Oct 16 – Righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount!

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

When Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry, He opened His mouth and taught the people about righteousness and justice. Multitudes gathered to hear His words. If Jesus spoke about righteousness repeatedly even within the Sermon on the Mount, it shows how important righteousness and justice were in His sight. Therefore, you too must have a deep hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Hunger and thirst are essential to human life. When a hungry person eats, food provides nourishment, strength, and vitality. When a thirsty person drinks water, it refreshes the body, helps regulate its temperature, and supports the proper digestion of food.

If a person has no hunger or thirst, it can be an indication that something is wrong with his health. Such a person needs to seek medical attention. In the same way that hunger and thirst are necessary for physical life, a hunger and thirst for righteousness are essential for our spiritual life. When you hunger and thirst for righteousness, the Lord will clothe you with His righteousness, and you will be satisfied.

Let this profound truth be firmly established in your heart: The God whom we worship delights in righteousness. He is perfectly righteous. His eyes are upon the righteous.

What is righteousness? Righteousness means walking uprightly before God. It means ordering your life according to the testimony of your conscience and, above all, according to the Word of God.

In the Old Testament, Abraham received righteousness in two significant ways.

First, there was the righteousness that comes through faith. Abraham believed the Lord, and his faith was accounted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3).

Second, Abraham demonstrated righteousness through his works. The apostle James writes: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?” (James 2:21)

But under the New Covenant, as children of God, we are first justified through the blood of Christ. Scripture says: “Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Romans 5:9)

Second, Scripture teaches that we are justified through the knowledge of Christ (Isaiah 53:11).

What a blessed privilege we have! Children of God, when you depend upon the righteousness of Christ, He clothes you with His garments of righteousness and crowns you with righteousness, making you righteous before God.

Therefore, do not hunger merely for worldly success, recognition, wealth, or comfort. Hunger and thirst for righteousness. Let your deepest desire be to please the Lord, walk uprightly before Him, and become more like Christ each day.

Verse for further meditation: “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)