Topical Bible: Righteousness: Has No Fellowship With Unrighteousness

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Righteousness, as depicted in the Holy Scriptures, is a fundamental attribute of God's character and a standard to which believers are called. It signifies a state of moral purity and uprightness, aligning one's actions and heart with God's will. The Bible consistently contrasts righteousness with unrighteousness, emphasizing that the two are inherently incompatible.

The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, addresses the incompatibility of righteousness and unrighteousness. He writes, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). This passage underscores the principle that righteousness and unrighteousness cannot coexist in harmony, as they are fundamentally opposed in nature and purpose.

The call to righteousness is a call to separation from sin and the ways of the world. In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah declares, "Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:16-17). Here, righteousness is associated with active obedience to God's commands and a commitment to justice and mercy.

The New Testament further elaborates on this theme, with the Apostle John stating, "If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1 John 1:6). This verse highlights the necessity of living in accordance with the truth of God's Word, as genuine fellowship with God requires a life marked by righteousness.

The concept of righteousness having no fellowship with unrighteousness is also evident in the teachings of Jesus Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls His followers to a higher standard of righteousness, saying, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). This beatitude reflects the deep longing for a life that is pleasing to God, one that is distinct from the unrighteousness prevalent in the world.

The Apostle Peter echoes this sentiment, urging believers to "be holy in all your conduct, for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15-16). Holiness, closely related to righteousness, involves a separation from sin and a dedication to God's purposes.

Throughout Scripture, the call to righteousness is not merely a call to personal piety but also to communal integrity. The people of God are to be a light in the world, reflecting His righteousness in their relationships and interactions. The Apostle Paul exhorts the Ephesians, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). This transformation from darkness to light signifies a break from unrighteousness and a commitment to living in the truth and purity of God's righteousness.

In summary, the biblical teaching that righteousness has no fellowship with unrighteousness is a call to a life of holiness, distinct from the sinful patterns of the world. It is an invitation to align oneself with God's character and purposes, living as a testament to His transformative power and grace.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Corinthians 6:14
Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

There is Therefore "No Fellowship Between Righteousness and ...
... There is therefore "no fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness ... enemies
of God, whose hearts the spirit of Antichrist has possessed;" and ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /chapter 13 20 there.htm

Our Unrighteousness.
... Our Unrighteousness. ... nature, and of the divine image as being in-created, the important
question arises: Was the fellowship of the ... Righteousness has no degrees ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xv our unrighteousness.htm

Petilianus Said: "But There is no Fellowship of Darkness with ...
... separated in the time of harvest, [2107] and you pay no heed to ... man has more power
in infecting his neighbor than the righteousness of a man has in purifying ...
/.../chapter 39 92 petilianus.htm

Conclusion
... There is no valid excuse if we are ... diligently those things which God has recorded
for ... unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/conclusion.htm

Christ Our Righteousness.
... the west, and remember them against us no more forever ... We are righteous because He
has made us such. ... We are made perfect in righteousness because Christ removes ...
/.../xii christ our righteousness.htm

1 John iii. 4-7
... This, however, by no means harmonizes with the doctrine, that only through ... that is
here said, there is presupposed that righteousness which has its root ...
//christianbookshelf.org/neander/the first epistle of john/1 john iii 7-apr.htm

Directions to Awakened Sinners.
... Jeremiah 4:3. For righteousness has no fellowship with unrighteousness,
and light no communion with darkness.2 1 Corinthians 6:14. ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse ix directions to awakened.htm

Our Status.
... It has no worth nor significance attached to it ... stain, taken in a Manichean sense,
but no original guilt ... absolutely to determine our state of righteousness or of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxi our status.htm

The Message and Its Practical Results
... god worshipped, and there can be no true communion ... with God must verify themselves
by practical righteousness. ... into an emotional religion, which has much to ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the message and its practical.htm

Walking in the Light
... and saturated with this love of, and effort after, righteousness. ... a character which
lives and moves and has its being ... So let us remember that no union with Him ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/walking in the light.htm