By: Gen. Jim – 3/21/25
What does the Holy Spirit mean “Righteous Revolution”? The Spirit has been speaking this phrase to us for some time now. (see Jesus calls to all/words of the Spirit). Here are just a few examples:
“…When My Spirit warns you of danger on the horizon, run into the Rock of Refuge… I do not want those who are Mine to be under the captivity to fear, terror, superstition, continual intimidation… Those who are true disciples in these times will be Warriors in the Righteousness Revolution…” (prophetic Word given by Gen. Deborah, 2/28/25);
“… The Solution to the wanton, wild, wicked spirits which have caused destruction, despair, death, & damnation to multitudes is quite simply, Revolution for the Return to Righteousness… All who are called to be Warriors in the return to Righteousness Revolution must obey their calling… you will come forth in the Revolutionary way… My solution to the corruption of pollution…” (prophetic Word given by Gen. Deborah, 3/10/25);
So, just what is “Righteousness”? Some think when you speak or write about “Righteousness”, you are somehow “holier than thou”. Let’s do a Bible study and learn what Biblical Righteousness really is.
Righteous, Righteously, Righteousness, Righteousnesses (look up these words in any Gk. concordance; Strong’s is what I’m using).
Paul’s “Righteousness”
The noun “righteousness” (dikaiosynē), its related adj. “righteous” (dikaios), & the verb “to justify”,/ “to pronounce as righteous” or “put right” (dikaioō) are found in the apostle’s writings over 100 times. He was not the man to toss around words – he knew the Gk. language; hence, “Righteousness” indicates the central place it had in his theology. Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 & 2 Cor., Gal., Eph., Phil., 1 Tim., 2 Tim., Tit., Heb., Ja., 1 Pet., 2 Pet., 1 Jn., & Rev. all mention “Righteousness”.
The O.T. Heb. (tsedeq/tsedâqâh) is found most O.T. books. But I’ll stick to the N.T. for this study.
Paul uses “Righteousness” (also justification) in its various contexts. Scholars warn us that not every instance of “the ‘Righteousness’ of God” carries the same meaning:
Dikaiosynē is used in relation to both God & to humans: Romans 1-14 this word is found 38 times. It is sometimes spelled dikaiosunē/dikaiōma – both convey justification /righteousness /equity of character. Paul contrasts (Rom. 6:16) “death” with “righteousness”; vs.18 = “servants of sin” with “servants of righteousness”. In Gal. 3:6 Paul compares Abraham’s faith with righteousness – Abraham’s trusting God is evaluated as righteousness.
“Righteousness” = A Gift
Rom. 5:17,21 states righteousness is a gift to the believer; Rom. 8:10 states, “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness”; Gal. 2:21 tells us, this righteousness results from God’s grace; in 3:21 “Righteousness” is equated with life, which the Law is powerless to produce.
“Righteousness” of Faith
Rom. 4:11,13,14 speaks of this (in the context of Law-oriented righteousness not being acceptable). Rom. 9:30-32; 10:4-6,10 speaks of righteousness that comes by faith, contrasted with works of the Law. Phil. 3:9 speaks of the righteousness that results from faith in Christ, not in self. According to Titus believers are redeemed, not by personal deeds/works, but by the Lord’s atoning work (3:5).
“Righteousness” of Obedience
Rom. 6:13,18,19,20 tells us that righteousness is used in an ethical sense. 2 Cor. 6:7,14 = a mark of the Christian life (i.e. acting/speaking rightly, living a moral life in contrast to living in falsehood, evil etc.)
So righteousness = the quality of life which bears fruit (2 Cor. 9:10, see also Hos. 10:12). Phil. 1:11 speaks of purity & blamelessness. In Eph. 4:24 righteousness is paired with holiness, contrasted to corrupt/deceitfulness in living. Eph. 5:9 speaks of “the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, & truth.” 1 Tim. 6:11 / 2 Tim. 2:22 speaks of training in righteousness; 2 Tim. 3:16 speaks of moral/ethical living & 4:8 speaks of “the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give… to all who have loved His appearing.”
The fact is, not “righteousness”, nor “crown”, for “Righteousness” is one’s crown!
“Upright”
When we speak of “Righteousness” we are speaking of “uprightness (Gk., dikaios), an adj., both ascribed to Divinity & humanity.” Eph. 6:1 is a case-in-point where obedience to parents (Christian) is “right”. Rom. 1:17 & Gal. 3:11 both speak of righteousness of God & or men, the latter (Gal. 3:11) has “justified” & “the just” (dikaios). Rom. 2:13; 3:10; 1 Tim. 1:9; Rom. 5:7; Phil. 4:8; Tit. 1:8 all use the Gk. adj. Colossians also uses fairness & justice (4:1).
So…
Since God is RIGHTEOUS, i.e. “The Just One” (Rom. 3:26 / 2 Thes. 1:5,6 / 2 Tim. 4:8, He expects His children to be the same (in nature). His law “is holy, & the commandment holy & just & good” -(Rom. 7:12).
1st Adam / 2nd Adam
Paul writes about Adam’s disobedience & Christ’s obedience in Rom. 5:19: obedience to Christ will make one “righteous”. He also writes about the believer “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord,” 2 Cor. 3:18 (“from the Lord, the Spirit” is correct).
Dikaioō
This Gk. word means “to justify” (RSV, NIV, NEB) = “to put right”, i.e. used mostly to describe that divine action which affects the lost sinner in such a way that the relation with the LORD/Lord is altered or transformed (either ontologically, as a change in nature; or positionally, resulting from a judicial act; or relationally, as one who was alienated & is now reconciled (according to Profs. K.L. Onesti & M.T. Brauch, Dict. of Paul & His Letters, pg.831, 1993).
Romans 3:21-31, according to most Gk. scholars/Bible scholars, is the most through statement of Paul’s distinctive theme on “R”. (further reflection is found in Rom. 5:1,9 & Gal. 2:17; 3:8,24). Paul states categorically the impossibility of receiving this “justifying” action of the LORD by means of keeping the Jewish Law. Rom. 2:13; 8:33; Gal. 5:4,5 speaks of eschatological judgment (the issue here is not about salvation but about those who have been justified (see also 2 Cor. 5:10).
According to…
Distinguished scholars R.P. Martin & P.H. Davids say that in the Biblical tradition the noun “righteousness” & the adj. “righteous” normally denote the character, behavior & status appropriate to the covenant relationship God formed with the world thru Israel. He demonstrates “Righteousness” thru faithfulness to His promises, while humanity expresses “Righteousness” in & through obedience. They say to “justify” denotes the activity of “putting right” (in the case of God) & “being put right” (in the case of God) & “being put right” (in the case of humans). So, this “being put right” can be either (i.e., “to be transformed”), forensic (i.e., “to be declared right”) or relational (i.e., “to be be reconciled”).
Gk. scholars point out a problem: the Eng. employs 2 word families (“righteousness”/”righteous” & “justify”/ “justification”) to trans. only one family of words in the Gk. – the n. dikaiosynē, the adj. dikaios & the verb dikaioō. They say the word “Justification” has obtained prominence as a legal term in English, hence, there is a strong temptation to read juridical connotations into any occurrence of a “dik” – stem word in Gk. They go on to say the forensic interpretation of the Protestant slogan “justification by faith alone” has further blinded readers to the diverse & often ethical uses of “R” language. Thats not all, moreover, the supposed anthropological orientation of “Righteousness” in Paul’s writings has unfairly truncated the meaning of “Justification”: as the antidote to a guilty conscience, it primarily relates to the resolution of a person’s existential crisis.
Dikaiosynē Theou
The “Righteousness” of God = His saving activity in the N.T., e.g. Rom. 1:17; 3:5,22; 10:3; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil. 3:9. Outside of Paul’s letters we find Mt. 6:33; Ja. 1:20 & 2 Pet 1:1 mentioning it.
According to Gk. scholars, there are several ways to understand DT:
1 – Human anger does not produce (ergazetai) the proper moral disposition/behavior (dikaiosynēn) within human beings;
2 – Human anger does not achieve (ergazetai) the level of perfection that God demands (dikaiosynēn), esp. that demand to be revealed at the last Judgment;
3 – Human anger does not bring into being (ergazetai) the state of affairs that God desires (dikaiosynēn).
(The 3 above is in ref. to James 1:20: “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (NKJV) Another trans. = “For the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.”
James goes on to speak of the “tongue” (vs.26). We see this in today’s political arena, esp. among the “Leftist”, who think their cutting remarks & lies are = to “righteousness”. They think they are so “righteous” & the “right” are so dumb! God knows what is right & what is wrong. (to be fair there are those on the “Right” that also believe they (their words/actions) are oh so right!).
One may look up Clement’s quotation of Ps 50:16 (Gk. O.T.) as pertaining to “Righteousness” as salvation (1 Clem. 18:15; 27:1; 60:1). Also, the Shepherd of Hermas calls God “righteous judge” (dikaios kritēs), (Herm Sim. 6.3.6). Polycarp uses the word “R” as related to God (Pol. Phil. 5:2).
So, Since the Father is “Righteous”, so must the Son be the same. The Bible has “Righteous One” (ho dikaios) in ref. to Jesus. Paul, Stphen, & Peter use the phrase (Acts. 3:14; 7:52; Heb. 10:37,38; Acts 22:14 et al.)
1 Jn. 2:1,24; 3:7 uses “Jesus Christ, the Righteous.” The Epistle to Diognetus uses the same (in early confessions of the faith, 1 Pet. 3:18; Diogn. 9:2). The “Just One” is also used (1 Clem. 16:12; Isa. 53:11 (O.T. LXX). Polycarp identifies Jesus as “the guarantee or our righteousness” (Pol. Phil. 8:1; Isa. 53:3-5 = ref.).
One could spend hours in digging out such phrases from Bible authors & early Church fathers/Christian authors. “Holy One”, “Righteous One”, “Just One” can be found. The divinity or divine status of the Son can’t be denied.
Righteousness Language
The noun & adj. have always had an ethical content. “Righteousness” language can refer to the character of a human (as in 2 Pet. 2:8; Rev. 22:11 et al.); behavior (Acts 10:35; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:13,14; 1 Jn. 3:12 et al.); a person’s status (class) (Acts 10:22; 1 Pet. 4:18; 2 Pet. 2:7,8; Ja. 5:16 et al.); process of moral transformation (Heb. 12:11; Ja. 3:18; 2 Pet. 2:21 et al).
Outside the Bible; 2 Clem. 13:1; Ign. Eph. 1:1; Mart Pol. 11.1; Herm. Vis. 3.9.1; Herms. Man. 1.2; 12.2.4; 1 Clem. 9.3; 33.8; 42.8; 2 Clem. 6.9; 19.3; Ign. Smyrn. 1.1; Pol. Phil. 2:3; 3.3; Herm. Vis. 3.3.3; Diogn. 1 Clem. 33:7; 2 Clem. 2.4; 20.3-4; Ign. Magn. 12.1; Mart. Pol. 14.1; Did. 1.1.8; 2 Clem. 5.7; 18.2; Did. 5.2; 11.1; Born. 1.7; 15.4; Herm. Man. 5-6 et al.
[note: the above texts relate to
1 – character of humans,
2 – status grounded in behavior,
3 – process of transformation.
Clem. = Clement
Ign. Eph. = Ignatius Letter to the Ephesians
Mart. Pol. = Martyrdom of Polycarp
Herm. Vis. = Shephard of Hermas, Visions
Herm. Man = Shephard of Hermas, Mandates
Ign. Smyrn. = Ignatius letter to the Smyrneans
Pol. Phi. = Polycarp letter to the Philippians
Diogn = Epistle to Diognetus
Ign. Magn. = Ignatius letter to the Magnesians
Did. = Didache
Born = Epistle of Barnabas]
Conclusion
Trust me, tons more could be written. There is sooo much written about “Righteousness”/ “Justification”. Today’s liberal Church sees no need in all this study-the-Scriptures business. Well, we see their backslidden condition because they did not, will not, take the Bible serious. No UNRIGHTEOUS person will make it past the cherubim, with his flaming sword that stands guard at the entry of the Garden of God (Gen. 4:24) … only if one has the wedding garment on. The Bible clearly states that those who are filthy (like the LGBTQ folks et al.) WILL NOT be ALLOWED into the Heavenly Kingdom of God. Only those that are holy (righteous) & remain so, will be ALLOWED (Rev. 22:11). Verse 15 singles out “dogs”, sorcerers, & the sexually immoral, along with murderers (men who consented to abortion & the ladies who MURDERED their unborn/born), idolaters & liars!!!
I’ll leave you with one last Bible quote to think upon:
“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of RIGHTEOUSNESS…” – Heb. 5:13. This means we’re to go & grow in the Lord, from “new birth” (Jn. 3:3,5) to “full age” in Christ (Heb. 5:14). Babies are cute but still babies. God’s desire for His born again sons & daughters is that, as Paul writes, “till we all come to the unity (oneness) of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect (Gk. = “mature”) man (person), to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” – Eph. 4:13. God wants “warriors of Righteousness,” not mere Church goers.
The Bible’s instruction emphasizes the LORD’s/Lord’s/Spirit’s righteousness (Their righteous character, Their righteous status (source of all life, light, & love).
As the old saying goes; “No pain, no gain!” To “go & grow” in the Christian faith will – WILL! – have its share of pain & sufferings. Even human bodies cause physical pain as one develops/grows. When I used to get severe leg pains as a kid, mom would tell me that I had “growing pains.”
Do we take the old Gospel song – “To Be Like Jesus” – seriously? To be like the Son means we’re to share in His sufferings. Oh, the modern church only wants “Fun in the Son.”
What do you want?
God wants a “Righteous Revolution”! Better yet, a counter revolution against the forces of WOKENESS that presents itself in this generation.