Topical Bible: The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Commandments

Bible > Topical > The Righteousness of God

◄ The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Commandments ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The righteousness of God is a central theme throughout the Bible, reflecting His holy and perfect nature. This righteousness is vividly exhibited in His commandments, which serve as a divine standard for human conduct. The commandments of God are not arbitrary rules but are rooted in His character, revealing His will and purpose for humanity.

The Nature of God's Righteousness

God's righteousness is intrinsic to His being, meaning it is an essential attribute of His nature. In Deuteronomy 32:4, it is declared, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He." This verse underscores the perfection and justice inherent in God's character, which is reflected in His commandments.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments, given to Moses on Mount Sinai, are a primary expression of God's righteousness. These commandments, found in Exodus 20:1-17, serve as a moral foundation for God's people. They encompass duties to God, such as having no other gods and keeping the Sabbath holy, as well as duties to fellow humans, such as honoring parents and prohibiting murder, adultery, and theft. These laws reflect God's righteous standards and His desire for His people to live in a way that mirrors His holiness.

The Law and the Prophets

Beyond the Ten Commandments, the Law and the Prophets further articulate God's righteous standards. In Leviticus 19:2, God commands, "Speak to the entire congregation of the Israelites and tell them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.'" This call to holiness is a reflection of God's own righteousness and is reiterated throughout the Scriptures. The prophets, too, emphasize justice, mercy, and humility as expressions of living in accordance with God's righteous decrees (Micah 6:8).

The Fulfillment in Christ

The righteousness of God, as exhibited in His commandments, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Christ perfectly embodied the righteousness of God, living in complete obedience to the Law. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus states, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ not only fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law but also provided a way for believers to be made righteous before God.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in enabling believers to live according to God's righteous commandments. In Romans 8:4, Paul writes, "so that the righteous standard of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." The Spirit empowers believers to live in a manner that reflects God's righteousness, transforming their hearts and minds to align with His will.

The New Covenant

Under the New Covenant, the righteousness of God is written on the hearts of believers. Jeremiah 31:33 prophesies, "But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people." This internalization of God's righteous commandments signifies a transformative relationship with Him, made possible through faith in Christ.

Conclusion

The righteousness of God, as exhibited in His commandments, is a testament to His holy nature and His desire for His people to reflect His character. Through the Law, the Prophets, and ultimately in Christ, God's righteous standards are revealed, calling believers to a life of holiness and obedience. The Holy Spirit empowers this pursuit, inscribing God's law on the hearts of those who are in Christ, thus fulfilling the righteous requirements of the Law in their lives.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 4:8
And what nation is there so great, that has statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 119:172
My tongue shall speak of your word: for all your commandments are righteousness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Righteousness is the Gift of God.
... letter of the law has been either exhibited to him ... themselves; whereas, that man
may keep them, God must work ... is "the end of the law for righteousness to every ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 50 xxix righteousness is the.htm

Book 2
... Christ is exhibited to men by the Law and by the ... is to cherish and maintain godliness
and righteousness, is perpetual ... may know what is the will of God; that we ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/book 2.htm

Prayer and Character and Conduct
... and works of mercy, but to produce righteousness of character ... mothers who, around
the fireside, feared God, loved His cause, and daily exhibited to their ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/viii prayer and character and.htm

His Gospel
... God, in which the divine nature was exhibited in a ... it; but it is doing, not knowing,
which is righteousness. ... that through them the name of God was blasphemed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/stalker/the life of st paul/chapter iv his gospel.htm

Christ's Conversation with the Rich Ruler of the Synagogue (Young ...
... in it.) Christ would not have exhibited, in his ... as representing the holiness of God,
and, therefore ... contrary, seeing his wilful self-righteousness, he adapted ...
/.../section 226 christs conversation with.htm

The Law Given, not to Retain a People for Itself, but to Keep ...
... that, as well in the whole tribe of Levi as in the posterity of David, Christ was
exhibited to the ... First, by exhibiting the righteousness of God,"in other ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 7 the law given.htm

Covenanting a Privilege of Believers.
... a vision or covenant was addressed, being exhibited as unable ... the bringing forth
of the fruits of righteousness, no less ... it is a privilege to vow to God, it is ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter x covenanting a privilege.htm

Commandment First. On Faith in God. First of All...
... and put on the strength of righteousness, and live ... The Holy Spirit is also everywhere
exhibited in this work. ... old, but magnifying the gospel of the Son of God. ...
/.../pastor/the pastor books first second third/commandment first on faith in.htm

Preface.
... legal demands which have been so thoroughly discussed and exhibited, is the ...
self-reliance, turns away from the Cross and the righteousness of God, to morals ...
//christianbookshelf.org/shedd/sermons to the natural man/preface.htm

The Inward Laws
... It is with the heart that a man 'believeth unto righteousness'; but there must be
an ... Before my heart could rest in the will of God as exhibited in that ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/xviii the inward laws.htm