Righteousness: The Fruit of the Spirit is in All
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Righteousness, a central theme in Christian theology, is often understood as the quality of being morally right or justifiable. In the context of the Bible, righteousness is not merely an ethical standard but a divine attribute that believers are called to emulate. It is both a gift from God and a fruit of the Spirit, manifesting in the lives of those who walk in accordance with the Holy Spirit.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of righteousness is deeply rooted in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, righteousness is frequently associated with God's character and His covenantal relationship with His people. For instance, Genesis 15:6 states, "Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness." This verse highlights the foundational principle that righteousness is accounted to those who have faith in God.

In the New Testament, righteousness takes on a more personal and transformative dimension through the work of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:22 declares, "And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Here, righteousness is portrayed as a gift that is received through faith, emphasizing the grace of God in the salvation process.

Righteousness as a Fruit of the Spirit

The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Galatians, outlines the fruit of the Spirit, which includes righteousness as an integral component. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." While righteousness is not explicitly named in this list, it is inherently present in the qualities described, as these virtues collectively embody a righteous life.

Ephesians 5:9 further elucidates this connection: "For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth." This passage underscores that righteousness is a natural outgrowth of living in the light of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is through the Spirit's work that believers are enabled to live righteously, reflecting God's character in their daily lives.

Practical Implications

Righteousness, as a fruit of the Spirit, has profound implications for Christian living. It calls believers to a life of integrity, justice, and moral uprightness. This is not achieved through human effort alone but through a continual reliance on the Holy Spirit. Philippians 1:11 encourages believers to be "filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

The pursuit of righteousness involves both personal and communal dimensions. Individually, believers are called to cultivate a heart that seeks after God's will, as expressed in Matthew 6:33 : "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." Communally, the church is to be a beacon of righteousness, demonstrating God's justice and mercy in a world marred by sin.

The Role of Faith and Works

While righteousness is a gift received by faith, it is also evidenced by works. James 2:24 states, "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." This does not imply that works earn righteousness but rather that genuine faith naturally produces righteous deeds. The relationship between faith and works is harmonious, with works serving as the visible expression of an inward, Spirit-led righteousness.

In summary, righteousness is a multifaceted concept in the Bible, encompassing both the imputed righteousness of Christ and the practical outworking of that righteousness in the believer's life. As a fruit of the Spirit, it is a testament to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to live in a manner that honors God and reflects His holy nature.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Malignity of the Devil as an Imitator in all Things; Two Kinds ...
... ever," [2796] then those which were truly fruit-bearing trees flourished and yielded
food unto righteousness. ... and the fig-tree to the Holy Spirit, as the ...
/.../chapter v the malignity of the.htm

The Fruit of the Light
... for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth' That
connection is entirely destroyed by the substitution of 'spirit.' The whole ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the fruit of the light.htm

The Witness of the Spirit
... that God imputes to all that are justified righteousness without works, will find
no difficulty in allowing the witness of his Spirit, preceding the fruit of it ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 11 the witness of.htm

St. Paul, all Through, Promises Eternal Life to the Body.
... servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness ... so also grace might reign through
righteousness unto life ... your whole body, and soul, and spirit be preserved ...
/.../on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter xlvii st paul all through.htm

"And if Christ be in You, the Body is Dead Because of Sin: but the ...
... of sin: but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.". ... two deaths: and it is
the fruit of the ... like poisonable arrows sunk into Job's spirit, and drinking up ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxviii and if christ.htm

The Holy Spirit of Promise
... because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I ... clean heart and the
indwelling Holy Spirit, without which ... his help been able to bear fruit, but it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/byers/sanctification/chapter iv the holy spirit.htm

On Fruit Bearing.
... has not planted, and sown there the seeds of righteousness. ... he purges, that it may
bring forth more fruit. ... him, those precious fruits of the Spirit will become ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/on fruit bearing.htm

The Universal Gift
... to the one Source of illumination and of truth and righteousness and holiness ... all
these aspects in our conception of the fruit of the Spirit's working on men ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the universal gift.htm

Entire Sanctification in Prophecy.
... is enabled or caused to adorn the doctrine of Christ, his Saviour, in all things,
and to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in all righteousness and goodness ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter v entire sanctification in.htm

Answer to Another Objection, Showing that the Destruction of ...
... floor; and He will gather His fruit into the ... and living irrationally, opposed the
righteousness of God ... giving himself over to every earthly spirit, and serving ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter iv answer to another objection.htm

Resources
What does it mean to pursue righteousness? | GotQuestions.org

What are the weapons of righteousness in 2 Corinthians 6:7? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about self-righteousness? | GotQuestions.org

Righteousness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Righteousness

Righteousness by Faith

Righteousness Imputed is a Free Gift

Righteousness Imputed is of the Lord

Righteousness Imputed: Abraham

Righteousness Imputed: Blessedness of Those Who Have

Righteousness Imputed: Christ Being Made Righteousness to Us

Righteousness Imputed: Christ Brings in an Everlasting Righteousness

Righteousness Imputed: Christ Called the Lord of Our Righteousness

Righteousness Imputed: Christ is the End of the Law For

Righteousness Imputed: Exhortation to Seek Righteousness

Righteousness Imputed: God's Righteousness Never to be Abolished

Righteousness Imputed: Our Being Made the Righteousness of God, in Christ

Righteousness Imputed: Paul

Righteousness Imputed: Predicted

Righteousness Imputed: Revealed in the Gospel

Righteousness Imputed: Saints: Clothed With the Robe of Righteousness

Righteousness Imputed: Saints: Desire to be Found In

Righteousness Imputed: Saints: Exalted in Righteousness

Righteousness Imputed: Saints: Glory in Having

Righteousness Imputed: Saints: Have, on Believing

Righteousness Imputed: The Gentiles Attained To

Righteousness Imputed: The Jews: Ignorant of

Righteousness Imputed: The Jews: Stumble at Righteousness by Faith

Righteousness Imputed: The Jews: Submit not To

Righteousness Imputed: The Promises Made Through

Righteousness Imputed: The Righteousness of Faith

Righteousness Imputed: The Righteousness of God by Faith in Christ

Righteousness Imputed: The Righteousness of God, Without the Law

Righteousness is a Crown of Glory to the Aged

Righteousness is Obedience to God's Law

Righteousness of God

Righteousness of Saints Endures Forever

Righteousness: Abel

Righteousness: An Evidence of the New Birth

Righteousness: Blessedness of Being Persecuted For

Righteousness: Blessedness of Doing

Righteousness: Blessedness of Having Imputed, Without Works

Righteousness: Blessedness of Hungering and Thirsting After

Righteousness: Blessedness of Suffering For

Righteousness: Blessedness of Turning Others To

Righteousness: Brings Its own Reward

Righteousness: Cannot Come by the Law

Righteousness: Chastisements Yield the Fruit of

Righteousness: Christ is Made to his People

Righteousness: Christ is the End of the Law For

Righteousness: Christ is the Sun of

Righteousness: Christ was Girt With

Righteousness: Christ was Sustained By

Righteousness: Christ: Fulfilled All

Righteousness: Christ: Has Brought in Everlasting

Righteousness: Christ: Loves

Righteousness: Christ: Preached

Righteousness: Christ: Put On, As Breast-Plate

Righteousness: Christ: Shall Execute

Righteousness: Christ: Shall Judge With

Righteousness: Christ: Shall Reign In

Righteousness: Counted (Regarded) for the Sake of Obedience

Righteousness: David

Righteousness: Fruits of

Righteousness: Garment of

Righteousness: God Looks For

Righteousness: God Loves

Righteousness: Has No Fellowship With Unrighteousness

Righteousness: Jacob

Righteousness: Judgment should be Executed In

Righteousness: Judgments Designed to Lead To

Righteousness: Keep Saints in the Right Way

Righteousness: Lot

Righteousness: Ministers should be Armed With

Righteousness: Ministers should be Clothed With

Righteousness: Ministers should be Preachers of

Righteousness: Ministers should Follow After

Righteousness: Ministers should Pray for the Fruit of, in Their People

Righteousness: Ministers should Reason of

Righteousness: Nations Exalted By

Righteousness: No Justification by Works of

Righteousness: No Salvation by Works of

Righteousness: None, by Nature Have

Righteousness: Promised to Saints

Righteousness: Promised to the Church

Righteousness: Saints are Covered With the Robe of

Righteousness: Saints are Led in the Paths of

Righteousness: Saints are Renewed In

Righteousness: Saints are Servants of

Righteousness: Saints: Characterised By

Righteousness: Saints: Count Their Own, As Filthy Rags

Righteousness: Saints: Do

Righteousness: Saints: Follow After

Righteousness: Saints: Have, Imputed

Righteousness: Saints: Have, in Christ

Righteousness: Saints: Hunger and Thirst After

Righteousness: Saints: Know

Righteousness: Saints: Offer the Sacrifice of

Righteousness: Saints: Pray for the Spirit of

Righteousness: Saints: Put No Trust in Their Own

Righteousness: Saints: Put On

Righteousness: Saints: Receive, from God

Righteousness: Saints: Shall Receive a Crown of

Righteousness: Saints: Shall See God's Face In

Righteousness: Saints: should Have on the Breast-Plate of

Righteousness: Saints: should Live In

Righteousness: Saints: should Seek

Righteousness: Saints: should Serve God In

Righteousness: Saints: should Yield Their Members As Instruments of

Righteousness: Saints: should Yield Their Members Servants To

Righteousness: Saints: Wait for the Hope of

Righteousness: Saints: Walk Before God In

Righteousness: Saints: Work, by Faith

Righteousness: Shall be Glad in the Lord

Righteousness: Symbolized

Righteousness: Tends to Life

Righteousness: The Blessing of God is not to be Attributed to Our Works of

Righteousness: The Effect of, Shall be Quietness and Assurance for Ever

Righteousness: The Fruit of the Spirit is in All

Righteousness: The Kingdom of God Is

Righteousness: The Scriptures Instruct In

Righteousness: The Throne of Kings Established By

Righteousness: The Wicked are Enemies of

Righteousness: The Wicked are Far From

Righteousness: The Wicked are Free From

Righteousness: The Wicked do not Obey

Righteousness: The Wicked Follow not After

Righteousness: The Wicked Hate Those Who Follow

Righteousness: The Wicked Leave off

Righteousness: The Wicked Love Lying Rather Than

Righteousness: The Wicked Make Mention of God, not It

Righteousness: The Wicked should Awake To

Righteousness: The Wicked should Break off Their Sins By

Righteousness: The Wicked should Sow to Themselves In

Righteousness: The Wicked Slay Those Who Follow

Righteousness: The Wicked Speak Contemptuously Against Those Who Follow

Righteousness: The Wicked Though Favoured, Will not Learn

Righteousness: The Wicked Vainly Wish to Die As Those Who Follow

Righteousness: The Work of, Shall be Peace

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Abundantly Provided For

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Accepted With God

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Blessed by God

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Bold As a Lion

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Delivered out of all Troubles

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Enriched

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Exalted by God

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Heard by God

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Loved by God

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Never Forsaken by God

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Objects of God's Watchful Care

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Righteous

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are the Excellent of the Earth

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow are Tried by God

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Dwell in Security

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Find It With Life and Honor

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Have Their Desires Granted

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Have Their Prayers Heard

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Know the Secret of the Lord

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Shall be Ever Remembered

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Shall Flourish As a Branch

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Shall Hold on Their Way

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Shall Never be Moved

Righteousness: They Who Walk In, and Follow: Think and Desire Good

Righteousness: Unregenerate Man Seeks Justification by Works of

Righteousness: Zacharias

The Righteousness of God is Part of his Character

The Righteousness of God: Abundant

The Righteousness of God: Angels Acknowledge

The Righteousness of God: Beyond Computation

The Righteousness of God: Christ Acknowledged

The Righteousness of God: Christ Committed his Cause To

The Righteousness of God: Enduring for Ever

The Righteousness of God: Everlasting

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Acts

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Commandments

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Government

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Judgments

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Testimonies

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Ways

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in His Word

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in The Final Judgment

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in The Gospel

The Righteousness of God: Exhibited in The Punishment of the Wicked

The Righteousness of God: God Delights in the Exercise of

The Righteousness of God: His Care and Defence of his People Designed to Teach

The Righteousness of God: Illustrated

The Righteousness of God: Leads God to Love Righteousness

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Acknowledge, in his Dealings

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Acknowledge, Though the Wicked Prosper

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Ascribe, to Him

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Confident of Beholding

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Declare to Others

The Righteousness of God: Saints: do not Conceal

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Magnify

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Mention, Only

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Plead in Prayer

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Recognize, in the Fulfilment of his Promises

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Talk of

The Righteousness of God: Saints: Upheld By

The Righteousness of God: Shown Openly Before the Heathen

The Righteousness of God: Shown to the Posterity of Saints

The Righteousness of God: The Habitation of his Throne

The Righteousness of God: The Heavens Shall Declare

The Righteousness of God: The Wicked Have No Interest In

The Righteousness of God: Very High

The Righteousness of God: we should Pray for Its Continued Manifestation

The Righteousness of God: we should Pray: To be Answered In

The Righteousness of God: we should Pray: To be Delivered In

The Righteousness of God: we should Pray: To be Judged According To

The Righteousness of God: we should Pray: To be Led In

The Righteousness of God: we should Pray: To be Quickened In

Related Terms

Faith-righteousness (2 Occurrences)

Self-righteousness

Credited (19 Occurrences)

Alms (13 Occurrences)

Perversity (23 Occurrences)

Accounted (32 Occurrences)

Selfrighteousness

Principle (32 Occurrences)

Vindication (14 Occurrences)

Based (40 Occurrences)

Attained (20 Occurrences)

Almsgiving (3 Occurrences)

Credit (39 Occurrences)

Pursuing (50 Occurrences)

Actions (62 Occurrences)

Attain (30 Occurrences)

Believeth (42 Occurrences)

Cleanness (9 Occurrences)

Arises (21 Occurrences)

Basis (21 Occurrences)

Counted (122 Occurrences)

Placed (297 Occurrences)

Committeth (22 Occurrences)

Sprout (25 Occurrences)

Commits (39 Occurrences)

Victory (71 Occurrences)

Slaves (119 Occurrences)

Practices (80 Occurrences)

Pursuit (35 Occurrences)

Pervert (18 Occurrences)

Pleads (9 Occurrences)

Pursues (15 Occurrences)

Provides (18 Occurrences)

Brings (155 Occurrences)

Blessedness (6 Occurrences)

Conviction (10 Occurrences)

Circumcised (58 Occurrences)

Convict (12 Occurrences)

Administered (9 Occurrences)

Aim (17 Occurrences)

Submit (36 Occurrences)

Submission (10 Occurrences)

Showers (20 Occurrences)

Submitted (8 Occurrences)

Marked (163 Occurrences)

Yield (78 Occurrences)

Believes (34 Occurrences)

Believing (84 Occurrences)

Quicken (16 Occurrences)

Bodies (144 Occurrences)

Assurance (16 Occurrences)

Preserve (61 Occurrences)

Skies (36 Occurrences)

Bondmen (117 Occurrences)

Adam (29 Occurrences)

Subject (99 Occurrences)

Pursue (104 Occurrences)

Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)

Shower (22 Occurrences)

Conscious (93 Occurrences)

Behaviour (115 Occurrences)

Saving (37 Occurrences)

Abideth (66 Occurrences)

Choirmaster (55 Occurrences)

Premillennial

Accomplish (44 Occurrences)

Chief (696 Occurrences)

Savior (60 Occurrences)

Brightness (36 Occurrences)

Alive (166 Occurrences)

Psalm (213 Occurrences)

Prosperity (66 Occurrences)

Keeps (154 Occurrences)

Sown (45 Occurrences)

Sought (199 Occurrences)

Zeal (45 Occurrences)

Splendor (87 Occurrences)

Sermon (1 Occurrence)

Scripture (51 Occurrences)

Righteousness: The Effect of, Shall be Quietness and Assurance for Ever
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