Topical Bible: Righteousness: Christ is the Sun of

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In the Christian theological framework, the concept of righteousness is deeply intertwined with the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is often depicted as the "Sun of Righteousness." This imagery is rooted in biblical prophecy and is central to understanding the transformative power of Christ's righteousness in the life of believers.

The phrase "Sun of Righteousness" is prominently found in the Old Testament, specifically in the book of Malachi. Malachi 4:2 states, "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall." This prophetic vision anticipates the coming of a messianic figure who will bring healing and restoration, illuminating the darkness of sin with the light of divine righteousness.

In the New Testament, the fulfillment of this prophecy is seen in the person of Jesus Christ. He embodies the righteousness of God, serving as the perfect mediator between God and humanity. The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, emphasizes that righteousness is not achieved through human effort but is a gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:22 declares, "And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."

Christ's role as the Sun of Righteousness is further illustrated in His teachings and actions. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls His followers to a higher standard of righteousness, one that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). This righteousness is not merely external adherence to the law but an internal transformation of the heart, made possible through the indwelling presence of Christ.

Moreover, the Apostle John in his Gospel presents Jesus as the "light of the world" (John 8:12), a metaphor that aligns with the imagery of the Sun of Righteousness. This light dispels the darkness of sin and guides believers into the truth, enabling them to live in a manner that reflects God's righteous character.

The righteousness of Christ is also central to the doctrine of justification. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus provides the means by which believers are declared righteous before God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 articulates this profound exchange: "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

In the eschatological vision of the New Testament, the Sun of Righteousness will have its ultimate fulfillment in the return of Christ. Revelation 21:23 describes the New Jerusalem, where "the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." Here, the eternal presence of Christ as the source of righteousness and light is vividly portrayed, offering hope and assurance to believers of their future glorification.

Thus, the concept of Christ as the Sun of Righteousness encapsulates His role as the divine source of moral and spiritual illumination, the provider of healing and restoration, and the guarantor of eternal life for those who place their faith in Him.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Malachi 4:2
But to you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Thoughts Upon the Appearance of Christ the Sun of Righteousness ...
... Thoughts upon the Appearance of Christ the Sun of Righteousness, or the
Beatifick Vision. SO long as we are in the Body, we are ...
/.../private thoughts upon a christian life/thoughts upon the appearance of.htm

"The Sun of Righteousness"
... what was here spoken of the sun by David, is referred by Paul to the gospel, which
is the light streaming from Jesus Christ, "the Sun of Righteousness." We can ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the sun of righteousness.htm

Of the Second Coming of Christ
... And Christ is a Sun of righteousness and also of mercy, Who stands in the highest
part of the firmament, that is, on the right hand of the Father, and from ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter vi of the second.htm

How the First Coming Has Four Degrees
... things. There Christ, the Sun of righteousness, shines upon the free and
uplifted heart: and these are the mountains that I mean. ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter viii how the first.htm

Justin Adduces Other Proofs to the Jew, who Denies that He Needs ...
... they do not refer to Solomon, and that this [Christ] existed before the sun, and
that ... God, give Thy judgment to the king, and Thy righteousness unto the ...
/.../chapter lxiv justin adduces other proofs.htm

True Righteousness is Obtained by Christ.
... Chapter XXVIII."True righteousness is obtained by Christ ... has the knowledge of God
and of His Christ, and keeps ... hands: for from the rising of the sun unto its ...
/.../chapter xxviii true righteousness is obtained.htm

Christ all and in All.
... he: "I thank you for the illustration; the moon borrows its light from the sun;
and we borrow ours from the Sun of Righteousness." If we are Christ's, we are ...
/.../moody/the way to god and how to find it/chapter viii christ all and.htm

"And if Christ be in You, the Body is Dead Because of Sin, but the ...
... 10.""And if Christ be in you, the body is dead ... of sin, but the Spirit is life because
of righteousness.". ... because they have not seen the evil under the sun. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxix and if christ.htm

Practical Righteousness
... from the sun, but the beam is not the sun. ... Christ is righteous, eternally, essentially,
completely; we may be ... in Him, not having our own righteousness which is ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/practical righteousness.htm

Meditations for the Morning.
... of bodies, far brighter than the sun, shall appear and accompany Christ as his glorious
train, coming to keep his general session of righteousness, and to ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations for the morning.htm