“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
Proverbs 21:3
“Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous,
just as he is righteous.” – 1 John 3:7
What everyday word would you use to describe someone who does what is good and right out of the purity of their heart and care for others? I put this question to Gemini AI and it responded with three words: “principled,” “upstanding,” and “conscientious.” “Not bad,” I thought. The biblical answer for this question is “righteous.”
In the Hebrew scriptures, according to biblical scholar Nijay Gupta, a righteous person is characterized by a pure heart (a clear conscience), blamelessness (unable to be accused of wrongdoing), fairness (holding to a just standard), and justice (equal treatment for all). We might be tempted to think of righteousness as legalistically checking prescribed boxes, of obeying “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots.” However, biblical righteousness is ultimately about faithfulness and loyalty in relationships, about being a person of your word and “being there” for others.
Throughout Scripture, God’s people are called to reflect the righteousness of God. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is deeply committed to carrying out the Father’s will. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus blesses those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” in a world of arrogance, tears, and violence. He teaches his followers to pray that God’s will be done “on earth as it is in heaven”, a good shorthand for doing righteousness. He calls his followers to “strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness”.
What might righteousness look like in today’s world? Here are four illustrations:
- An accountant discovers a small, legal loophole that would save his firm money but mislead clients. He brings the issue to his manager, insisting they operate with full transparency.
- A teacher notices a student who is always hungry. She discreetly coordinates with a local food bank to ensure the child’s family receives weekend meal packs.
- A construction manager notices a co-worker cutting corners on safety measures and addresses the situation promptly, protecting the well-being of the entire crew.
- A professor refuses to inflate the grade of a wealthy donor’s son, upholding academic integrity.
Righteousness for Christians is the ongoing process of internalizing the way of Jesus, moving beyond external piety to reflect God’s holy nature. It is seen in protecting and advocating for the vulnerable as well as in conducting one’s affairs with integrity. Such righteousness is not a checklist for salvation, but the sign of a transformed life. May God bless you in your pursuit of righteousness.
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