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Righteousness gets a bad name because of two distortions: legalistic religion that tries to control matters that should be left to individual freedom, and self-righteous swagger with its hostility toward broad classes of humanity.
Now righteousness implies that God is the source of the moral law of the universe. And human righteousness involves stages of growth that are not completed in this life.
Jesus’ approach begins with the astonishing welcome, “Happy are the poor in spirit, the humble, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” He goes on to the astonishing assurance, “Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” I believe that the satisfaction that Jesus promised can be experienced in significant measure in this life. The prophet Isaiah said, “My soul shall rejoice in the love of my God, for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation and has covered me with the robe of his righteousness.” When we turn to God in that hunger and thirst and abide in faith, our Father’s gift of righteousness begins to flow. But that gift of righteousness is not static, because as we cooperate in the process, God increasingly makes us perfect like himself.
As we grow, we come to an expanded understanding of morality. Morality is the wise coordination of two realms of truth. The truths of spiritual experience include all those beautiful teachings of love and mercy, worship and service, faith and assurance, that inspire us to desire above all to do the will of God—to be like God. And the truths of science include the understanding of the facts of our material and social evolution in this world. Morality learns to coordinate a realistic understanding the facts of the present situation that calls for action, together with the spiritual values that specifically illuminate that present situation. When we learn that level of cooperation with God, then, I believe, we enjoy the beautiful wholeness of righteousness.
Image Credit: Fred Berger, Laughing Christ. http://a-ministers-musings.blogspot.com/2015/09/human-to-human.html
LOVE THE WAY you clarify the true meanings against what is commonly held as the meaning for Urantia terms like” righteousnesS”
i find i often have to do that with what modern psychological meanings are given to that psych-language as compared to the new spiritual meanings,( like “personality” or levels of “superconscious>”)…
this kind of clarification must be ongoing. or else people can’t get the more precise meanings nor act on them and enter into the Kingdom here and now.
Pat, your comment is very insightful: psychological interpretations are commonly overtaking spiritual interpretations of key words and concepts. Used most wisely, psychological language is open to and sometimes even expressive of spiritual realization. But the need for philosophical clarification bridging between science and religion/spirituality . . . O my. We are grateful to have the opportunity to spread clarity–when we manage it: how often do I find myself revising a previous understanding or regretting having overcomplicated a message that needed to be simpler!
LOVE THE WAY you clarify the true meanings against what is commonly held as the meaning for Urantia terms like” righteousnesS”
i find i often have to do that with what modern psychological meanings are given to that psych-language as compared to the new spiritual meanings,( like “personality” or levels of “superconscious>”)…
this kind of clarification must be ongoing. or else people can’t get the more precise meanings nor act on them and enter into the Kingdom here and now.
Pat, your comment is very insightful: psychological interpretations are commonly overtaking spiritual interpretations of key words and concepts. Used most wisely, psychological language is open to and sometimes even expressive of spiritual realization. But the need for philosophical clarification bridging between science and religion/spirituality . . . O my. We are grateful to have the opportunity to spread clarity–when we manage it: how often do I find myself revising a previous understanding or regretting having overcomplicated a message that needed to be simpler!