Joh_1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh_1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Joh_8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Mat_5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
The light that Jesus was and the light that we should be, is the light of righteousness.
Right is the opposite to wrong.
In the Garden of Eden was the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil (bad) or right and wrong.
Through Adam we have this knowledge and our state of righteousness depends on how we live by it.
Adam lost his righteousness when he disobeyed God.
Gen 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Gen 3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Adam and Eve when created were cloaked with God’s righteousness. When they were disobedient to God and ate of the fruit of the tree of good and bad they lost their righteous covering. Adam was not afraid of God because he was physically naked but because he was spiritually naked. The fig leaves could hide their physical nakedness but not their spiritual nakedness. The only way that they could regain what they had lost was if something died and shed its blood to make an offering to God.
God took an animal and offered it unto himself on Adams behalf to cover Adams sin spiritually and the used the animals skin, its physical covering, to cover Adam physically.
Jesus shed his blood as a physical offering for us and then became the spiritual covering by offering us His righteousness.
2Co_5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We have the potential to be totally covered and righteous in God’s sight but we must walk in that righteousness, believing and being obedient to God so that that righteousness covers us and shines as a light were ever we go.
In the same way that there is a difference between sin and trespass there is also a difference in the righteousness of God and the righteousness of man.
When we sin – disbelieve God, we lose the righteousness of God.
When we trespass – do wrong to man, we lose the righteousness of man.
Sin is not believing God.
Jesus tells us what sin is:
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
The scriptures tell us that Abraham was seen as righteous because he believed God.
Rom_4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Gal_3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Jas_2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
To gain the righteousness of God we must believe Him and do what is right in His sight.
Belief in thought word and deed,
Think right
Speak right
Do right.
The righteousness of God comes by believing God.
The righteousness of man comes by keeping the law.
Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away
Rom_10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
The only way to obtain the righteousness of God today is through Jesus Christ.
2Co_5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Gods righteousness does not come by the law.
Gal_2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
But through Jesus by faith – belief,
Php_1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Php_3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal saviour we gain the righteousness of God but to keep it we have to continue in our belief and walk in obedience toward Him.
Gal_2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
1Jn_1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin
The Kingdom of God is:
Righteousness the righteousness of the Father
Peace the peace of the Son – Jesus Prince of peace
Joy the joy of the Holy Spirit – the oil of joy.
Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us, therefore to live in the kingdom we need to live in righteousness, peace and joy.
When we live in the kingdom we will be the light that the world is looking for.