What role does righteousness play in identifying God's children according to 1 John 2:29? Opening the Text “ If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.” (1 John 2:29) Defining Righteousness - Scripture links righteousness to God’s own character—what He is, says, and does. - In practical terms, righteousness means living in alignment with God’s revealed will, refusing sin, and loving as He loves. - Because God is perfectly righteous, anything truly born of Him will display the same quality. Righteousness as Family Likeness - Birth determines family. Spiritual rebirth determines spiritual family. - John’s logic is simple: • God = righteous • God’s children share His nature • Therefore, God’s children practice righteousness - Just as physical DNA bears visible traits, new-birth “DNA” produces visible righteousness. Practicing, Not Merely Professing - “Practices” (Greek: poiōn) denotes continuous action, not a one-time decision. - The verse does not describe perfection but direction—habitual, evident obedience. - Righteousness becomes the believer’s lifestyle, not a weekend hobby. Complementary Passages - 1 John 3:7: “The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” - Matthew 7:16: “By their fruit you will recognize them.” - Titus 2:11-12: Grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness … and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.” - Psalm 1:1-3: The righteous delight in God’s law and bear fruit in season. Practical Outworkings of Righteousness - Daily choices: honesty in speech, integrity in business, purity in relationships. - Compassion: active care for widows, orphans, and the marginalized (James 1:27). - Worship and obedience: delighting in God’s commands rather than grudging compliance (Psalm 119:97). - Repentance: quick confession and turning when sin occurs (1 John 1:9). Summary Takeaways - Righteousness is the family resemblance that unmistakably identifies children of God. - It flows from new birth, not human effort alone. - Continual, observable righteous living functions as evidence of genuine relationship with the Righteous One. |
    |