What is ‘Righteousness’?

The righteousness of God was manifest and understood by his actions. I Samuel 12:7 says it most succinctly: “all the righteous acts performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors.” Every time you see a reference to God’s ‘mighty and outstretched hand’ or ‘the works of his hands’ or ‘his saving acts’, it is a reference to God’s righteousness. God’s righteousness is what God does out of loyalty to his creation and his people in particular. 

In Micah 6, God is frustrated with the unfaithfulness of the Israelites. God makes his case against them. “‘My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.” (Micah 6:2-6). God then recounts His righteous acts saying, ‘I brought you out of Egypt…I redeemed you, I sent Moses… remember… remember… that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.’

Micah response with the question of how the Israelites should respond to God’s righteous acts. Human response to God’s righteous comprises human righteousness – or unrighteousness. God doesn’t want an outward action, a performance of righteousness. God wants the heart of righteousness as well as the acts of justice. “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8). Our heart and hand responses are our righteousness.

Whether we are righteous or not is seen in the extent to which we ‘act justly… love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.’  Look back across your life and recount God’s actions of salvation, direction, wisdom, help, peace, and joy in your life. How have you seen God’s outstretched hand at work in your life? God has demonstrated His righteousness to you. What will your righteous response be to God? 

Reflecting on God’s righteousness,

Jonathan