Scripture: What is Righteousness?

Matt 5 Summary: Sermon on the mount. Key ideas are to pursue righteousness, and those who are persecuted for righteousness sake have the kingdom of heaven. Be meek, peacemakers, pure in heart, and the light of the world. Slow to anger and contention. Faithful to your spouse, even in your heart. Are not oath breakers, forgiving, and giving charity. Love your enemies. And finally, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Matt 22:37 Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law of the prophets.

Lk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Lk 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Jn 12: 24-26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servants be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Jn 13: 34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my discipels, if ye have love one to another.

Luke 6 Summary: Blessed are the poor, those that hunger after righteousness, the persecuted, those who love their enemies. Give to all who ask of you without expecting anything in return. Be merciful. Don’t deny your sinfulness, and seek cleansing for those sins before pointing out the sins of others. Every tree is known by its fruit.

Luke 18 Summary: Lessons on mercy and humility and the cost of following Christ

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Romans 12: 8-21 Summarized: Give with simplicity, rule with diligence, show mercy with cheerfulness, love without dissimulation, Abhor that which is evil; cleave to good. Be kind. Not slothful. Serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing in prayer. Distribute to the saints, be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Be honest in all things. Be not vengeful. Overcome evil with good.

Romans 13:8-14 Summarized: Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, shalt not kill, shalt not steal, shalt not bear false witness, shalt not covet. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Cast off works of darkness, and put on the armour of light. Walk honestly, not rioting in drunkenness, wantonness, strife, and envying.

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

1 Cor 9: 25-27 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be castaway

1 Cor 13: 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1 Cor 13:4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind: charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all tings, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1 Cor 12: 9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distress, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong

Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Gal 5: 14-26 (Read for info on the Fruit of the Spirit).

Gal 6: 1-2 Brethren, If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Gal 6: 10 As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Col 3: 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscnece, and covertousness, which is idolatry:

Col 3: 12-16 Summarized: Put on the elect of God, holy, merciful, kind, humble, meek, patience, forgiving, let the peace of God rule your heart, and the word of Christ dwell in you.

1 Tim 2: 9-10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shame-facedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1 Tim 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

1 Tim 6 Summary: Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we carry nothing out. And having food and rainment let us be therewith content. For the love of money is the root of all evil. But though, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

2 Tim 2: 11-14 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

2 Tim 2:25-26 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recovery themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

2 Tim 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Titus: Entire book.

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto his throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 6:11-15 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself. Saying, surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 10 Read all – verse 36 – For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

James 2: 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

James 3:16-18 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, the peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

James 4: 7-8 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw night to God, and he will draw night to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

James 5:15-16 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 3 Entire chapter.

1 Peter 3: 13-17 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that whereas they speak evil of you, as evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

1 John 3:14-18 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let not love in word, nether in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1 John 4: 7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4: 11-21 (more on love your brother.)