us discover the answer concerning a woman’s role in the world. The best place to begin to answer that question is found in my article called “A Woman Of Worth.” A woman of worth follows only her man.
Men, Who Do You Serve?
Am I suggesting that men need to stop doing righteousness? Well, yes and no. Unless we have left the kingdom of our birth and made ourselves 100% Yehovah’s men, we may be bringing early destruction on ourselves. Please, never forget Yehovah’s first commandment.
I am Yehovah, thy Elohim, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shall have no other elohim existing before My face. (Exo 20:2-3)
Am I saying that we should run red 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 Yehovah’s people, we will keep His ways.” There are many ways of men that are not compatible with His ways.
Go to: Fear Of God Leads To Life