Fruit of the Spirit (Part 6) – Righteousness, Truth

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Righteousness n. – 1. Justice, uprightness, rectitude; conformity of life to the requirements of the divine or moral law; virtue, integrity. (Eph 5:9)

1. Righteousness is a fundamental attribute of God (Psa 7:9; Dan 9:14), and therefore is a fruit of the Spirit who is God (1Jo 5:7).
2. There are two different aspects of righteousness that need to be understood: the eternal and the temporal.
3. The elect were made eternally righteous by Christ’s death for their sins (Rom 5:19; 2Co 5:21).
4. Righteous adj. – 1. a. Of persons: Just, upright, virtuous; guiltless, sinless; conforming to the standard of the divine or the moral law; acting rightly or justly.
5. Our righteousness is through Christ’s faith (Php 3:9).
6. Our new man is created in righteousness (Eph 4:24).
7. Having been made righteous by Christ, we should work out that righteousness by living godly lives in accordance with God’s commandments (Rom 6:17-22; 1Pe 2:24).
8. We must flee sin and follow after righteousness (1Ti 6:11; 2Ti 2:22).
9. Belief in what God has said is the evidence, not the cause of righteousness (Rom 4:3).
10. Doing righteousness is strong evidence of being born again (1Jo 2:29; 1Jo 3:7).
11. Anyone who fears God and works righteousness is accepted with God (Act 10:35).
12. Children of God should hunger and thirst after righteousness (Mat 5:6) and they are blessed when they are persecuted for it (Mat 5:10).
13. A man who truly desires to be filled with righteousness will endeavor to keep all of God’s commandments, even the little ones (Mat 5:19).
14. If our righteousness is only outward as was the Pharisees’, we shall not enter the kingdom of heaven (Mat 5:20).
15. Not doing righteousness is an evidence of reprobation (1Jo 3:10).
16. As Christians, we should seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Mat 6:33).
17. A primary characteristic of the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace (Rom 14:17).
18. A good indication of whether a man is doing righteousness is whether or not he has peace in his life (Jam 3:18; Psa 85:10).
19. Working righteousness yields peace (Isa 32:17-18).
20. There is no peace in unrighteousness (Isa 48:22).
21. Righteousness is another part of the gospel that sinners don’t want to hear (Act 24:25).

Truth n. – II. 5. Conformity with fact; agreement with reality; accuracy, correctness, verity (of statement or thought). (Eph 5:9)

1. Truth is a fundamental attribute of God (Exo 34:6; Deu 32:4 Joh 14:6), and therefore is a fruit of the Spirit of truth (Joh 14:17) who is God (1Jo 5:7).
2. A Christian should be characterized by truth.
3. Jesus Christ is full of truth (Joh 1:14) because He is the truth (Joh 14:6).
4. God’s word is truth (Joh 17:17; Psa 119:142,151) which endures forever (Psa 100:5).

iii.    The church of Jesus Christ is the pillar and ground of the truth (1Ti 3:15).

1. As a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the truth, as a believer in His word which is the truth, and as a member of His church which is the pillar and ground of the truth, a Christian should believe, love, and live the truth.
2. If we are to worship God acceptably, we must worship Him in truth (Joh 4:23-24).
3. Continuing in the word of God will bring us to the knowledge of the truth which will make us free (Joh 8:31-32).
4. Belief of the truth is evidence of eternal life and rejection of the truth is evidence of reprobation (Joh 8:44-47; Rom 2:8; 2Th 2:10-13).
5. Acknowledging the truth is an act of godliness (Tit 1:1).
6. If we don’t keep God’s commandments, the truth is not in us (1Jo 2:4).
7. Those that do truth come to the light because they have nothing to hide (Joh 3:21).
8. Charity, the highest of the Christian virtues, rejoices in the truth (1Co 13:6).
9. The truth of the gospel must never be compromised, even under pressure (Gal 2:1-5).
10. Those who don’t obey the truth should be rebuked (Gal 2:14).
11. Telling people the truth will make a man enemies (Gal 4:16).
12. We should speak the truth even when it costs us (Eph 4:25).
13. Truth is part of the armor of God that will protect us from the assaults of the devil (Eph 6:14).
14. We must be ever vigilant to strive for the truth because there is a time coming where some will turn away from the it (2Ti 4:1-4).
15. God has no greater joy than to see His children walking in truth (3Jo 1:4).