What does it mean to be righteous?
An Interesting Question
Friday 01.21.05 [8:56 pm] delete entry | edit entry
Someone posed an interesting question recently; What does it mean to be righteous? In James 5:16 we're told; the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much. The righteous there has nothing to do with being sinless or perfect, & everything to do with rendered judgement. It's about being judged not guilty. However, you might want to note it mentions confessing our faults to one another as a means of establishing that righteous state. This backs up 1st John 1:7 which deals with entering into the light of God together where the light exposes the sin that's separating us from other believers, causing us to keep them @ arm's length out of fear of having the truth about our lives exposed. The whole passage, 1st John 1:5-10 is addressed to believers, not sinners. Believers are encouraged to confess their sins there as well that they may be forgiven. Another interesting note from 1st John 3: 4 which says;
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
In the definition of transgression there & other places in 1st John is the added meaning of repeatedly or habitually breaking God's laws. It deals with a state & not an individual act. For instance, noone who is truly born again & on their way to Heaven repeatedly or habitually breaks God's laws. Sin is no longer a life style with them. It's not that they never sin, but more of a case that they don't live in sin. I hope this helps some of you.