What Is Your Righteousness/Holiness For?

    Many genuine christains ply the route of holiness and righteousness which is very good. They ply this route with the intention of making heaven which is also good. Some take this route because they cannot afford some of the extravagances of the outside world (sin is expensive!).

    The truth is most of them lack the understanding of the purpose of ‘the way of holiness’. Holiness wasn’t created to be a show. It wasn’t created to be make people look different. It was created to be the uniform of the students of the school of Godliness. It was created to make men different, not man.

    What is righteousness?

    Righteousness is a state of being right with God.  Righteousness means to live a predictable life by God. Righteousness is living a life Jesus can be seen through. Righteousness is living a life in line with God’s principles.

    Isaiah 35:8-10 says;
8. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

9. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:

10. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

    Imagine walking on a broad path. You then discover an extremely narrow path with just one person on it in contrast with the broad path. You wouldn’t want to go through that path because it really doesn’t look like a walkable route. As soon as your fears are put to rest, you would thread that path joyfully with a new mindset.

    This is what the path of righteousness should be like;
1. Strict.

    Growing up, majority of us had strict parents who didn’t endow us with the luxury of experiencing some certain things in life (positive and negative). We cried, shouted, threw tantrums and probably lashed out about how we were being ‘mistreated’.

    But as time flew by, we learnt to accept things as they are. When we grew up, we learnt to appreciate how we were raised.

    This is how the way of holiness is. When new to the faith, tendencies to protest some of the standards of holiness will surface. As a matter of fact, it always surfaces because the soul wasn’t schooled to be holy from the onset. As time goes on, you begin to have deeper understanding and appreciate the way of holiness.

    God remains God for one notable reason; His class of holiness and purity. To get to know God and get close to Him, holiness is a necessity. As an egg can’t take the place of a fish, God cannot associate with an unholy person. It’s not pride, it’s a matter of principles.

2. Peaceful.

    The Scriptures tells is that ‘many are the afflictions of the righteous but He shall deliver him out of them all’. The bible didn’t keep us in the dark concerning the pains of being holy in an impure society. God, in His infinite mercies, promised us His presence and security in all tribulations.

   St. John 14:27 says; “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”(KJV).

    Jesus left one thing on earth; His peace. According to the scripture above, peace cannot b3 gotten from the world except by God. Peace is a quality of the body of Christ. Only members of His body can have genuine peace. Even in the midst of tribulations, peace abounds and rules over fear.

3. Attractive.

    This might sound weird but it’s true. The way of holiness is the only way that would ever appeal to a born again child of Abba. Although the path of holiness isn’t sweet, his delight will forever be in the way of the Lord.

    Psalms 119:131 says; “I opened my mouth and panted [with eager desire], for I longed for Your commandments.”(AMP). He loves God, the words of God will be a balm to His soul.

How To Attain Holiness / Righteousness.

    Holiness, as we know, isn’t a child’s play. It shouldn’t be taken levity as it is serious business. From all that has been written above, we can agree that holiness is a quality thay every christain should possess. How do you attain it then?

    St. Matthew 5:6 says; “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (KJV)

    When an infant hungers, he cries out because he can’t pronounce audible words. When a child hungers, he become restless and probably cries too. When an adult hungers, he speaks directly. By any means, food will be provided for the trio.

    Hunger is the key to righteousness. When you are hungry, your focus is on nothing but the reason for your hunger. The bible called hunger blessedness. They who are hungry are blessed because they hold the key to possessing more of God. A hungry man can never be spiritually cold.

    Righteousness is a gift of God for our hunger. Gifts are undeserved. It’s given freely, it should be used freely a a tool to;

1. To dispense God.

    A righteous man is different from every other man on earth. He is walking in a light that no other person can see except another righteous man. God is a righteous being. Being righteous is to identify with God.

2. Win souls.

    The Scriptures admonish us to continue in good works that men might see and give glory to our father who is in heaven. Giving glory to God in the sense that the surrender to His lordship. Thereby bringing souls under the Lordship of Abba.

    We didn’t make ourselves holy or righteous, Jesus did it. We do not wear holiness as a badge for our good deeds. Rather, we use it as a yardstick to win souls and liberate the world.

Abba’s Peace be with you!
#GrowingInGrace.