The distance to the righteousness of God

How far are you away from reaching the righteousness of God? It is a heart and a tongue away.

“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10: 8-9:

The fundamental meaning of “righteousness” is not the same as being merely morally just. “Righteous” means being right in the eyes of God. And if you believe that God’s righteousness is largely the same as what the society regards as “good” in conduct and behavior, you have not come to the essential truth as revealed in the Bible yet.

Concerning righteousness, there are roughly three kinds of people in this world. Those who have consciously rejected righteousness and believe that all things are merely subjective and relative; those who seek righteousness; and those who have found righteousness.

Fortunately, I have met very few people in my life who’d really belong to the first type. The majority of people are the second kind who seek righteousness. This type of people may either be religious or nonreligious, but it does not make much difference if the person is seeking outside of Jesus Christ.  If there is one thing that the Book of Romans has revealed, it is that there is no righteousness outside of Jesus Christ, who is the summary of everything God intended, God’s holiness, God’s law, love, mercy and grace.

One who seeks righteousness outside of Jesus Christ is at best seeking for self-righteousness, which will be proven unrighteous in the end (or not right in the eyes of God), regardless of how it might appear and how it might feel.

Now that we have seen God’s righteousness revealed in the gospel, and this righteousness is by faith, you may wonder how far you are away from this righteousness of God. The word of God would further tell you that this distance is not measured by your knowledge, your wealth, your health, your social status, your reputation, nor your past. It is measured by the willingness of your heart to submit yourself to God and the willingness of your tongue to confess.

“The word is near you; is in your mouth and in your heart…” Romans 10:8:

And never think that you are an exception with regard to the offer extended by God, as the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”