Doing Righteousness
Notice all of these references in Prov 11 to righteousness, the righteous, and the upright. This sermon is about doing righteousness that’s in you by Jesus, so that the things you find in Prov 11 will be true in your life, too. Notice:
- 11:3 the integrity of the upright shall guide them
- 11:4 righteousness delivereth from death
- 11:5 the righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way
- 11:6 the righteousness of the upright shall deliver them
- 11:8 the righteous is delivered out of trouble
- 11:10 when it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth
- 11:11 by the blessing of the upright the city is exalted
- 11:18 to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward
- 11:19 righteousness tendeth to life
- 11:20 such as are upright in their way are his delight
- 11:21 the seed of the righteous shall be delivered
- 11:23 the desire of the righteous is only good
- 11:28 the righteous shall flourish as a branch
- 11:30 the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life
- 11:31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth
In one chapter of Proverbs alone, look at all the benefits of being righteous and of doing righteousness.
When Jesus saves us, he gives us his righteousness, 2 Cor 5:21. Rom 5:19 says, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous”. This is a gift we all receive. And by his righteousness we are justified.
After we receive Christ’s righteousness, then we must become the servants of righteousness, Rom 6:18. In other words, we don’t become righteous in our thoughts, desires, and actions by simply possessing his righteousness. We must also serve his righteousness for his righteousness to change our lives. If we’re not serving righteousness, then we’re serving sin, Rom 6:19-20. In that case, we have his righteousness, but his righteousness is not effectual in our daily lives.
You serve righteousness by yielding “your members as instruments of righteousness unto God”, Rom 6:13. In this process of yielding daily to his righteousness, God is able to lead you in what David called, “the paths of righteousness”, Ps 23:3.
On the paths of righteousness, the Lord leads you to holiness. Along the way, the Lord points out an area of your life that needs to change. He shows you something that’s not right. And when you acknowledge the truth of what he’s shown you, he gives you the strength and wisdom to make the change to righteousness. You start doing right in an area where you were doing wrong. Or you start doing right in an area where you hadn’t been doing that right thing. The Lord uses chastening here as needed, Heb 12:5-11.
It’s very important to realize here that you don’t want to get into the habit of ignoring God. Respond to each and every thing he’s showing you to change. Also realize that you’re not doing what you think is the right thing to do, nor are you doing what you believe others in your family or church expect you to do. You’re doing what God is showing you to do in your walk with him.
David said, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake”, Ps 23:3. It is vital that you go along the path that God is leading, not the path that men are leading you down. God may use preaching to show you something, but don’t fall into the trap that if men are pleased with what you’re doing, God is therefore pleased.
God will take you in the direction and at the pace he knows is right for you. Get used to his leading. And, by all means, do what he’s showing you to do. If you refuse to do something he wants you to do, you’re going to get hung up there in the path. That would be like missing a Greek lesson in Bible college. It will stay with you all the way to the end.
In time, you will see his righteousness accomplishing the blessings of Prov 11 in your life, because you’re doing righteousness that God has given you on the inside.