Righteousness Defined (5/31/2026)

“And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. ²⁵ Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us” (Deuteronomy 6:24-25).

In both Testaments, the word righteousness appears many times, leading us to conclude that it is extremely important to God. Moses, here, clearly explains what “righteousness” means.

Moses says it means observing the statutes, fearing the Lord, being good, and carefully observing “all” the commandments. As well, in the New Testament, when Paul writes to the Christians in Corinth, he uses a metaphor to tell them they are to awaken out of their moral intoxication and turn to God’s way: “Awake to righteousness” (1 Corinthians 15:34).

“Righteousness” literally means “right action” or acting “properly, as is right,” mirroring the nature of both God the Father and Jesus. This teaching has been exhortation to people of every Age, meaning they are to break from their sins and lead a holy and righteous life. 

The message, then, has direct application to those of us living in the twenty-first century: to please God, we must not give ourselves over to the allurement of Satan nor must we involve ourselves in the practices and doctrines that are contrary to Holy Scripture.