Is there a righteous man who can live on earth? The Bible says that the answer is “no”. This means that nobody who tries to be good enough for God will succeed. But this also does not mean that no one who tries to do right in life is considered righteous.
There are many people who try their best every day, and they might even pray for forgiveness when they make mistakes; these people are called “righteous” in the Bible because of their faithfulness.
Who Is a Righteous Man According to the Bible?
The Bible tells us who a righteous man is. A righteous man in the sight of God is one who accepts Jesus Christ into his life through which he becomes righteous, and as a result of this, he does not live in the counsel of the wicked.
What does the Bible say about a righteous person? The Righteous Man Through Christ.
Bible says that a righteous person is someone who does not live in the counsel of the wicked and who leaves between his desires and God’s commands. The one who drives himself to do good even when he doesn’t feel like it and who waits for justice rather than turning away from it- this man has integrity.
Being a righteous man is not through our obedience to God’s Law, nor through any good works or righteous deeds that we are saved.
Romans 3:21–22 (DARBY)
” But now without law righteousness of God is manifested, borne witness to by the law and the prophets; righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ towards all, and upon all those who believe: for there is no difference;”
We are all sinners deserving of God’s anger and punishment. But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy sent Jesus Christ to take the punishment we deserve. Therefore those who believe in Him are declared righteous by being forgiven through the blood of Jesus and God’s grace alone.
God’s standard of righteousness.
Saving a Righteous man according to The Bible: A person who enters into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ who is the only way to God. But, what is God’s standard of righteousness?
We must meet God’s standard of righteousness in order to enter heaven. God’s standard is perfection because He created us perfectly. But who can meet this? Let me show you the answer in Psalm chapter one:
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of The Lord, and on His law, he meditates day and night.” –Psalm 1:1
Therefore a righteous person according to Bible standards are people who have accepted Jesus Christ into their life through which they receive forgiveness for sins committed against God.
A Righteous man accepts that only by believing in God with faith in Christ Jesus alone will get you everlasting life with Father God Almighty.
God’s righteousness is credited to us through Christ. In reality, God is offering it to us as a free gift.
Our salvation is made possible by Christ’s redemption and his atoning work on the cross.
Characteristics of a righteous man
In psalm Chapter 1, the psalmist talks about the characteristics of a righteous man, stating that he does not sit with others who do nothing productive but instead keeps company with people who will help him grow in wisdom.
Here is a list of the Characteristics of a righteous man;
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A righteous man does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
He doesn’t follow the advice of the evil or depraved. Basically, he is selective about who he seeks guidance from.
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A righteous man is not afraid of the scorn of evil men.
He does not fear being scolded by people who are disrespectful or rude. This doesn’t mean that he disrespects others, it just means that he knows what to say and when for his own defense.
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A righteous man does not stand in the path of sinners.
He doesn’t put himself in the way of those who turn away from God. He’s picky about where he hangs around. He isn’t likely to be seen at a strip club or a casino. The path of sinners includes those who are ungodly, profane, or irreverent.
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A righteous man does not sit in the seat of scoffers.
He does not sit in the scoffers’ seat. What exactly is a scoffer? Someone who exhibits scorn, mockery, or contempt. He won’t be found hanging around with those who scoff at God or mock him for taking a more passive approach than joining them.
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A righteous man is a happy person.
He is content. In Psalm 1, the word blessed refers to the state of being glad or content. A righteous man who is happy, who has contentment.
Example of a righteous man in the Bible.
The Bible does contain accounts of people who led honorable and righteous lives. They may have sinned at least once, but they have repented and their salvation has been restored.
If the same people had combined their good lives with sin, they would not have been regarded as righteous in God’s eyes. A righteous person is someone who lives upright after being cleansed of his previous misdeeds – which occurs through repentance.
Noah:
(He was a just and upright man in his generation)
Noah was seen righteous by God just before the great flood. He was a righteous man who carried out his duty of preaching to people about repentance and living according to God’s will.
Noah did not participate in any of the ungodly practices that were prevalent at that time, so he did not deserve to be punished with destruction along with others who led sinful lives
Genesis 7 verse 1 reads “When everything was ready, the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous.”
Abraham
(Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness)
Abraham was called a friend of God and was a righteous man. He was ready to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God who provided a ram as the substitute. He was righteous enough to be allowed access into Paradise (heaven).
Genesis 15 vs 6 “Then Abram believed in (affirmed, trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the LORD; and He counted (credited) it to him as righteousness (doing right in regard to God and man).”
Isaac and Jacob
Isaac and Jacob were also considered to be righteous men because they accepted the commandments of their father and obeyed them and thus inherited his blessing.
Job
Job. 32:1 (ESV) “So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.”
Job was just and righteous that satan wanted to prove otherwise by tempting him with destroying all that Job. This did not break Job or make him deny his God.
King David
Psalm 18:20 (NIV) “The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.”
David praises the Lord for saving him because of David’s righteousness. This does not mean David was faultless or without blemishes. David, on the other hand, sees his deliverance as a prize from the Lord for his faithfulness.
King Asa
1 King. 15:11 (ERV) “And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.“
Other Righteous People in the Bible are:
- King Hezekiah (2 King. 18:3)
- King Josiah (2 King. 22:1-2)
- Enoch (Hebrew 11:5)
- Moses (Deut.18:13)
- Abel and Zacharias (Matthew 23:35)
- Joseph, Mary’s husband (Matthew 1:19)
- Joseph, the counsellor (Luke 23:50)
- Cornelius (Acts 10:1 – 2)
- John the Baptist (Mark 6:20)
- Simeon (Luke 2:25)
- The Apostle Paul (Acts 23:1)
- The priest Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth.
The benefits of being a righteous person
The benefits of being a righteous person who accepts Jesus Christ as his personal savior are:
1. The righteous are not forsaken
Psalm 37:25 (ESV) “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”
In addition to describing their blessings, David also discusses their personality and behavior.
For the righteous, the Lord promises a reward in the form of a promise of an inheritance and personal guidance as well as protection, provision, and a solid family legacy.
2. The righteous man shall reap the fruit of their action.
Isaiah 3:10 (NASB) “Say to the righteous that it will go well for them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions.”
3. The righteous is delivered from death.
Proverbs 11:4 (NIV) “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
The righteous man is honest and delivered from difficulties, but the wicked person is dishonest, crooked, lusty, and hopeless.
Righteous people do what is right, bring glory and blessing to themselves, and have hope. Evil men disobey God, cause harm to others, are despised, and their lives end in ruin.
The righteous belongs the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 5:10 (NASB) “‘Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The lovely Beatitudes delivered by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew chapter 5 characterize an unusual set of individuals as blessed: the poor in spirit, those who weep, the meek, those hungry for righteousness, and the merciful.
Everyone is blessed as a result of their participation in the kingdom of heaven. This includes people who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness and for the sake of Jesus. Instead of despairing, people should exult in the magnificent rewards that await them in paradise.
These are not requirements for salvation; rather, they are natural manifestations of saving faith in the lives of individuals who know Christ.
4. They receive Eternal Life and are Saved from Hell
Matthew 25:46 (ESV) “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The righteous man receives eternal life from God. The righteous man who has accepted Jesus Christ as his savior lives in the counsel of the wicked no more. He seeks after God and His righteousness because he loves Him with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength.
How do I pursue righteousness?
Repent of your sins, turn away from them and follow Jesus who has the words of eternal life. To repent means to change your mind about sin. When you begin to see God through His Word as He truly is, it will cause you to be disgusted with yourself because of who you are in comparison to who He is.
- You will feel a desperate need to change your ways and walk in His truth as you surrender all of yourself to Him who died for you that your sins may be forgiven.
- Do not be afraid, but speak boldly about Christ who has saved you from this evil world full of sin and turned you into a new person who has been created in righteousness and holiness.
- The pursuit of righteousness is a never-ending path. Encourage yourself in the Lord on a daily basis by keeping your eyes on Him, reading the Word, praying for guidance, and making deliberate attempts to walk in the Spirit.
- We are unworthy to be in God’s presence. His righteousness and perfection, pure and simple, cannot accept sin. Our incurable sin nature necessitates the presence of a Redeemer who can justify us and cover our sin with holy righteousness in order for the Father to accept us. Jesus is our Redeemer and the only one who is capable of doing so.
We become a “work in progress” if we pursue righteousness. It’s refined through time as a result of our obedience to Him, and it gradually emerges as proof of our faith. Every day, we put in the effort in the hopes of seeing it come to fruition when we see Jesus face to face.
