Religious, or Righteous?

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Ironically, many people equate religion with righteousness, but the two do not always go hand in hand.

I suppose the best example in the New Testament would be the Pharisees, the predominate Jewish sect of our Lord’s day. They were the religious elite, but they weren’t very righteous. Jesus urged the people, “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not” (Matthew 23:3). Seven times in Matthew 23 Jesus called them hypocrites. They were pretending to be something they were not, and Jesus saw through their hypocrisy. To be sure, they would reap what they had sown (Matthew 23:33).

Christianity is more than ritual and ceremony.

The religion of Christ is a religion which makes men holy, righteous, and godly. Those who do not understand this do not understand Christianity.

Holiness is a hard word to define.

Scholars are uncertain as to its exact roots in ancient language, but it involves being remade, set apart, and living a radiant and pure life. It is the word which Peter used to describe the nature of God (1 Peter 1:16). Christians are admonished to “follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

Righteousness involves doing what is right, acceptable and approved of God.

It includes integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting. A religion without righteousness is a religion without redemption. We must live “soberly, righteously, and godly” (Titus 2:12).

Godliness implies reverence and love for God and things divine.

Godly men and women have the right values and priorities. Christianity makes men godly, so don’t be deceived into thinking that religion is nothing more than a Sunday morning exercise in ritual and ceremony. The religion of Christ is characterized by holiness, righteousness, and godliness. Anything less is unacceptable.

Religious men are not always righteous, but righteous men are always religious!