The Missing Vocabulary Word

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Yesterday afternoon in the YouTube Live assembly for our church, Ray taught from Psalm 15. He told us that we were going to be talking about one of those big Bible words. The word is righteousness. Righteousness is missing from the vocabulary of too many. It’s a word I don’t hear anywhere except in Bible study or church. Though we don’t hear the word righteousness enough, we do hear a form of it often and when we do the context is negative. That word is self-righteous. Too often the people who actually emphasize righteousness in their lives get criticized and called self-righteous. Labeling people as self-righteous is much easier than actually seeking righteousness in our own lives.

In Ray’s lesson, he had us look particularly at verse 2 of Psalm 15. I am including verse 1 here, too, for context:

Lord, who may reside in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your holy hill?
One who walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
Psalm 15:1-2

Ray said that the word righteousness is in the Bible 295 times. That is reason enough for us to make sure it isn’t missing from our vocabulary.

I loved Ray’s conclusion that:

Ray reminded us:

• That God is righteous.
• That God always does the works of righteousness.
• That righteousness assumes a standard.

Hmmm. That idea of a standard must be a main reason we don’t hear the word very often, but God’s Word has so much to say about it.

• Romans 4:1-8 teaches us that righteousness is something God gives to believers.
• Jesus told us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) and that the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness will be satisfied (Matthew 5:6).
• 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that God’s Word is beneficial for training in righteousness.
• Ephesians 6:14 tells us that the breastplate of righteousness is part of the armor we are to put on.

. . . and He Himself brought our sins
in His body up on the cross,
so that we might die to sin
and live for righteousness;
by His wounds you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24

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