The New Life

Righteousness.
ness ; ^ how Paul, who announces most the doctrine
of justification by faith alone, insists that this is the
aim of justification, to
form righteous men, who do
right. 2 See how John names righteousness along
with love as the two indispensable marks of the children
of God. ^ When you put all these facts together,
it must be very evident to you that a true Christian
is a man who does righteousness in all things, even
as God is righteous.
And what this righteousness is, Scripture will also
teach you. It is a life in accordance with the commands
of God, in all their breadth and height.
The
righteous man does what is right in the eyes of the
Ivord.* He takes not the rules of human action ; he
asks not what man considers lawful. As a man who
stands right with God, who walks uprightly with
God, he dreads above all things even the least unrighteousness.
He is afraid, above all, of being partial
to himself, of doing any wrong to his neighbor
for the sake of his own advantage. In g^eat and
little things alike, he takes the Scriptures as his
measure and line. As the ally of God, he knows that
the way of righteousness is the way of blessing, and
life, and joy.
Consider, further, the promises of blessing and joy
which God has for the righteous, and then live as one
who, in friendship with God, and clothed with the
n ;
^ Matt. V. 6, 20, vi. 33.
2 Rom. iii. 31, vi. 13, 22, vii. 4, 6, viiL 4
; a Cor. ix. 9, 10 ; Phil. L
I Tim. vi. 11.
3 I John ii. 4, II, ag, iii. 10, v. 2.
• Ps. cxix. 166, 168 ; Luke i. 6, 75
; i Thess. ii. 10.
75