The GIFT of Righteousness

It seems to me that when most people hear about righteousness/being righteous they immediately think about their actions or behavior.  The truth is that righteousness is a GIFT from God through believing in the Lord Jesus and His finished work on the cross (Romans 5:17).  So, righteousness is not a matter of what you do (or don't do); rather, righteousness is a matter of what you believe.


For example, if you think that you somehow become less righteous when you commit a sin, then you don't understand the free gift of righteousness that Jesus offers you.  When your heart belief becomes established in righteousness, you will KNOW that you are righteous apart from your actions.  This in turn affects your behavior and you choose to do right things and live rightly, empowered by God's grace in your life.


But so often, we get it backward, thinking that our actions affect our righteousness when the truth is our righteousness affects our actions!  


Read Romans chapter five and see for yourself!