What is righteousness, and how is it different than piety? The definition for piety did equate it with righteousness. This devotion looks at Abraham to determine what righteousness is and evaluates the two terms.
Nuggets
- Abraham was righteous because he believed in God.
- Faith is the substitute for the product of being set apart, perfect, and pure.
- We are credited for leading others to Christ.
To read a devotion in the What Is Righteousness? series, click on the button below.
In the last devotion, we saw that sometimes the Hebrew word is translated as piety. Sometimes, it is translated as righteousness. Let’s look at righteousness.
Let's Put It into Context
Bible Verse
Righteousness is “the actions and positive results of a sound relationship within a local community or between God and a person or His people” (Holman Bible Dictionary). Unfortunately, our English definition does not do justice to the original definition. Instead of just “uprightness,” the original definition was based on fulfilling the covenant and building relationships with God and others.
We’ve talked before how Abraham was considered righteous. Let’s take a more in-depth look to see if we can get a better handle on what it is.
Abraham Was Righteous
“For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness” (Rom. 4: 3 CSB)
The scripture being referenced in Romans 4: 3 is Genesis 15: 6. “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15: 6). What does it and the verse in Romans tell us?
- Abraham believed God.
- Because of that belief, he was considered righteous.
What did Abraham believe?
- God was Sovereign God.
- God created the universe, so it and all things in it were His.
- God would do what He promised.
We are told Abraham was rich (Gen. 13: 2). However, that didn’t make him righteous.
Abraham had an innate kindness to him that didn’t stand on the traditions of the day (Gen. 13: 9). He was a man of integrity (Gen. 14: 23-24). But that didn’t make him righteous.
Abraham was righteous because he believed in God.
Sometimes, we forget that Abraham questioned God. “Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” (Gen. 17: 17 CSB). Sarah wasn’t the only one to laugh (Gen. 18: 12).
This reminds me of the Colton Dixon song, Through All of It.
Sometimes, we get it right. Sometimes, we don’t.
When did Abraham get it right?
- Abraham followed God’s call (Gen. 12: 4).
- Abraham gave his tithes (Gen. 14: 20).
- Abraham and all of his household were circumcised (Gen. 17: 23).
- He was concerned about his fellow men. (Gen. 18: 32).
- He passes the test God put him through about sacrificing Isaac (Gen. 22: 3).
- He didn’t take what wasn’t his without paying for it (Gen. 23: 13).
When did Abraham get it wrong?
- Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife (Gen. 12: 13).
- Abraham and Sarah tried to hurry along the parenting process (Gen. 16: 3).
- He lied again about Sarah being his wife (Gen. 20: 2).
A righteous person isn’t going to get it right all of the time. When we don’t, we have to ask forgiveness.
Even though Jesus hadn’t accomplished the plan of salvation in Abraham’s time, Abraham still believed. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2: 8-9 ESV). “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11: 1 ESV).
These verses are reinforcing the fact that it was not about Abraham getting it right or wrong. It was about him believing — and he had a whole lot of that. It is about a simple faith.
Browne made a good point. Abraham believed “what God was pleased to reveal.” Abraham made sure that God was in control. Browne also gave us characteristics of that faith.
“1. Firm faith (ver. 21).
“2. Hopeful faith (ver. 18).
“3. A faith that no seeming impossibilities could shake (ver. 20).”
Can’t Work Our Way to Righteousness
“But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited for righteousness” (Rom. 4: 5 CSB)
Huh? What does that even mean?
Greenwood was scratching his head on this one, too. “What! is it, then, the idle or the vicious person, he that does nothing or nothing that is good, and merely has faith or belief, who is to be treated as righteous? And is God the justifier, not of the godly, but of the ungodly?”
I don’t think so. Let’s break it down this way.
- “But to the one who does not work …” (Rom. 4: 5 CSB) — We just looked at Ephesians 2: 8-9, which said salvation was based on faith, not works.
- “… but believes on him who declares the ungodly to be righteous …” (Rom. 4: 5 CSB) — we are all ungodly until we accept that gift of salvation. When we do, we are declared righteous — and that has the past, present, and future aspect to it.
- “… his faith is credited for righteousness” (Rom. 4: 5 CSB) — Faith = righteousness. No faith = no righteousness
“… his faith is credited for righteousness” (Rom. 4: 5 CSB). His faith is counted for righteousness. It is a substitute???
Faith is the belief that the doctrines stated in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them. We’ve said before that righteousness is the product of being holy, created by having faith and loving as Jesus does. Holy means to be set apart, perfect, and pure. God gets to choose what is acceptable.
Faith is the substitute for the product of being set apart, perfect, and pure. Is that what it is saying — it is okay if we aren’t perfect and pure as long as we have faith?
Well, yes and no, in my opinion (and this is just an opinion). We just said we aren’t going to get it right all the time. Faith is what accepts the gift of grace when we are still sinners — far from being righteous.
But that doesn’t give us license to keep on being far from perfect and pure. We have to go through the process of regeneration. Regeneration is the change in us that God brings about when we go from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive.
Yes, we are changed from spiritually dead to spiritually alive at conversion. But it is also a process that happens for the rest of our lives to change us to what will ultimately culminate in our being spiritual beings.
It doesn’t give us license to continue to sin. We have to have true repentance. Also, this does not mean we don’t have to submit to God — that He will just automatically forgive everyone without repentance.
Repentance is expressing sorrow for things we’ve done wrong. But it is not just feeling sorry for doing those things. It is making the commitment to changing ourselves so that we no longer do the wrong things.
Okay, but let’s take it from the flip side. “But to the one who does not work …” (Rom. 4: 5 CSB). There is nothing that we could do to earn our salvation. We don’t work for salvation.
Jesus was the only One Who could secure it for us. The opportunity for our salvation was only available when Jesus shed His blood for us.
To read a related devotion, click on the appropriate button below.
Not Counted but Credit Given
“But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Rom. 4: 23-25 ESV)Bible Verse
Okay. Another path to follow. This is referring back to verse 5: “… his faith is credited for righteousness” (Rom. 4: 5 CSB). Faith is a substitute for righteousness. We cannot be a substitute for accomplishing the plan of salvation.
Abraham gets credit for leading us to Jesus. Well, he witnessed to Isaac, who witnessed to Jacob, who witnessed to … all the way down to the person who led us to Christ. We are credited for leading others to Christ.
Making the Connections
So, what does all this tell us what righteousness is, and how does that jive with piety?
What I get out of all of this is righteousness is the result of faith and obedience. We believe God is the Sovereign Lord, and as we choose to obey Him, we become more like Him (Ps. 11: 7).
In the last devotion, we said that piety was the following:
- Piety comes from God by following His laws and commandments and imitating Him.
- A pious person truly tries to be perfect in following God’s laws and commandments.
- A pious person remains constant in devotion to God.
- A pious person knows that communication with God is essential.
While righteousness did not define itself as being related to piety, piety did. I would say that the list was synonymous with righteousness, which is the result of our relationship with God.
Making the Connections to Self-Discipline
If righteousness is the product of holiness, and holiness is the product of regeneration that comes with faith, it all begins with a choice. We choose to admit our sins, believe on Jesus as Redeemer, and confess God as Sovereign Lord. The righteousness comes when we demonstrate that commitment by following our job description.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
The choice we make is one made out of obedience. We can — and should — discipline ourselves to obey God.
How Do We Apply This?
It may be a simple viewpoint, but I think it all boils down to trust. We have to trust that God is Who He says He is. We have to trust that God will do what He has promised.
Once we have the faith and trust in God, He works on us to increase our righteousness.
That is the end goal — being righteous as God is. We want to imitate Him.
From here on out, we are going to use the term righteousness rather than piety. When I was pulling my research, it had some interesting groupings. In the next devotion, we are going to look at the fruits of righteousness. Then we will compare it to some other concepts.
Lord. You are holy, and You are righteous. We are not — until we admit our sins, believe on Jesus as Redeemer, and confess You as Sovereign Lord. Then, through the process of regeneration, You make us like You. We also have to grow to be righteous like You, and You grow us throughout our lives. One day, we will be as You are. We long for that day. Amen.
What do you think?
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