God Is Righteous.
so live by His standards.
"The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made" (Psalm 145:17, NIV).
God is righteous, and all the righteousness in the entire universe has its origin in Him. The psalmist exclaims, "Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens … Who can compare with you, O God?" (Psalm 71:19).
We live in an age where the distinction between right and wrong is becoming increasingly blurred. Our culture has adopted the principle of situational ethics, which proposes that what is morally right varies from person to person and situation to situation. Yet God's standards do not change; they are timeless.
God's laws are a reflection of His own righteous nature. If we break God's laws, we will pay the consequences. But we cannot keep God's perfect standard on our own. Only by receiving Jesus as our Savior and Lord are we made righteous.
The apostle Paul explains, "We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done" (Romans 3:22). When we place our trust in Jesus, God no longer sees our sinfulness, but only the perfect righteousness of Christ that now clothes us.
God wants you to display His righteousness in your new life. You can do this through faith as you daily "throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life … Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness -righteous, holy, and true" (Ephesians 4:22–24). This is possible only as you consistently submit your will to the Holy Spirit and depend on Him to empower you.
As Christians, we must hold fast to the righteous standards set forth by the sovereign Ruler of the universe. Regardless of the beliefs and behavior of society, God will hold every person accountable according to His biblical decrees. Whose standards of right are you following?
"Surely, O Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield" (Psalm 5:12, NIV).