Am I good enough? Does God care about me or listen to my prayers? Am I Iiving a righteous life? How do I know if I am doing things the ‘right’ way? If you’ve ever had these types of thoughts, then you’re surely not alone. I know I personally struggled a lot with these questions and negative feelings when I was growing up, despite always making sure to put on the facade of a good, happy, Christian daughter.
While desparately wanting to believe that I was living a proper life and that God would acknowledge my actions, part of me always had some nagging doubts about the choices I was making. I mean, I never did anything outrageously ‘sinful.’ At least, that’s what I thought based on the limited knowledge I had of the Bible at that time. However, I was never able to truly be at peace with the way things were. I had too many questions and not nearly enough answers.
Looking back on those times, I always felt so alone because I didn’t want to let others know about my internal struggles. Even at church, or when I was surrounded by some of my close Christian friends, I just smiled through the pain and tried to blend in as best as I could. I didn’t want others to think I was a ‘bad’ Christian, so I tried to live the ‘proper’ Christian lifestyle. However, from my current church, Shincheonji, I’ve come to understand what a righteous life is in the eyes of God. Now I feel that I can truly walk on the correct path of faith.
What is Righteousness in the Bible?
If you asked a hundred people what the standard of righteousness is, you can expect to get a hundred different answers. Everyone has their own ideas and thoughts about righteousness and what it means to live a life that is righteous. However, if there’s no standard, then it would be impossible to walk on the path of living a righteous life. That’s because there would be no set destination to go towards or goal to achieve. So, it’s important to know what righteousness is in the Bible. Then we can have a clear standard to use when checking if our current actions are righteous or not.
We know that God himself is righteous (Psalms 145:17). And we know that His righteousness is something that we are called to seek after (Matthew 6:33). So, we have to know clearly what it means to be righteous in the eyes of God. Otherwise we won’t be able to find, let alone seek after, it.
The Righteousness of Abraham
In the Bible, we see many mentions of those who are considered righteous by God, but one famous example is that of Abraham. In Genesis 15:6 it says,
“Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”
This comes right after God explains that the offspring of Abram (soon to be Abraham) will be as numerous as the stars in heaven. Through this we can understand what it means to be counted as righteous by God. Abraham believed in the promises that God made to him, even though they may have seemed a bit unbelievable at the time. Believing in God’s promise is what God counts as righteousness.
If you believe in God’s promises, that means you believe in God himself. God has clearly stated that He will fulfill all the things that He has planned and promised. So, it’s up to us to choose to believe in those promises and act according to them or not.
The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”
Isaiah 14:24
Why Do I Need to Live a Righteous Life?
There are many places in the Bible where there’s a clear distinction made between the righteous and the wicked. Every time I read the book of Proverbs, I am constantly reminded of this separation because it’s the difference between life and death, blessings and curses, and many more things. One passage that always comes to my mind is Proverbs 4:18-19 which says,
“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.”
The visual of this verse always strikes me. And it really makes me reflect on my own life and which path I am following. Living a righteous life isn’t something we should carry out for others around us or to simply be labeled as a “good Christian”. Being righteous is something that God, our Heavenly Father calls us to become. God has promised many blessings to those who are considered righteous in His eyes. The Bible clearly explains that the righteous are the ones who receive blessings (Matthew 5:6). God listens to their prayers (Psalms 34:15-17). They receive life (Proverbs 11:4) and can live together with God (Matthew 13:43).
How Can I Live a Life that is Righteous?
Just like how Abraham was considered to be righteous when he believed in the promises God made, we too must believe in the promises recorded in the Bible. Throughout history, God has made known His plan in advance (Amos 3:7). This is so that His people could know and believe in it. Even Jesus said that he told many things regarding future events for us to believe when they take place.
I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
John 14:29
Know and Believe
So, very simply put, the way we can be considered righteous in the eyes of God is to, first, know the promises recorded in the Bible. We can’t believe in something we don’t know. Then, we must believe in His promises and be certain that God will fulfill the things that He has prophesied. God is actively working (John 5:17). So if we know His goal and objective as promised in the Bible, then we’ll be able to believe and act according to it.
If you’ve ever heard that it’s important to be a “good Christian” and live an upright life that can be an example in the world, then you are not alone. Growing up, this is one of the things I was constantly told, both inside and outside of church. Honestly speaking, this never sat well with me. I didn’t want to act like a good person just because I was a Christian. I always wondered why this was only for Christians. Being good and kind seemed like something everyone should be doing.
However, now that I have come to an understanding of righteousness in the Bible and what it means for God to acknowledge someone as righteous, I have a clear standard to follow and path to walk on. I hope everyone can also know and believe in the amazing promises that God has for us. And in doing that, truly live a life that God will acknowledge as righteous.
Written by Lily
If you would like to read more about how to have a life of faith that pleases God, check out these posts too!
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