The Righteousness of The Perfect

Eduardo Elizondo—July 6, 2024

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The Righteousness of The Perfect is based on Proverbs 11:5. I would like for us to think about this proverb today and think about the meaning, because on the surface it seems like it is something that is very plain. And that is certainly the case.

But there is something beyond that! There is something beyond just the words, the initial reaction that we get from reading the Proverb.

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness."

Like I was mentioning before, when we read it the first time, we see "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way" is something that the righteous have; those laws and commandments of God and certainly that is part of what it's included in here. The commandments of God are perfect:

• His laws
• His statutes
• His judgments

All of those are righteousness! That righteousness does direct us in the way of God.

But we're going to see something else that is also in the Word of God. To see that is not only that righteousness that comes externally or that comes as:

• an addition to our lives
• an addition to what we do
• what we decide to do in following the ways of God
• what we decide to do in following the commandments of God

But we're going to see that there is more to this!

Before we continue: we want to set the stage for what we're going to talk about today. Jer. 10:23 sets the stage for this message and to understand something that is very foundational, very important for us to know and to remember. It's written in the Word of God:

Jeremiah 10:23: "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps."

If we understand and have conscience of this, that is not in man to direct our steps.

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way…"

But we're going to see that Jer. 10:24 is one of the keys to understand this:

Jeremiah 10:24: "O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing."

This is a key important aspect of this problem that we read:

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way…"

We're going to see that it is not only the commandments and the statutes of God, and all the things that He has determined for us in His Word—which are righteousness—but also a relationship with God. We're going to see how important that is in having our steps being directed in here.

The prophet Jeremiah acknowledged right away that it's not within us to direct our steps!

Jeremiah 10:23: "…not in himself… [mankind in general, no matter who we are]…it is not in man who walks to direct his steps." But:

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way…"

We're going to go to Luke 1 and read something very important. This is talking about, at the beginning, John the Baptist and all of the things concerning the birth of John the Baptist.

Luke 1:67: "And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 'Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and has worked redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; exactly as He spoke by the mouth of His Holy prophets since the world began; salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us; to fulfill the promise of mercy made to our fathers, and to remember His Holy covenant, the oath that He swore to Abraham our father; to grant us that, being saved from the hand of our enemies, we might serve Him without fear, walking in Holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives'" (vs 67-75).

Zacharias is speaking about his own son who was to come: John the Baptist.

Verse 76: "And you, little child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest; for you shall go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways; to give the knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the deep inner compassions of our God; in which the dayspring from on high has visited us, to shine upon those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace" (vs 76-79).

We're going to see something amazing because the Bible talks about this righteousness, and like I mentioned, yes, it is the commandments of God and it is His loss, but it's more than that. It goes beyond that and it has to do with what the Prophet Jeremiah was saying, asking of God to correct him, but with kindness, and to guide him.

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way…"

We see something amazing. We see something that is very, very important for us to keep in mind. We're going to see something that is to be taken literally and that is going to also give a different perspective to this proverb that we read.

Jeremiah 23:5: "'Behold, the days come,' says the LORD, 'that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall do justice and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. And this is His name by which He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS'" (vs 5-6).

We go back to Proverbs and read that proverb again with this in mind. It gives a whole other dimension to this.

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness."

It shows that the name of God Himself was to be the Lord our Righteousness! We can see that He is our Righteousness, because this was one of the names by which He was going to be known. The Lord our Righteousness and He Himself is our Righteousness! Jesus Christ is our Righteousness, and of course, He's guiding us into all Truth through the Holy Spirit. He's guiding us to His Laws and His Commandments into obedience.

But when we stop and think and meditate on the fact that He Himself is our Righteousness, because it is His blood through which we are forgiven all our sins constantly.

It is an amazing thing to think about that He Himself is our Righteousness and He will direct our way! That implies a relationship with God. That implies that we know Him.

Not only that He is our Righteousness, because of the sacrifice, but also that He Himself will come and make His abode with us (John 14). He and the Father will come and dwell Their abode with us IF we keep Their commandments.

But that's that righteousness, that is both, twofold. It's not only the commandments and the statutes, but it's Jesus Christ in us. Jesus Christ is our Righteousness! He guides us also to His Truth to obey those commandments. What kind of relationship should we have with Him?

• that we know Him
• that He dwells in us
• that He is constantly directing us in His way.

We're going to see something very, very important, because we're going to see how. But first let's go back to Jeremiah, this time to chapter 33 because he mentions it here again, just so that there is no doubt in our minds of what it says.

Jeremiah 33:14: "'Behold, the days come,' says the LORD, 'that I will establish the good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, I will cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up to David. And He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely. And this is the name with which she shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (vs 14-16).

This is talking about Jerusalem but it's talking about the same name the Lord our Righteousness. It's an amazing thing, because that encompasses the plan of salvation for us to dwell in New Jerusalem forever!

But with the Lord being our Righteousness and not just in a figurative term. When it says the Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way, what it means is both. It's the things that the things that His Law guides us to do:

• to obey
• to do
• keeping all the commandments of God

But it's Jesus Christ in us, living and dwelling in us and through the Holy Spirit guiding us to all Truth, and guiding us to all the things that Christ wants us to know and to develop.

It's very important to understand that. This is not just about obeying in the letter of the Law, or even in the spirit for that matter, which is impossible without God, which is impossible without the Holy Spirit. But it is a relationship with God and is that deep connection that the righteousness of God being in us that is really what God wants to do. That He wants Himself, the Lord our Righteousness:

• to direct our way
• to direct our steps
  • in everything we do
  • in everything we think

That is exactly why there's so many instructions to really meditate on God, on God Himself and on Jesus Christ and Their sacrifice. He's sacrificing His example and everything that He did.

Prov. 3—here it's a little bit of the how—obviously the how can take hours to talk about—He's going to do this. But we're going to read just a couple of Scriptures to think about the how He's going to direct our way, how the Righteousness of The Perfect, and we're not perfect by ourselves. We are perfected, we are being perfected by God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 3:6: "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Whom? The Lord!

Verse 5: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (vs 5-6). Whom? The Lord!

In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. We can see how the Word of God agrees perfectly because He already said in that other Proverb—Prov. 11—how the Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way. But there are conditions:

• The first condition is to trust Him with all of our heart!

How are we going to trust Him with all of our heart:

• IF we don't know Him?
• IF we don't have a close relationship with Him?

• lean not on our own understanding

That's what we have to do to not lean on our own understanding. Lean on Who? We have to lean on God Himself! We have to! How do we do that? By acknowledging Him in all our ways! Then He will direct our paths:

• IF we acknowledge Him in all of our ways
• IF we trust Him with all of our heart
• IF we do not lean in our own understanding
• IF we acknowledge Him in all our paths

That is what is wonderful about the Word of God, because it says the Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct His way. That is the Lord our Righteousness, Jesus Christ Himself.

As we get to know, we're getting to trust Him. And we're getting to not lean on understanding. In all our ways we acknowledge Him. That means we're thinking about Him.

Psa. 1 really outlines the way that we are supposed to do this.

• What does it look like?
• What is an example of somebody that is doing this?

Psalm 1:1: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked…"

It's the same thing that we were seeing in Proverbs: Not relying on our own understanding! This is not standing the way of sinners! That we can read in the Proverbs a lot, like the whole second half of Prov. 1. It's really about avoiding the path of the wicked. Avoiding evil company. But then it says:

"…nor sit in the seat of the scornful" (v 1).

But here it tells us in v 2 how to do this. How do we acknowledge him in all our ways?

Verse 2: "But his delight is in the Law of the LORD…"

You see how all these things combine because the Laws of God, all His Laws are righteousness. As it says in Psa. 119. All His Law, all His Commandments are righteousness.

Verse 2: "But his delight is in the Law of the LORD; and in His Law does he meditate day and night."

This is a full-time task. Day and night delighting in the commandments of God.

• delighting in God Himself
• acknowledging Him in everything that we do
• trusting him with all of our heart

That is the instruction to acknowledge Him in all that we do. Then it tells us what's going to happen if we do that.

Verse 3: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not wither, and all that he does shall prosper."

That's what we have to remember when we read this passage of the Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct His way to remember that.

To remember that it's not just the righteousness, the righteousness that we may have from doing some things, but it is Jesus Christ Himself.

The Lord our Righteousness who died for our justification. And He is literally our Righteousness. He has given us the way to do that righteousness and to be led in that path.

Isa. 61—we're going to read some other things concerning this topic of God being our Righteousness. This really shows the heart of God. This really shows Who He is and how we're going to come to:

• love Him
• know Him
• understand Him
• trust Him with all our heart
• to acknowledge Him in all our ways

Isaiah 61:8: "For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them."

This is an amazing thing because He says "…I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth…"

Right away everything that He is, is righteousness! He reflects that all His commandments reflect Him and His character. It says He will make an everlasting covenant with them. He has made an everlasting covenant with us as well.

Verse 9: "And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people; all who see them will acknowledge them, that they are the seed the LORD has blessed."

This is an amazing thing when we think about it, because the Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct His way is a simple phrase. But everything it encompasses; knowing the:

• commandments
• statutes
• judgments
• ordinances

of God, which we are

• to study
• to know
• to love
• to trust
• to meditate on day and night

but also Jesus Christ Himself, the Lord our Righteousness!

Verse 10: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD…"

That's what's going to happen. When we get to know Him, we will "…greatly rejoice in the LORD…" There's no joy like that! Like getting to:

• really know God
• walk with Him
• know His Word
• meditating in His Law day and night

By the way, it's not just the Law of the Ten Commandments; it's not just the laws in the Old Testament. It's also the Laws that He gave in the New Testament:

• loving our enemies
• blessing those who curse us
• repay evil with good

That's what God wants us to do!

Verse 10: "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul will be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the robes of salvation…"

Because there's nothing we can do to earn salvation, nothing at all! Our best works will never ever earn salvation. It's only by the precious blood of Christ that we can be saved.

"…He covered me with the robe of righteousness like a bridegroom adorns himself with ornaments, and like a bride adorns herself with her jewels; for as the earth brings forth its bud, and as the garden causes that which is sown to grow; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to grow before all the nations" (vs 10-11).

And that's what He's doing right now. He is transforming us. He is cleansing us. And that's what He wants to do ultimately, ultimately, so that we can be that righteousness and that praise before all the nations in the Millennium and beyond.

Not for our glory, but for His glory! To be the objects of His love and to show what He can and will carry out forever. That we will be one with Him. That that Righteousness will guide us into eternal life. It is everything! It is Jesus Christ Himself, the Lord our Righteousness and God the Father leading us with Their Holy Spirit to all Truth.

Prov. 4 actually shows it. He speaks of these directly, because God really always wants a personal relationship with each one of us in our heart, in our mind, and in the day-to-day, in fighting the battles for us, in delivering us from our trials. That's what He wants to do.

Proverbs 4:10: "Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings… [we can take that as God the Father talking to us, as well] …and the years of your life shall be many. I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in the right paths. When you go, your steps shall not be hampered, and when you run, you shall not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; keep her, for she is your life" (vs 10-13).

This is God speaking to us and telling us these things. In telling us that He is teaching us in the way of wisdom. He is leading us in those right paths.

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way..."

There's so much more there. There's so much more, so much more depth, so much more than meet the eye.

How to do it is meditating on those commandments, on those laws, on those statutes! But also thinking about the person of God the Father and the person of Jesus Christ, Who are doing this joint operation and coming and giving us the very essence of Their being, the Holy Spirit:

• to come dwell in us
• to transform us
• to cleanse us
• to help us to grow in grace, knowledge and understanding
• to feel Their love
• to know and understand their love for each and every one of us

and the special calling with which we have been called!

To have that personal connection with Them. To know that that Righteousness that is guiding us is not just the things that They said and they left here in the Bible, but They themselves are actively guiding us.

Jesus Christ is actively guiding us. He is the Lord, our Righteousness! The apostles understood this, and this is one of the things that the Apostle Paul wrote in 2-Thess. 3

2-Thessalonians 3, because this is what he wrote about it. Because the Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way! This is an amazing thing when we think about it, the implications.

We see how the Word of God connects. That is not just the commandments, the statutes and judgments. It is just part of it. That is the how.

• by His instructing us to meditate on them day and night
• to talk with Them in prayer constantly
• to walk with God

But also that same righteousness that They Themselves are, that same righteousness that Jesus Christ Himself is for us in His perfect blood that was shed for us. That is the Righteousness of The Perfect, as well.

This is what the Apostle Paul said. He's saying at the end of this Epistle to the Thessalonians:

2-Thessalonians 3:1: "As for the rest, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may spread rapidly and may be glorified, in the same way that it has been with you; and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked men, for all are not of the faith. But the Lord is faithful, Who will establish you and keep you from the evil one" (vs 1-3). That's part of that:

• directing our way
• keeping us away from the evil one
• protecting us both physically, mentally, and spiritually

Verse 4: :Now concerning you, we trust in the Lord that you both practice and will be practicing the things that we command you."

That is a continuation of all the commandments that God gave!

Verse 5: "And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the endurance of Christ."

Because this is a personal relationship where They are doing this, actively directing our hearts into the love of God and into the endurance of Christ. That is a little bit more of the meaning of these Proverbs.

Proverbs 11:5: "The Righteousness of The Perfect shall direct his way, but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness."

The Righteousness of The Perfect we have seen today is a lot more than meets the eye, a lot more than just

• the righteousness of what we can do in the flesh
• the righteousness of the letter of the Law
• the righteousness that we can take on when we keep the commandments of God

There is righteousness there for sure! But the Righteousness that will direct our way is the Lord Himself! The Lord our Righteousness!

Scriptural References:

• Proverbs 11:5
• Jeremiah 10:23
• Proverbs 11:5
• Jeremiah 10:24
• Proverbs 11:5
• Jeremiah 10:23
• Proverbs 11:5
• Luke 1:67-79
• Proverbs 11:5
• Jeremiah 23:5-6
• Proverbs 11:5
• Jeremiah 33:14-16
• Proverbs 3:6, 5-6
• Psalm 1:1-3
• Isaiah 61:8-11
• Proverbs 4:10-13
• Proverbs 11:5
• 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3
• Proverbs 11:5

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• John 14
• Psalm 119

EE:bo/po
Transcribed: 7/11/24

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