What is righteousness? According to Easton's Bible Dictionary it
is the same as justification.
Topics: Justification
Text: a forensic term, opposed to condemnation.
As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all
the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them
as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In
addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims
of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified.
It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or
set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; and so the
person justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards
arising from perfect obedience to the law (Rom. 5:1-10). It proceeds on the
imputing or crediting to the believer by God himself of the perfect
righteousness, active and passive, of his Representative and Surety, Jesus
Christ (Rom. 10:3-9).
This is wonderful news--As wonderful as being so full of faith that you know
you are "rooted" by the waters. That we, as children of God, are justified in
that our sins are forgiven according to the law of God. We are justified and
declared to be the rightful owners of all the advantages and rewards that come
from being righteous through Jesus Christ. The law is not "overlooked" or worked
around, but fulfilled to the utmost. Thus the children of God are pardoned of
all sin, and are justified, or considered righteous, to God. Praise God that we
are "Like a Tree Planted by the Waters."
