The Kingdom of our God is governed and run by three basic principles; namely, Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Spirit as we see in the passage quoted below.
"for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things [is] acceptable to God and approved by men" - Rom 14:17-18.
These three basic Principles can further be expatiated to include other equally important principles. However, every other principle of the Kingdom of God stems from these three. What really amazes me about these principles is their relevance in my relationship with God and my relationship with men. It is clearly revealed from the word of God that if I live by these principles, I will be acceptable to God and be approved by men. This is mind blowing!
WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS?
What I found to be a major problem among believers is assumption. Sometimes, because of the high usage of some words, they soon become too familiar, and as a result, we lose the power and the blessings of those words. We have heard the word 'Righteousness' over and over again that we don't take heed to the life of it. In most cases, what we have is the letter that kills; but the spirit that gives life is far from our possession.
The most common understanding of righteousness is, 'a right standing with God', righteousness that is bestowed on us as a result of faith in Christ Jesus. This is an imputed righteousness (a gift) - Rom 5:17. Imputed righteousness is good and great, because without it we will not be able to stand before God. This righteousness that gives us a standing before God is also called positional righteousness.
However, the righteousness that makes us acceptable to God and approved by men has got to be more than this positional righteousness! As many as are mature, who have become skillful in the word of righteousness; there is the need to build upon our positional righteousness. We must take righteousness from positional level to a practical level. There are many who claim to be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (1 Cor.5:21) who are far from practical righteousness; their actions and lifestyles are full of unrighteousness. Some have even become so depraved that they indulge in stuffs that should not even be mentioned among unbelievers.
Please meditate on the following passages of the Bible, for they buttress the point I'm making.
"And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him." - 1 John 2:28-29
“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” – 1 John 3:7
Thank God that we are positionally righteous, but we must not bring shame on the name of the Lord through our unrighteous acts. Truly we have been declared righteous by God because we have confessed and accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, but we must know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Cor.6:9-11
So we see from God’s word that righteousness is not just a positional thing, it is a doing thing. It therefore follows that those who have been declared righteous by God through faith the blood of Jesus must learn the practice of righteousness lest they incur the wrath of God.
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,” – Rom.1:18
