Righteous or Upright?

Righteous simply means doing what’s right. Upright on the other hand means keeping to set standards.

It is very possible that one can be righteous and not upright, and vice versa. For example, if the standards of a train require that while seated one MUST not stand up for any reason. It’s still up to a person to decide, upon seeing a senior citizen standing without a seat, whether to be righteous (keep to the rules, and remain seated) or upright (stand up, and allow the citizen to take the sit). It is a combination of Righteousness and Uprightness that makes for a proper Christian living.

When you give your life to Christ, you are made righteous by the free gift of God's grace, however, it is expected of you to live uprightly in Christ according to bible doctrine and scriptural standards- This is called Holiness.

In one of RCCG’s Open Heavens (a daily devotional), there was an illustration of a young lady who bought a jean from a shop. On getting home, she used blade to tear the newly bought jean to fit her choice of fashion. This really got me thinking! How many of us today after receiving the Free gift of salvation try to match that salvation to fit our style of life?

We should understand that we are not to change God’s standards, but God’s standards should change us! Don’t shape the ‘word of God’ to match your life, but allow the ‘word of God’ to shape you! Remember that Christ bought us with His precious blood, so you must allow Him to fit you according to His Righteousness.

Romans 8: 4-10

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

#Exhortation