As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.1 Peter:1:14-16.
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Romans:5:19..
Brethren. Holiness and righteousness are two different things in the Scripture.
Understanding what the Bible says about them will help you improve the quality of your spiritual life in Christ.
The basic difference between
holiness and righteousness in the Bible is that HOLINESS is a state of CHARACTER, while RIGHTEOUSNESS is a state of POSITION.
Holiness points to how you are, and righteousness points to where you are. Holy is more of what you make yourself; righteous is what God makes you. Get it clear ,Holiness depends on you; righteousness depends on God.
Let's explain with definitions..
To be "holy" means, in both Hebrew and Greek, to be clean, good, pure, godly, sacred, sanctified (set apart). In the general sense, a synonym for "holy" is "moral," and in the strictest, biblical sense it describes an attitude and corresponding behavior that's character that show reverence toward God and respect for His moral standards.
In clear contrast, to be "righteous" in the Bible means, simply, to be in "right-standing with God." Synonyms might be "saved," "justified," "redeemed." In the proper biblical context, a "righteous" person is someone who has been justified before God, by God, upon the simple possession of true faith in what He's done for us in Jesus Christ.
Righteousness has nothing to do with our morality or goodness. God justifies, or makes righteous. Every sinner who receives Christ, thus granting him or her eternal fellowship. That's position with Him in heaven.
So then, every Christian is righteous, and every non-Christian is unrighteous.
But then, is every Christian therefore automatically holy, and every non-Christian unholy? Not necessarily.
In the Bible. God never tells believers to be righteous but, over and over again, to be holy. Holiness refers to a person's own moral character, Christian or not (this is generally speaking, since in the strictest biblical sense it also infers one's proper attitude toward God). Righteousness actually describes what a "Christian" is, holy or not.
More so, Holiness is an endeavor of man. Righteousness is a gift from God. God desires to make the whole world righteous; but He expects believers, whom He has already made righteous, to therefore be holy.
We can conclude then that.:
1) Holiness is not a prerequisite for righteousness but, rather, a subsequent requirement for the righteous.
2) All believers are equally righteous, but some believers can be, in truth, "holier than thou."
3) All non-believers are equally unrighteous; and, to keep it real, some non-believers act more "holy" that is, moral than some believers.
4) Holiness is a required continual endeavor for every Christian, but righteousness is the Christian's immediate and continual grace that God-bestowed positional state for those that accepted Jesus.
Holiness is what a Christian endeavors to be; righteous is what God makes a Christian to be.
5) You can be "holy"; that is, behave morally and still not be righteous (justified, saved, heaven-bound). Your so-called "holiness" does not make you righteous. Only Christ's work on the Cross does that not by your labour or hard work.
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46 Comments
Now I know
You wrote very clearly and concise and am so happy for your answers. However, there are few things am not really getting on it.
1: You said you can be holy and still cannot be righteous.
This is contradictory. This holiness in question is not holiness attained by a carnal man. You rightly pointed out that God wants us to attain to holiness (Heb 12:14). So I do not agree that this godly holiness can be attained without having been righteous by acceptance of Christ Jesus. Phil 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me. Once we are born again we receive power become sons of God (John 1:12), so endeavouring to live right is only possibly through the grace of God through Christ Jesus. And it comes by hearing the truth and desiring, praying it into your life and seeing that the old man is destroyed and a new man is installed in all area of your life.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Amen
Thank you. I however believe it’s the other way round. The state of HOLINESS is only attainable by those who Jesus Christ has impacted HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS on through SALVATION by His blood as they grow in CONSECRATION to the Lord. That righteousness is called RIGHTEOUSNESS CORAM DEO, it’s from JESUS. However , there’s another type of righteousness that is about our natural goodness and morals, anybody can have that….called RIGHTEOUSNESS CORAM MUNDO. That’s why an unsaved person can have very good character that endears people to him or her. An unbeliever can have better relationships and even be a good leader because of this type of righteousness . Everyone should desire both types of righteousness for a good life here on earth and assurance of eternity with God. I have been meditating on the word RIGHTEOUSNESS for more than a year now as a word that the world desperately needs to function well at a time like we are now.