The Bible Column - Are you Seeking Righteousness? (Part 1)

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” II Timothy 3:14-15
In the leading scripture above, we learn that the absolute key to a nation being exalted is righteousness. There was a day in our land that this process of exaltation took place! It was apparent in morality and families. It was seen in commerce and industry! Exaltation was also largely the rule in the USA in our attention and consideration of the things of God, the scriptures, and church attendance! But today, we live in a country that has much reproach and many times bathes in the sea of immorality and broken families! In the recent past we have experienced the results of inflation, debt, and companies moving out of our borders! Also, the place of God and the Bible has been replaced with human pleasure, human reasoning and doing that which is right in our eyes! Judges 17:6
The word “Righteousness” speaks of equity…that which is equal! Righteousness does not intermix in an unequal way. Righteousness properly identifies what is profane and what is holy. In this same passage, the word “Exalteth” means, to be high or to rise. The word “reproach” speaks of reproof, pity, and a wicked thing. These words properly explain the blessings and the judgements that are apparent in our nation both past and present. In the Bible, we read of “the righteousness of God”. Romans 1:17. Righteousness comes only from God!
In the second passage above, we learn of the “scriptures” as being the place of instruction regarding becoming “wise unto salvation”. The scriptures are also the only completely accurate and eternal guidebook on the subject of righteousness as well. Each of us desperately needs the righteousness of God revealed and impressed deeply on our hearts and minds. Rather, we as a nation, have become a people that when we knew God, we glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in our imaginations and our foolish hearts have become darkened. Professing ourselves to be wise, we have become fools. Romans 1:21 & 23 Now, in our human wisdom as a nation, we kill our unborn babies, and each other! We take the lives of our police officers and military in vain rather than taking the life of the murderer and the terrorist! We steal another man’s car and his wife! We spend our Sundays in pleasures of every kind instead of in church worshipping the Lord! Only the knowledge of and the obedience to “the righteousness of God”, will change our present reproach into the exaltation of our nation.
This change begins on an individual basis… where each one of us turns to the Lord in repentance of our sins and places our faith in the forgiveness of the risen Christ. These truths are found only in the scriptures for our understanding.
Through our church ministry we provide a Bible study for anyone desiring to learn more about the righteousness of God!
More next week, the Lord willing!