Pursuing "True Righteousness"

Jehovah expects us to live by his standards of right and wrong. Since his standards are just and righteous, we are pursuing justice and righteousness when we conform to them. "Learn to do good; search for justice," says Isaiah 1:17. God's Word exhorts us to "seek righteousness." (Zephaniah 2:3) It also urges us to "put on the new personality which was created according to God's will in true righteousness." (Ephesians 4:24) True righteousness-true justice-shuns violence, uncleanness and immorality, for these violate what is holy. -Psalm 11:5; Ephesians 5:3-5.

Is it a burden for us to conform to Jehovah's righteous standards? No. A heart that is drawn to Jehovah does not chafe at his requirements. Because we love our God and all that he stands for, we want to live in a way that pleases him. (Psalm 11:7) If we are truly to imitate divine justice, or righteousness, we must come to love what Jehovah loves and hate what he hates. -Psalm 97:10.

It is not easy for imperfect humans to pursue righteousness. We must strip off the old personality with its sinful practices and put on the new one. The Bible says that the new personality is "being made new" through accurate knowledge. (Colossians 36:9, 10) The words "being made new" indicate that putting on the new personality is a continuing process, one that requires diligent effort. No matter how hard we try to do what is right, there are tims when our sinful nature causes us to stumble in thought, word or deed. -Romans 7:14-20; James 3:2.

How should we view setbacks in our efforts to pursue righteousness? Of course, we would not want to minimize the seriousness of sin. At the same time, we must never give up, feeling that our shortcomings make us unfit to serve Jehovah. Our gracious God has made provision to restore sincerely repentant ones to his favor. Consider the reassuring words of the apostle John: "I am writing you these things that you many not commit a sin." But then he realistically added: "Yet, if anyone does commit a sin [because of inherited imperfection], we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ." (1 John 2:1) Yes, Jehovah has provided Jesus' ransom sacrifice so that we might acceptably serve Him in spite of our sinful nature. Does that not move us to want to do our best to please Jehovah?

Next time: The Good News And Divine Justice

Draw Close To Jehovah, 2002