Proverbs 8:20. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,
Wisdom is always directly connected to righteousness and justice. In the Old Testament, righteousness and justice always go hand in hand. In fact, they are so connected conceptually that in the New Testament the same Greek word is used for both Hebrew words. You can’t be righteous without being just, and you can’t do justice without doing righteousness. And you can’t be wise without both.
What is righteousness? Just as it sounds, righteousness simply means to do what is right. God has a standard for how we should live and love. God’s righteous standard is reflected in the Law and specifically in the Ten Commandments. To be righteous is to love God and to love neighbor. How? By not making idols, killing, lying, etc. To be sure, righteousness is something to be done, a way of living. Just like wisdom, righteousness is a life lived in the fear of the Lord and under his standard of love.
What is justice? Justice is our response to those that are in need. We do righteousness for everyone. And on top of that, we do justice for those who are hurt, poor, or oppressed. Justice helps someone to rise up out of that negative situation. If righteousness is God’s good standard, then justice is getting things back to that standard. Therefore, justice not only helps the oppressed, it also deals with the oppressor. Justice toward the oppressor comes in two forms: restorative and punitive. Restorative justice seeks to bring the repentant sinner back into right standing with the community and even with those they have hurt. Apologies are sincere and amends are made quickly. The unrepentant sinner may need to suffer punitive justice – punishment, usually in the form of separation from the community or individual they have harmed.
OK, now that we know everything there is to know about righteousness and justice (haha) we can continue on in wisdom and live righteous and just lives (haha again).
The problem is that, as the Apostle Paul says in Romans 3, “There is none righteous no not one.” Wisdom is crying out to us to follow her and do righteousness and justice but not a single one of us ever has. Not perfectly. Sure, we’ve had our good moments, but we tend to be oppressors, way more often than we help the oppressed.
Jesus was not only perfectly righteous and just in our place, praise God, but he also IS our righteousness and justice alive in us. Christ doesn’t just cry out like Wisdom, “Come be wise like me.” No. He became for us righteousness.
1 Corinthians 1:30. And because of [God, the Father] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
By his death on the cross Jesus did righteousness and justice. He fulfilled God’s standard of love. He lifted all humanity out of the quicksand of sin and death. Then, by his resurrection from the dead, Christ imputed his righteous and justifying life to all who trust in him. He is our righteousness by simple faith. Now, by the Holy Spirit of Wisdom, we can be instruments of his righteousness towards others. We can do justice in Jesus’ name. We can lift up the hurt, the poor, the oppressed by the power of divine love.
You: Are you righteous and just? What do you base your answer upon?
You in Christ: Why must Christ BE our righteousness before he can call us to righteousness?
Christ in you: Who do you know that needs help today? How can you do Christ’s justice?
Pray: Father, in Christ you have given me your own righteousness and justice. By your Spirit help me to live in this righteousness of Christ as his instrument of justice. Amen.
To Live is Christ 