Luk 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
This passage was originally written in the old Greek language. In the Greek, the word the author, Dr. Luke used for holiness is ὁσιότης transliterated as hosiotēs. The word he used for righteousness is δικαιοσύνη transliterated as dikaiosunē. From this scripture alone it is easy to see that holiness and righteousness are two different things. But what are they? Let us begin with righteousness.
WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS?
Most folks define righteousness as right living or not breaking God's laws e.g. the 10 commandments. This is a wrong definition in our dispensation and I will explain. Doing things right IS NOT righteousness. New Testament (NT) Righteousness is much bigger than that.
In the NT we do not worry about breaking the Law because we in the NT have been given just one law called the royal law (James 2:8). It is the Kingdom law, hence the term used by Jesus' earthly elder brother—royal law. If we adhere to it, we will automatically end up doing what is right in God's eyes. The royal law is Love—loving God and our neighbour. Upon the royal law hangs ALL the Law and the Prophets (Matt 22:40). The law and the prophets ended with John. Since the time of John we entered the dispensation of the Kingdom of God (Matt 11:13, Luk 16:16). And the least in the Kingdom is greater than John who was the greatest of the dispensation of the Law and the prophets. Understand that Righteousness in the Kingdom of God is not the same as Righteousness in the law and the prophets.
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
There is a righteousness of the law and the righteousness of God. The latter is New Testament (NT) righteousness and the former is that of the OT. Sadly many folks think that righteousness in our dispensation is a righteousness of the law or righteousness that comes from doing or obeying God's laws. But this is not so. In the NT we have been given the precious gift of the righteousness of God which is far superior to that of the OT.
The righteousness of the law does not concern us any longer because Jesus fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the Law in us and has given us in exchange for our former sin-nature the righteousness of God.
To understand what the righteousness of God is, we must understand the following scripture:
2Co 5:21 For he [GOD the Father] hath made him [JESUS] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The "to be" is italicized so it was not in the original. So the proper rendering of the verse is GOD the Father made JESUS sin so we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I love all scripture but this is probably one of my most favourite portions of scripture. Why? Because it teaches me that Jesus did not just pay for my sins. God literally made Jesus sin. God metamorphosed his son into becoming my and your sin. Jesus on the cross became the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness (John 3:14). He became what had bitten us and was killing us. He became it. He became your sin past, present and future. After becoming your sin, he nailed it to the cross and destroyed it forever. But before God made him sin, He was the righteous son of God who had never sinned. What then happened to his pure nature—that nature of perfect righteousness? That's the beauty of this verse.
This perfect nature of God, God's very righteousness was taken by Papa God and Papa God made us (metamorphosed us) into that righteousness of God. Unlike some people may believe, we DO NOT HAVE the righteousness of God. We ARE the righteousness of God. We have been made the righteousness of God.
Ask yourself this question. Is God righteous? Emphatically yes! Can this righteousness of God be seen? Again Emphatically Yes! How? We are now His righteousness in Christ. Through Jesus Christ substitutionary work on the cross we have been made the righteousness of God in him. This is too much for most folks to digest but meditate upon it, chew upon the scriptures provided and earnestly ask the Holy Ghost to explain this to you personally. God does not possess the attribute of Love. No! God IS Love. In the NT, I do not possess the righteousness of God or even have to do righteous acts to become righteous. I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. I AM that I AM.
SO what is righteousness in the NT? It's what makes God, God. It's his very nature. It's His life and we are blessed to be partakers in HIS divine nature.
WHAT IS HOLINESS
Jos 5:15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Exo 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Again before I explain what holiness is, we must understand (stand under) these scriptures quoted above.
QUESTION : God asked both Moses and Joshua to take off their shoes because the ground or soil they stood on was HOLY. Some people think holiness is doing good stuff or performing holy acts. Some even think it in a particular way of dressing or speaking. If this is true, then what did the ground do in order to become holy? SECOND QUESTION! All the articles used in the tabernacle in the OT plus your tithes and offerings are said to be HOLY to God. The question is what did the tabernacle articles do to be holy? What did your tithe and offerings do to be HOLY? If we understand the answer we can then unlock the secret to holiness. The answer to both questions is simple. Absolutely nothing! But God said the ground was HOLY. What made it HOLY? Simple! God is Holy and His presence alone is what made the ground HOLY. The ground of itself did not have to do anything to be holy. What about the articles in the tabernacle? The answer is the same. These articles were to be anointed with special anointing oil. Anointing oil in the OT was the symbol of God's presence or the Holy Ghost. God is Holy and whatever He comes in contact with becomes Holy as long as His presence abides there.
What about your tithe and offerings? The altar of God is the place where his presence abides and when your tithe has been offered on this altar or come in contact with the altar, that money becomes HOLY. Again it is the presence of God that makes your money or offerings Holy and not anything your money did. Your offering or marriage is Holy because it has engaged the presence of the Holy one.
QUESTION: If the ground or soil plus your money did nothing to be Holy except to have the presence of God on it, why do we sometimes think we have to do something or act a certain way in order to be HOLY? The answer to this, dates back to church traditions we have inherited from the dark-ages and the catholic church. We will not discuss that today. Thank God for the Reformation.
By the way, in the NT we have no need of physical anointing oil per se because it was a foreshadow of the Holy Ghost who was not given at that time. But now we have the reality. The reality is the gift of the Holy Ghost who is the true Anointing. So in the NT, we can recognize what is Holy from what the Holy Ghost settles on or touches either through us or some other medium like air. He is the Anointing that consecrates. Whatever His lovely presence falls on IS HOLY. This is why Peter's shadow healed the sick. Peter was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost and hence Peter was himself HOLY [not by his works] Holy Peter's shadow transmitted what Peter was carrying just like Apostle Paul's clothing did. What were these men carrying? It was the Holiness of God or the Presence of God. But like all truth, this truth will not be a reality for a person whose spirit has not captured this revelation.
So what makes me HOLY? It is simple. Like the soil, ground or your money, it's not what I do that makes me HOLY but WHO I AM in contact with or WHO lives in me, or WHO overshadows me. Just like in the OT when God's oil/presence fell on a thing, the thing became Holy. Likewise in the NT, I am holy simply because the true Anointing (HOLY Ghost) dwells in me and flows out of me and whatever that Anointing through me touches including this blog post is HOLY i.e. comes under His influence. What then is holiness? It is being consecrated or set apart for God's use or enjoyment simply by virtue of coming under the influence of the Spirit of Holiness. It is being filled with the HOLY Ghost. It is coming in contact with HOLY Ghost and staying in contact with HIM. It is living in the Spirit. It is not our working but His. We only accept the finished work and believe and act on our belief.
The Anointing is the agency of holiness. The Anointing is the HOLY Ghost or the Ghost that Jesus gave up when he became my sin and died. This is the Spirit of HOLINESS (Rom 1:4). His name is HOLY Ghost. He is the Spirit of Christ. My connection with Him makes me HOLY. Every act I do with Him is HOLY. Holiness is keeping in step with the HOLY Ghost and staying under His influence. That is why His name is HOLY Ghost. He is Holiness and He abides in me. I AM Holy. I AM that I AM—righteousness of God and Holy.
Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Like Jesus we too were also declared sons of God with power by this same spirit of Holiness i.e. by the operation of the spirit of God in giving birth to us using the incorruptible seed of the Word of God.
CONCLUSION
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Finally, the proof that you need not work out your own righteousness or true holiness is the scripture i just quoted which says, when you were born again, your spirit or new man was created already righteous and truly holy.
Jesus said it IS finished. He meant it. There is no more works to do to become more righteous or more holy. Our earthly righteousness is like filthy rags. For this reason, He became our sin and made us God's righteousness. He had done it all for us. What then are we left to do?
We simply live a life of loving God with ALL our hearts, strength and soul. And we love people i.e. our neighbours. Works do not impress God because it's His ability in us that enables us to do the works anyway. Works is then not to be our focus but HIM. Jesus is our focus. Growing into the fullness of the stature of Christ is our job. We do this by looking into the mirror of the Word and as we behold Him in the Word and His finished work, we undergo metamorphosis/transfiguration into the fullness of the stature Christ through the agency of Epignosis (knowledge) [Col 3:10, 1Cor 13:12-18]. This is our Job. To fellowship with him and get to know him more and more by drawing near to Him.
Let's not be like Martha who was focused on her works. Let us rather be like her sister Mary who just sat at Jesus' feet and drank of the love and goodness of God through His teachings. If I was married, I would not want my wife busying herself working around the house to gain my love. I would rather she be like Mary and spend quality time with me. Remember, It is finished. Sin is expired. You are the righteousness of God. You are sooooo blessed. That is why the prophets of old sought to look into our day (1Pe 1:10-13 ). But I do not know how many of us recognize this revelation and grace, much less appreciate it.
1Pe 1:10-13 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: (11) Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (12) Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (13) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
