The Crown of Righteousness
Many Christians think that righteousness is an unattainable goal to work towards, having read the verse quoted by Paul from the Old Testament, that "there is none righteous, no not one" (ROMANS 3:10). It is taught that we can not achieve righteousness by our own actions but that instead it is something given to us by GOD after we become HIS sons. Many surmise that instead of us working towards being righteous, that GOD just instantly makes us righteous, calling it a "sonship right". But as we study righteousness in the Scriptures we discover evidence to support the idea that it is indeed something we are to "work" towards becoming.
We have two questions before us. First, what did Paul mean when he wrote that there was none righteous, and second, how would it then be available for us to become righteous?
The passage Paul quoted in his letter to the believers at Rome is from either ECCLESIASTES 7:20, or PSALM 14:3. It is interesting that in ECCLESIASTES it is written, "For there is not a just [righteous] man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not". Clearly the verse is not saying that there is not a righteous man upon the earth, but rather, that there is not a righteous man upon the earth that doesn't sin. There were righteous men! This must be the case because we don't have to look far in the Book before we find righteous men upon the earth (GENESIS 6:9).
During the gospel period our Lord revealed to His disciples that "many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them..." (MATTHEW 13:17), so we know that there must have been "many righteous men". Scripture names a few for us. There was Abel (MATTHEW 23:35 HEBREWS 11:4 1 JOHN 3:12), Noah (GENESIS 6:9; 7:1), Abraham (ROMANS 4:2), Lot (2 PETER 2:7-8) and Zacharias (MATTHEW 23:35). Then in New Testament times there was Simeon (LUKE 2:25), John the Baptist (MARK 6:20), Mary's husband Joseph (MATTHEW 1:19), of course Yeshua (Jesus) the Christ (1 JOHN 2:1), Joseph, the counselor (LUKE 23:50), and reportedly Cornelius the centurion (ACTS 10:22).
Obviously Paul knew that righteous men had lived, so when he wrote that there was "none righteous, not even one", he must have meant something beyond what is commonly thought. In searching out this apparent discrepancy, let us consider what point Paul was trying to make in this letter to the believers at Rome. His first usage there of the word translated righteous, dikaios, is most revealing.
ROMANS 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ [the texts omit the phrase "of Christ"]: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness [dikaiosune] of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just [righteous, dikaios] shall live by faith.
We read that it is the gospel that reveals the righteousness of GOD. And what is written therein? That the righteous shall live by faith! There is no reason for us to interpret "live" here as some do, "live again after resurrection", as if only eternal life is meant. The context of the scripture Paul is quoting (HABAKKUK 2:4) is clearly referring to how the righteous live now, not after resurrection. The righteous shall live "now" by faith. As faith is hearing and then believing what is heard from GOD (ROMANS 10:16,17), it is self evident that righteousness has to do with our obedience to GOD . Apart from faith no one can be righteous, "not even one".
Paul's next usage of dikaios is also most enlightening.
ROMANS 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just [righteous, dikaios] before God, but the doers [poietes] of the law shall be justified [dikaioo].
"Doers" in the above verse is from the Greek work poietes. Surprisingly, it is rarely (six times) used in Scripture, being first found in ACTS 17:28, translated there "poets". It has to do with "making" something, as in making a poem.
Therefore, those named in Scripture as being righteous must have been doers, not just hearers. They were not righteous by just hearing something or even just by saying something, but only by making something. Many today think that just because they go to Church and "hear" a good sermon that they are saved , or even righteous. Paul's argument is that we must go beyond hearing; we must become "doers".
JAMES 1:22-25 But be ye doers [poietes] of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer [poietes], he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer [poietes] of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
The whole matter is summed up for us here in this epistle of James. We might hear the word of GOD and feel moved by its message. Howbeit, as we get on with our lives, the message is soon forgotten. Instead, we must act upon that word if we are to retain it. We must "make" something of it. After entering our ears, it must find its way to our heart. Only then will it be of any lasting profit to us.
the law of faith
Paul to the believers in Galatia wrote that "no man is justified [dikaioo] by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just [dikaios] shall live by faith" (GALATIANS 3:11). Again quoting the passage from Habakkuk, Paul seems to be contradicting himself. On the one hand he writes the Galatians, "no man is righteous by the law", but then he writes to the Romans, "the doers of the law shall be righteous". What is the answer? What is Paul saying? Is righteousness by faith or the law?
The phrase "the law" doesn't necessarily mean the Mosaic Law. It equally can refer to any "law as prescribed by custom or statute" (Bullinger's Lexicon). Actually, faith itself is a law.
ROMANS 3:27-28 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law [the Mosaic Law].
We are righteous by the law of faith, but not by a prescribed law, such as the Mosaic Law. The law we are made righteous by is "the law of the Spirit", not "the law of sin and death".
ROMANS 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
What Paul was endeavoring to teach the believers at Rome, was that without GOD's guidance there is none righteous, no not one! Only by grace can we be guided into the way of faith and only by faith can we become righteous. If we try to become righteous on our own, by our own dead works, we are doomed to failure. Likewise, to the believers at Galatia he was writing that by just mechanically obeying the Mosaic law, without faith, no man is righteous. Only by faith can one be righteous. Only by hearing and then obeying that which is heard, the law of the spirit, can we be righteous.
ROMANS 3:20-23 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified [dikaioo] in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without [apart from] the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of [in, ASV] Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
All men have by their dead works come short. By dead works, no flesh can become righteous. But if we believe what we hear from GOD by doing what HE tells us to do, then by our obedience each of us can become righteous. Grace enables us to live by faith. As we do, that faith, which is the same faith Abraham had (ROMANS 4:16), that faith will make us righteous.
This is the key to the whole issue. Hearing something, happens in an instant, but making something takes time. Righteousness comes over time. It doesn't happen in the snap of a finger or the twitch of a nose.
ROMANS 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Righteousness comes from obedience just as sin comes from disobedience. Every time we obey GOD, we become more righteous. Every time we disobey GOD we become more unrighteous. This is what Paul meant when he wrote that "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (ROMANS 4:3). It was "counted" unto him! Each time he acted upon what he heard from GOD he was made a little more righteous. Abraham was being made righteous as he believed what he heard from GOD. As such, faith "was reckoned [counted] to Abraham for righteousness" (ROMANS 4:9).
ROMANS 4:23-24 Now it was not written for his [Abraham's] sake alone, that it was imputed [counted] to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed [counted], if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Paul does not write here that we are made righteous by simply believing "on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead", but rather that righteousness shall be "counted" unto us if we thus believe. It is only a step on the journey to our being made righteous. It is only the beginning as we "walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham" (ROMANS 4:12). This journey is set forth for us by our Lord when He revealed, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (MATTHEW 5:6). It is a continued cycle. We hunger, then we are fed, then we are filled, then we hunger again.
The revelation that righteousness is something to be measured and counted out, Yeshua put forth when He declared, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (MATTHEW 5:20). If righteousness is to "exceed" then it must somehow be increased; it must develop, it must grow (2 THESSALONIANS 1:3). Righteousness increases in direct proportion to our obedience to the word of GOD that we hear.
ROMANS 10:3 For they [Israel] being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
To obtain the righteousness of GOD, we must submit ourselves unto GOD. That is why these scribes and Pharisees lacked GOD's righteousness. Going about to establish their own righteousness they lacked GOD's guidance, they frustrated GOD's grace.
In contrast to establishing one's own righteousness, Yeshua instructed His followers to seek GOD's righteousness (MATTHEW6:33). The first usage of this word for "seek" is when GOD warned Yeshua's stepfather that "Herod will seek the young child to destroy him" (MATTHEW 2:13). Herod didn't just casually kick around the idea of killing Yeshua. He with tenacity and determination fiercely sought the child, even murdering "all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under". With this same intensity of determination we are to seek GOD's righteousness.
Righteousness requires faith, but faith requires grace. Without grace there is no faith and without faith there is no righteousness. Grace reveals, it inspires and it teaches (TITUS 2:16,17). Mercy forgives, but it is grace that helps us acquire that which we need to accomplish our transformation (HEBREWS 4:16).
Paul wrote to Timothy that "All scripture is ... profitable for ... instruction in righteousness" (2 TIMOTHY 3:16). The word "instruction" has to do with training and educating. Hence, the words of GOD train us to be righteous! Grace is GOD giving us the training. Faith is us engaged in that training. Righteousness is the result of that training.
Thus, righteousness is a crown. Crowns are given in recognition of one's place in life. If we reject GOD's grace and choose to be guided by the lusts of our old man instead of by the spirit of GOD, then there is no crown of righteousness awaiting us. If we are to be righteous, we must first receive GOD's guidance. Then having heard HIS words, we must then believe them by doing what HE requires. This is the renewing of our minds to GOD's word, that we might thus become transformed, that we might then prove HIS perfect will.
2 TIMOTHY 4:7-8 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
A crown of righteousness was awaiting Paul. This recognition by "the righteous judge" was the result of Paul's walk. He fought a good fight, he finished the course he had been called to and he kept the faith by continually hearing GOD and then obeying that which he had heard. Obedience is work! By works he was made righteous. But not by dead works or evil works. "None, not one" is made righteous by those works. Only by good works, by obeying GOD, can we be made righteous.