Old Testament instances of the phrase ‘more Righteous’
- Genesis 38:26 — Judah’s daughter-in-law was more righteous than Judah.
- 1 Samuel 24:17 — David was declared by Saul to be more righteous than Saul.
- 1 Kings 2:32 — Abner, the son of Ner, and Amasa, the son of Jether, were more righteous than Joab, who slew them.
- Job 4:17 — No mortal can be more righteous than God.
- Jeremiah 3:11 — Backsliding Israel has proved herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
- Ezekiel 16:52 — God declared Sodom and Samaria more righteous than Jerusalem.
- Habakkuk 1:13 — The man devoured by the wicked man is more righteous than his devourer.
What is righteousness?
Righteousness, by human standards, is defined as the quality of being morally true or justifiable … righteousness is the quality of being right in the eyes of God, including character (nature), conscience (attitude), conduct (action), and command (word). Righteousness is, therefore, based upon God’s standard because He is the ultimate Lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).
Christianity.com: What Is Righteousness?
Righteous defined in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary: acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin
Self Righteousness
There are numerous instances of self righteousness in the Bible, the most poignant: Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). The key idea from this parable is found in verse 14: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
“There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, and yet is not washed from its filthiness.” — Proverbs 30:12
In Matthew chapter 23, the Lord expressed misfortune against the Pharisees and the scribes 7 times. [e.g. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!“]
Abraham’s Bosom
Note: In the King James Version, the phrase ‘Abraham’s bosom’ translates to ‘Abraham’s presence’ in the Modern English Version.
The Lord Jesus Christ was preaching to His disciples (Luke 16:1-13).
“The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things and derided Him. He said to [the Pharisees], “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed before men is an abomination before God (Luke 16:14-15).”
At this point, I asked, “Who were the Pharisees?” The answer, as young people say, is complicated. For my edification, I turned to an article from overviewbible.com: Who Were the Pharisees? The Beginner’s Guide.
There are 95 instances of the word(s) Pharisee(s) (singular and plural) in the New Testament and none in the Old Testament. In Acts 23:6, the Apostle Paul self-identifies as a Pharisee to stir up controversy between Pharisees and Sadducees; the difference is that the Pharisees, like Paul, believe in the resurrection.
What has changed?
I point the reader to a Messianic Jewish website, The Messianic Revolution, an article titled: The Difference Between ‘Old’ Testament Righteousness And New Testament Righteousness.
Under God’s terms of righteousness in the New Covenant, “Today, the only acceptable righteousness is the righteousness we get from our faith in Messiah.” Search the New Testament; you will find no statements of comparative righteousness. “It’s not our righteousness. It is Yeshua’s righteousness. We just wear it like a garment.“
Why was the Book of Hebrews written? It was written to Hebrew believers whose forefathers lived for centuries under the Jewish system of worship and redemption.
The word sacrifice is found 17 times in the Book of Hebrews, far more than any other New Testament writings. I encourage you to read the Book of Hebrews in the Modern English Version (MEV), available online from BibleGateway.com.
The advent of Messiah was not, and should not have been, a surprise to Hebrew scholars.
Isaiah 1:18 provides a scientific basis for blood sacrifices that explains the requirement of recurring animal sacrifices to cover sins. This verse describes the color of sin. Sin has a color? Yes, ‘bright red.’ No, that black color on your ‘gospel bracelet’ does not represent sin.
Come now, and let us reason together,
says the Lord.
Though your sins be as scarlet [a bright red color],
they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.
The blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, covers the sins of Believers, rendering them invisible to God. Yes, God, the Creator of the Universe, employs the divine laws of physics to accomplish His will.
Historical footnote: The Pharisees
The Pharisees (Hebrew: Perushim) emerged as a distinct group shortly after the Maccabean revolt, about 165–160 BC; they were, it is generally believed, spiritual descendants of the Hasideans. The Pharisees emerged as a party of laymen and scribes in contradistinction to the Sadducees—i.e., the party of the high priesthood that had traditionally provided the sole leadership of the Jewish people. The basic difference that led to the split between the Pharisees and the Sadducees lay in their respective attitudes toward the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and the problem of finding in it answers to questions and bases for decisions about contemporary legal and religious matters arising under circumstances far different from those of the time of Moses.
Britannica, Jewish History & Society: Pharisee
The contemporary adjective Pharisaic means, “practicing or advocating strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without regard to the spirit; self-righteous; hypocritical.”
Summary
The Apostle Paul instructs us, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.” [Romans 13:14]
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
Isaiah 61:10
Anything we do to make ourselves appear righteous to others is nothing but self-righteousness. Our part of the covenant is to “put off the former way of life in the old nature, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new nature, which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness.” [Ephesians 4:22-24]
To be saved is not the product of repeating someone’s words. You cannot be saved by the declaration of a preacher or Bible teacher. Salvation, becoming a Christian, a Christ follower, is the consequence of entering into a covenantal relationship with the Living God. What is a covenant?
Covenant comes from the Latin word convenīre, to come together, agree. Agreements are never one-sided events. “It takes two to tango.”
This Bible study is not a comprehensive explanation of the New Covenant between God and mankind. If otherwise, this Bible study could have been labeled “Instant Pudding Christianity — Just Add Baptismal Water and Stir!”
I grew up next door to a church where, each Sunday evening, I could view the goings on within. The preacher and his congregation would work themselves into a sweaty frenzy. A number of people whom I knew personally would “get saved” practically every Sunday evening. Those I knew personally were classmates, some upper, some lower, at my local public school. Suffice it to say, there was no observable difference in their personal behavior away from the church.
Can someone be transformed spiritually in an instant of time? Yes, indeed. I am such a person.
I was a grown man with a wonderful wife, two young children, and a third on the way. This was August of 1974. I left behind a great job with a New England aerospace company to take a position in Dallas, Texas, with another great American company. After settling in, I reported to work only to be told I must have a company physical before assuming the position offered.
I failed the physical due to very high blood pressure: 196/96. Suddenly, I was unemployed and unemployable. Before this point in time, I had never experienced desperation. My wife suggested I read her Bible. I opened her red-cover Bible to Genesis 1:1. She suggested I start with Mathew 1:1 instead. She remarked we were short on time.
Over the next few weeks, her Bible began to affect me. Late on a Sunday evening in August 1974, I spoke freestyle to the Living God, who was getting in touch with me. It was a profound experience. Monday morning, my doctor discovered my blood pressure was normal, 120/70. My new job got underway on the 15th of September, 1974. My personal Bible studies continue to this day, a half-century later.
Becoming a covenant Christian was not an overnight success. I continue as a disciple of Jesus Christ, ever learning, ever-changing my thoughts and my actions. As it is written in Philippians 3:14, I press toward the goal to the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Discipleship entails congregating with fellow believers and engaging in regular Bible study.
John White
Rockwall, Texas
John N. White 