Absolute Righteousness.

As we continue a study of the characteristics of God, we have to look at His righteousness. We may call some people good, and some people bad, but if you think about it, the good people have a little bad in them, and the bad people have a little good in them. The ones we may consider righteous are righteous by comparison, or relativity.

By contrast, God’s righteousness is ABSOLUTE.

1 Samuel 2:2a

2 "There is no one holy like the LORD, …

He is not just more righteous than us, He is perfect absolute righteousness. His righteousness is free from sin.

1 John 1:5

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

Herein lies one of the problems for man. If God is perfect righteousness (and He is), then He cannot accept our relative righteousness. We may feel like we are righteous and doing good deeds sometimes, but here’s what God thinks of our relative righteousness:

Isaiah 64:6

6 For all of us have become like one who is unclean,

And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

And all of us wither like a leaf,

And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Since God cannot accept our filthy relative righteousness, He had to give us His perfect righteousness for us to have fellowship with Him. That provision was made through the Cross:

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 3:22-23

22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

So through faith in Jesus Christ, we get the perfect righteousness of God given to us. Realize that once you are a believer, God sees you as having that same perfect righteousness that He has!