RIGHTEOUSNESS AND GOODNESS

You may wonder why I want to talk about Righteousness and Goodness. If there is an assignment that a certain group of people are supposed to engage in, I think that the wise ones amongst them will like to find out whether they are qualified to participate in it. It is only fools that will just get up and jump into something that they are not qualified to- according to the rules to participate in-you can be sure that such people will only end up disqualified. Think again about a team that decides to field mostly over-aged footballers, for example, in an under-twenty football match, you field mostly those players that are aged twenty-five and above: your team is sure to be disqualified, once your deceit is discovered.

In the same way, a male footballer who insists on being fielded by his country, in a Women’s World Cup competition, cannot be allowed to play no matter how good he is.

Talking about prayer, if we look at certain portions of the Bible, we can see the basic qualifications, for example: in Proverbs chapter 15, verses 8 and 29, we read as follows:

“8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright (righteous) is his delight”

Sacrifice, means giving something very precious to God: here God is the one receiving, but in prayer, you are the one asking God for something-although sacrifice can actually be a part of spiritual worship, aimed at receiving.

Here we can see that God delights in, or accepts, or loves the prayer of the righteous. Note also that he hates the sacrifice of the wicked, talk less of the prayer of the wicked.

Again in verse 29 of the same chapter, the wise man talks again by the inspiration of the Spirit I believe, about the righteous, the wicked or sinner, and prayer:

“29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous”.

This tells us that a wicked man, who has not yet repented, and turned away from his sins, and received Jesus into his life as savior, will be wasting his time praying. A lot of times, we hear people asking everybody to pray concerning the problems of the nation, or one thing or the other, but you need to know, that it is not everybody’s prayer that God hears.

We will explain what righteousness and sin mean shortly, but clearly.

Yet there is a more detailed scripture that talks about the type of prayer a righteous man will do, and the effect of that prayer and that is in James chapter 5 and verse 16, we read as follows:

“16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”.

This portion of scripture tells us that we need to confess our faults one to another before prayer-it is important to note that, this requires a change of heart first-called repentance. This is very important, because the state of your heart matters a lot to God. Remember, that as a man thinks in his heart-so is he. Again, we read that blessed are the pure in heart in heart: for they shall see God.

However the area of emphasis for the purpose of our discussion here is the (b) part that tells us, that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

There are three important things mentioned here that are very important:

1 The type of man involved-a righteous man

2 The type of prayer involved-effectual and fervent prayer

3 The effect of the prayer-it avails much.

The above is from the New King James version of the Bible, but let us look at the amplified version of the same scripture:

“16 Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart].The earnest (heartfelt continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]”.

I am sorry if I am going too far here, but the thing you need to note here is the fact there this prayer of a righteous is dynamic in it’s working, or has the ability to cause changes.

Who is a righteous man?

A righteous man is a man who has made peace with God and accepted his sole authority and Lordship over all things, and received the one that he has sent-Jesus Christ.

God was here before time, he created all things, and by virtue of this, has the sole right to be right-this is called righteousness. Anyone who accepts God’s authority and dominion and headship/Lordship, becomes right with him, and receives this right to be right-that is righteousness.

Sin is the opposite of righteousness, anyone who disobeys God, and disagrees with his word and authority, commits sin, and is a sinner or a rebel.

When you decide to accept Jesus, God gives you the gift of righteousness, as we can see in Romans chapter 3, verses 21 and 22 and, 5 verse 17:

“21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe: for there is no difference: …”

This righteousness of God which is by faith, is called the gift of righteousness, you can confirm that this was what made Abraham, a righteous man. We can see this in Genesis chapter 15 verse 6:

“6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness”.

Some believers are confused about this term called: righteousness- some tell us that there are two kinds of righteousness. They say that there is a gift of righteousness, or the imputed righteousness, and a doing righteousness. This is not right, because it removes the element of temporality, and clarity from the concept of righteousness.

I like to use strictly scriptural terminology to simplify the concept of righteousness.

The Bible talks about the gift of righteousness and the fruit of righteousness, and both are not the same because the gift precedes the fruit. In Romans chapter 5 and verse 17, we read as follows:

“17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ”.

Here we can see the gift of righteousness which you receive by believing in Jesus, and receiving his grace.

Secondly, the fruit of righteousness is talked about in Amos 6:12, Hebrews 12:11, and James 3:18. However, let us take a look at Philippians chapter1 verse 11, and Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 9:

“11 Being filled with fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God”. 

  You need to understand that what makes you righteous when you believe God is the receiving of the Holy Spirit-which is the seal of your salvation.

Now, in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 9, we read as follows:

“9 For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;”

The Holy Spirit within you is the gift of God who possesses both righteousness, and all the gifts of the spirit.

 We were told earlier that righteousness bears fruits in us, and this fruit is goodness according to the scripture above and Amos 6:12:

“12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? For ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:

This scripture helps you to understand, that instead of goodness, sweetness, or beauty-which constitutes the fruit of rightousness, these people mentioned here have turned it into hemlock- a deadly poison that kills.

GOODNESS

In Mathew chapter 12 and verse 33, we read as follows:

“33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit”.

Righteousness is the nature of God, and God is a good God. In so very many parts of the scripture you can see it echoed over and over again: For the Lord is good, and his mercy endureth forever.

Jesus himself said, in Mathew chapter 7 and verse 20 we read:

“20 Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them”. This means that by their works, you shall know them.

Again goodness is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians chapter 5 and verse 6.

It is important to note that if you are not like your father which is in heaven, there is no proof that you are really from him.

Jesus explains everything concerning the mysterious relationship between goodness and effective prayer in Mathew chapter 7, verses 17 and 19:

“17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not good fruit is hewn down, and cast into fire”.

A simple way of explaining this is that if you are not producing the fruit of righteousness, which is goodness-then, you are a bad or an evil tree. You cannot expect to produce in prayer. You are condemned to suffering or fire.

This does not mean that you will make heaven in the end, except if you choose the right way-the Jesus way.