YOU NEED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS

Righteousness is a matter that is exclusive to God. Righteousness is only granted by God. For is only of God to be righteous. It is only acquired by faith in Jesus Christ. In light of this then, any righteousness that is so (if at all it is) besides Jesus is what we can term as self-righteousness. 

Rather it means one who is righteous in their own eyes, and may be in the public eye. Yet righteousness is not simply an act. It is a matter of the mind and the heart. On that therefore, God is more intent on what you are in the heart than what you do. It is Jesus alone who can make us good in the heart. That is; you surrender your life to Jesus and your own life is no more but that of the all righteous Jesus Christ is in you.

Any "good" works besides faith in Jesus Christ is simply human effort to please God. Man by himself can never please God. If it had been so, there wouldn't have been the need for Jesus to come. By simply performing good works, we can appear to have the picture of God, but that is not what counts (Romans 3:20), (Galatians 2:16). What counts is the state of the heart. True goodness is only of God. If therefore you are to be counted to have done anything good, you must have had your roots in God by accepting Jesus Christ.

For when many people are preached to, they will always respond that; I don't kill, I don't steal, I give a tithe of all my income, I pray, I fast, I keep the law, what is therefore the need for me to believe what you are saying? Yet is not about what we have or haven't done. It is about what we are in us. If you have not been seen fornicating, it doesn't mean you haven't done so (Matthew 5:27-28). For we are answerable to the Omnipresent God. And it this God who is the rewarder of us all (Hebrews 11:6).

It isn't therefore about what you have or haven't done, it is about submission to Jesus Christ. Only Jesus Christ makes us acceptable to God. In Christ Jesus, the likeness of Adam is taken away. Adam disobeyed God and  and his disobedience was imputed on all of his offspring of which we are. Upon this, to be accepted of God once more, it is imperative that we assume the righteousness of Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ is the only true acceptable sacrifice for the remission of sin. As that, your spiritual security is only guaranteed in Jesus Christ not in your efforts to appear to be righteous.

The Bible says much about self- righteousness as we can envisage below:

Jesus teaches that we should not do good for the public eye, but for the building of a relationship with God (Matthew 6:1-18). For God is the rewarder of all that seek Him diligently (Hebrews 11:6). We should therefore love to avoid to appear opportunistically righteous. Righteousness should never be used so as to gain praise from people, but to keep oneself tuned with God. Rather it should be to create a  flourishing relationship with God.

Jesus said to the scribes and the Pharisees that they were like whitewashed tombs which appear clean on the outside yet inside, they are full of dead bones (Matthew 23:27). He in fact called them hypocrites. For they did whatever they did simply to be appraised by the public and never minding about what God thought of them. For someone to perceive themselves righteous, they simply want to disregard the role of Jesus Christ in their lives. Such just can't be! True acceptable righteousness before God is only through Jesus Christ.

Jesus teaches of the Pharisee who had perceived himself righteous by giving the tithe and fasting two times a week, and the tax collector who knew himself for a sinner (Luke 18:9-14).

The Pharisee only went before God to boast of his ability to appease God. He was only proud and had self assurance. The tax collector on the other hand knew what he was and he admitted it. He knew he was a sinner. Once you understand what status you are, it gives you the proper way to pray. The tax collector prayed according to what he was. It is therefore the tax collector who went justified not the Pharisee.

On account of all the above, we learn that to be counted righteous is not simply wishful. It is not simply to say I am righteous. Only God declares who is righteous and who is not.

How are we then not to be self-righteous and to be counted righteous?

First step is to repent. Avoid making any excuses when you repent. Simply humble yourself and submit to God through Jesus Christ His Son. For the Bible teaches that the fact that Adam sinned, it is counted on all humans for unrighteousness (Luke 13:1-5), (Romans 3:23), (1 John 1:8-9). You make no point when you stand to excuse yourself. For it is not about what position you are, it is about a relationship with God. A relationship with God will never come by way of what position you are. It is all about submission to Jesus Christ.

Allow to be transformed. For there should be proof and evidence in us of the work of salvation of Jesus. When Mary Magdalene met Jesus, she never remained the same. Her life was totally transformed for the better (Luke 8:1-3).

Be obedient to God's call and obey His commands (John 15:14), (Luke 6:46), (Romans 2:6-8), (Ephesians 5:6). Many a time, disobedience is aimed at trying to prove a point to God. For by doing so, one intends to ignite a reaction from God. Many people are tempted to perceive God in human terms. No never. God is not like we are. And He will never react how you intend Him to. For He is the righteous Lord. The excellence of God is all above the excellence of mere men.

God acts independently. He (God) is the sovereign Lord. For He is the Potter and we are the clay. He will mould us how He wants us to be. On that therefore, to obey without question is to make it easier for you than to disobey. If you obey in sincere terms, prepare to be counted righteous. And with righteousness, heaven is wide open.

Righteousness or unrighteousness is the state of the heart. If therefore we mean to be counted righteous, our hearts must be upright. If we pray, fast, read the Bible, give or help others, let us do so with the intent to build a good relationship with God not men. 

Do not therefore look back on who has and who hasn't thanked you for your good deeds. We only be concerned if God has received it that we have done so. People may or may not appreciate your good deeds, but the rewarder is God.