Next to the Lord Jesus Christ and our relationship to Him, righteousness may be the most important topic of the Scriptures. Without righteousness there is no Kingdom of God. The Lord will not work apart from righteous behavior. He has called His elect in righteousness and to righteousness.

A major goal of the program of salvation is the creation of righteousness in God's people: first, in an imputed (assigned) right standing before God; then, in actual character and behavior.

God's goal has not been attained in an individual until that person will make righteous decisions in every circumstance.

What is righteousness—this trait that fills the whole Scripture; this virtue that Christ loves so much?

Righteousness dwells in decision-making. The righteous person is the one who makes decisions that are according to God's will. The unrighteous person is the one who makes decisions that are not according to God's will.

The Kingdom of God is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17).

Perhaps the best definition of righteousness to be found in Scripture is Micah 6:8:

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to practice righteousness, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)

Righteousness is righteous decision-making. God requires that each person in the Kingdom of God behave righteously. This means he acts justly, he loves mercy, and he walks humbly with God. This is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.

First of all, the believer in Christ must act justly. Cheating, lying, stealing have no place whatever in the Kingdom of God. The Christian who cheats, who lies, who steals may be naming the name of Christ; but as long as he is practicing these acts of injustice he is living outside the Kingdom of God.

The people of the Lord are to deal equitably in all business, whether they are working with fellow Christians or with the unsaved. Saints tell the truth. The followers of Christ are to be scrupulously honest in all their business. Honest dealing is an aspect of righteousness and is more important to the Lord Jesus than religious and church activities.

A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight. (Proverbs 11:1)

A Christian who cheats, who lies, who steals, who deliberately leans toward that which is devious, slippery, hard to pinpoint, cunning, treacherous, not dependable, misleading, is not living in the Kingdom of God. Also he is not bearing a true witness of Christ no matter what he states with his mouth concerning salvation in Christ.

Can we cheat someone and then lead them to Christ? What is the world's opinion of the assembling of believers who cheat, who lie, who steal, who cannot be trusted? If such an assembling is not willing to repent it would be far better for it to disband for it is an abomination to God and to man.

To be continued.