‘The Word of Righteousness’
. . . and having been perfected, He came to be the Author of eternal salvation to all the ones who obey Him, having been called by God as a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Concerning whom we have much to discuss but it’s hard to interpret since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. For indeed because at the time you ought to be teachers, you still need to have someone to teach you again the basic principles of the Words of God; you are still in need of milk, not solid food; like an infant who is incapable of understanding / experiencing ‘the Word of Righteousness’.
Hebrews 5:9-13
The Word ‘Righteousness‘
. . . and having been perfected, He came to be the Author of eternal salvation to all the ones who obey Him, having been called by God as a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Concerning whom we have much to discuss but it’s hard to interpret since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. For indeed because at the time you ought to be teachers, you still need to have someone to teach you again the basic principles of the Words of God; you are still in need of milk, not solid food; like an infant who is incapable of understanding the Word ‘Righteousness’.
Hebrews 5:9-13
I gave you these two different translations based on whether we read The Word of Righteousness as a subjective genitive or the word ‘righteousness‘ as an objective genitive. Yes I know it is confusing. Just try to ignore the ‘linguistic speak’ and grammatical talk of genitives and subjects and objects. Just consider that there are two ways of looking at what the writer of Hebrews has written for us. Well, for the Jewish Christians of his day actually. I think it is probable that he means both of these ways of reading this sentence. It is true that most of us don’t have a clue really what righteousness means. But it is equally true that Jesus Christ is indeed the Righteousness of God and The Word of Righteousness in the way John may use that expression.
Now I want to move on and explain to you why relying on your own righteousness is not ‘a good plan for getting to heaven’. Most people I talk to about heaven and what makes us fit for heaven have the idea that they will get there because their good deeds will outweigh the wrong they have done in their lives. Put simply: Their goodness will not be enough to carry the day. Sorry to have to tell you some bad news; but your goodness will not get you to heaven. There is only one way you will be acceptable for entry into heaven. That is to be covered by the blood of Christ! “Oh now you are relying on religious speak Ian and I don’t like that. I don’t like religion and religious people and I won’t have anything to do with any religion.” I understand where you’re coming from exactly. I was a member of the same club before August 19th 1973. However, allow me a moment of your time to explain to you why your own righteousness or being a righteous person will not suffice.
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
Romans 3:10-12
We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.
Isaiah 64:6
One look around you in this world and at this time in history ought to convince you of the truth of these ancient sayings. When Jesus said He is the Way to God, He is the Truth and He is the Life of the Age to Come, He wasn’t kidding. He is all of that and more. Truly, truly, He was and is telling you The Truth.
Have you ever seen that the two quotes below are a contrasting pair:-
For God’s wrath is being revealed from Heaven on all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, holding to the truth in unrighteousness, because the thing known of God is clearly known within them, for God revealed it to them.
Romans 1:18-19
But now a righteousness of God has been revealed apart from Law, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ toward all and upon all those believing; for there is no difference, for all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:21-23
These two quotes set out clearly for the contrast between the truth expressed. We think God’s wrath will come at the end of time, when God will judge the living and the dead. Or some, like the pre-Christian Ian, think that the whole notion is nonsense. Just take a good look around you. Everything that is happening in the world actually tells you that what the Bible teaches is true. Take note that God’s anger against sin is being revealed, not will be revealed. How? In the section which follows Romans 1:18, Paul makes it clear. Three times he wrote “for God gave them up” // Rom 1:24, 26 and 28. That’s how the wrath of God is being revealed; God gave them up. He took his hands off and said, “Ok have it your way; you are on your own now.” We know a number of parents who are currently stuck in that mode with their rebellious children. Giving them over to their own desires in the hope that they will come to their senses. God does that with human kind as well.
Now let me spell out why trying to live according to the law and doing what is right is bound to fail. Jesus told us all in the sermon on the mount that He had not come to abolish the law but to fulfil it. What does that mean? Well he told us what it means as he continued to explain.
For I say to you, If your righteousness shall not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of God, never! You have heard that it was said to the ancients: “Do not commit murder!” And, Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the Judgment. [Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17] But I say to you, Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the Judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the sanhedrin; but whoever says, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of Hell.
Matt 5:20-22
You have heard that it was said to the ancients: “Do not commit adultery.” [Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18] But I say to you, Everyone looking at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matt 5:27-28
Do you want to try to keep the law of God in order to be right with God? Well there is the standard! Jesus came to spell out God’s standard, to make the law clear and complete. Who can live up to that standard? Rather Paul wrote in the verses I quoted above, The way for us to be righteous according to God’s standard has been revealed. It has been revealed at a particular point in time when the Word became flesh to show us the way to be right with God on God’s terms. That is why Paul wrote in Romans 8:1 (the first verse after he wrestled with the fact that he wants to do right but just can’t (Romans 7):-
There is therefore now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to flesh, but according to Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set me free from the law of sin and of death.
Romans 8:1-2
Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
Galatians 3:2-3
Trusting that your goodness will outweigh your failings is not going to work. The only thing that will count is when God considers you to be righteous according to His standard. There is no possible way that you can achieve it on your own. Being the best you can be will not be sufficient. You need God Himself to pronounce you right with Him. That is what the word ‘righteousness‘ means. There is no righteousness available to make you right with God apart from what God Himself has determined to be THE WAY. Jesus said: I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE.
I have not chosen some obscure Bible verses to make my point. This message is all over the Bible. No matter which way you dissect it, the Bible always tells the same story. It is entirely consistent from start to finish. There is only ONE WAY, ONE TRUTH and ONE LIFE.
Jesus is indeed The Word of Righteousness and The Righteousness of God. Have you realised that the breastplate of righteousness talked about in the armour of God is none other than Jesus’ righteousness which is yours if you are In Christ. So when the devil comes and whispers to you and tells you you’re not good enough to get to heaven, just tell him, “Yes I know, but I am covered over by the robe of righteousness that Jesus gives to me.” I am His and that is all I need to save me for the Life of the Age to Come. End of story.
The writer of Hebrews is telling us something incredibly deep and there is more to come. Especially in the unpacking of all he has to say about Jesus as the Great High Priest and all that means.
The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God; the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man.
John Stott
Grace is inviting to the unrighteous and threatening to the self-righteous.
Ian
Determining what’s right & wrong is not just an academic exercise, it’s an ongoing personal experience.
Robi Sonderegger
“I know you have no righteousness of your own…here, have mine.”
God
Very deep meanings here. Would it be right to say that ‘we need righteousness the blood of Christ to cover us?’
Yes Ross, the righteousness which is ours through the blood of Christ. So then we are given the Robe of Righteousness by the Word of Righteousness. Now you’re getting it.