I often stress the importance of righteousness. Righteousness gives God room to act on our behalf, since God can not bless unrighteousness. Righteousness has led me to have a closer relationship to God, and God has acted on my behalf many times simply because God knows that I love him enough to try to be the person that he desires for me to be.
While believing on Christ Jesus is essential for salvation, righteousness is key to maintaining salvation.
1John 3:8-10
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remainth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1John 5:1-2
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
While God knows our salvation because our name is recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life, the spiritual realm only knows our salvation by our righteousness, and the light within us.
1John 5:18
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Righteousness is also important because anything less offends God. All through out the Bible, God showed his wrath against the unrighteous. In Zephaniah God is threatening the people with desolation, but in Zephaniah 2:3 God told them to seek righteousness, in order that God might show them protection from his wrath.
Zephaniah 2:3
Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness, it my be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.
God said ,If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14
Take time and pray today. Re-evaluate your life. Make a plan to make it better. Make a plan that includes God.
