Characteristics of a Righteous Person

     One of the salvific purposes of God’s grace is to instruct and motivate righteous living (Titus 2:11-12).   Psalm 1:1-3 gives an inspired portrait of a righteous person.  Here it is written:  “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”  From this, please note the following characteristics of a righteous person:

First, a righteous person is balanced.  Because the righteous puts of the sins of the old man while putting on the virtures of the new man (Colossians 3:8-14), there are certain things, places and people he does not associate with (v. 1) and there are things, places, and people he does (v. 2).  A righteous person is one who balances the abhorrence of evil with the cleaving to that which is good (Romans 12:9).

Second, a righteous person is stable.  Like a house’s foundation, the most essential part of any tree is its roots, and the roots of a righteous person are the exact size and depth of his faith’s convictions.  Unshakable conviction that God is and He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6), that the Bible is the perfect, inspired word of God, and that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of the living God will eliminate one being tossed about by every wind of doctrine that blows in our world today.

Finally, a righteous person is spiritually healthy, fruitful, and prosperous.  Who plants a fruit free to see beautiful leaves and branches but never harvest any fruit?  If the apostle John’s wish–“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2)–were granted upon you today, would you be a billionaire, a pauper, or somewhere in between?  A righteous person’s life produces an abundant thriving, healthy spiritual harvest; how prosperous is your soul?

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