Back in the sixties we might have heard someone say, “That’s really righteous, man!”

What they meant had nothing to do with real righteousness. In  that context it simply meant “cool” or “fine”.

Dictionaries define “righteous” as being just, virtuous, having a high standard of morality. But biblical righteousness has an additional dimension to it, although I wasn’t too clear about that in the sixties. Actually, it’s just beginning to dawn on me in my sixties.

Even when we make our best effort to be righteous, there will always be holes in it. To be truly righteous includes not just good behavior but pristine mental activity, too, and we know how hard it is to keep our thoughts from running away with us before we can stop them.

The biblical definition of righteousness is: a person who’s been judged to have led a life pleasing to God. But even that didn’t open my eyes to the full truth.

Because that definition is in the past tense, the entire Gospel is buried in it. When someone “has been judged,” the reference is to judgment after death. Approval at that point comes only through Christ’s righteousness. His sin-free life included his thought life, the arena most difficult to control. And because he succeeded 100%, his death and resurrection makes it possible for us to be wrapped up with him in his righteousness.

But I think the biblical word “righteous” means even more than that for Christians. In reading Scripture, I used to wish the promises to the righteous applied to me, but I knew I didn’t qualify. To label myself “righteous” seemed self-aggrandizing and prideful. What I’m finally realizing in my mid-sixties is that Christ’s righteousness applies not only to the hereafter but to the here-and-now, and he wants me to claim it.

Listed below are 10 goodies that are already mine. These and many more belong to anyone who is righteous in Christ:

• My life will bear fruit.
• My home will be blessed.
• My prayers will delight God.
• I’ll experience joy.
• God will always rescue me.
• I can live in God’s presence.
• God will facilitate my escape from sin.
• My grandchildren will receive an inheritance.
• All my prayers are heard by God.
• My prayers will get results.

And as they said in the sixties, “That’s really righteous!”
“People are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.” (Romans 4:5)