The fourth word is sometimes translated as righteously and sometimes, as Moffatt does, integrity. This is a very interesting one because the translation into the word righteously automatically makes us think of codified law; all thy commandments are righteousness (Psalm 119:172). All too often we leave it here without pursuing a further understanding of it.
If you were to look in Luke 23:41 you will find the exact same word translated as fair. This is uttered by one of the thieves on the stake beside Christ. What he said was, The treatment that we have received is fair, it is righteous. But what He is receiving He does not deserve because He is without sin. They received fair righteous treatment.
What we are considering here is the adverbial form of the word, dikaios. It literally means conform to what is right. Plato said that the word is inseparably bound with the word translated above as sober, which is kind of interesting. He said the two words go together.
Understanding who wrote this, the apostle Paul, I can understand. I am sure he was a man well versed in Greek writings. He understood that these two words go together hand-in-glove (sober and dikaios). One is translated, sane, and the other, conforming to that which is right. The difference is that one is generally applied to the self; the other is applied to one's treatment of and conduct toward others. Dikaios means to be conformed to what is right with regard to other people.
Someone who would be called a dikaios by a Greek would be one who is neither selfish nor forgetful in giving to people what is their due. He is always conformed to that which is right. He is sensitive enough, humble enough, thoughtful enough, and courageous enough to do what is right. Sometimes it takes courage to do what is right. Sometimes one has to humble himself or be tough or to knuckle under or to submit, we might say. One has to be thinking about the well-being of others in order to be sensitive enough to do what is the right thing. Sometimes the right thing to do is to chastise, to scourge, or to correct. I will show you that in just a minute.
To the Christian this translates into this little saying: My duty is my right. To the person who is a dikaios, duty always precedes everything else. This translates out into all kinds of descriptors. It has everything to do with the instruction of God and little to do with codified law. I am going to give you a clear example of this. Is it our duty to love? Is it our duty to be conformed to what is right? Are we talking here about codified law? Let us see!
These things have little or nothing to do with codified law and yet every one of them is righteousness. When we confine righteousness to things having to do with codified law, we are missing an awful lot about what is right. Codified law only involves those things that are basic and elementary. But these things that we are talking about are things which are much more difficult to grow into and to do. And yet, you see, grace has been given and these are the very areas that we need to grow into.
The Pharisees had a form of righteousness; even Jesus said that. But was it the righteousness of God? Was it a righteousness that was kind, gentle, merciful, good, thoughtful of others, considerate, or patient? Not by Jesus' description! They were a long way from being a dikaios! These are the kinds of things that build unity, produce peace, and bring us more into harmony.
The word integrity translates into the English word, whole. Most of us have the first part of righteousness. We see it in terms of codified law. The more important part of righteousness - that which follows - is what makes us holy. And that is what God calls love. It is the combination of codified law administered with patience, kindness, sensitivity, and goodness. That is the area in which we need to grow.
In gleaning what these men have said, it is the way we live that reveals the children of God. John is especially clear that the accent is on doing. Now in this context what is righteousness?
We may be able to give a legal definition from Psalm 119:172: All your commandments are righteousness. But that is a bare-bones, legal definition of what righteousness is. In the context, it is to love our brother. To not do anything is a form of hatred. It is almost equated with murder. John says what we have to do is to reach out and really help the person.
There is something we can do. We might not be able to help the person physically because we are simply unable to do it - we are not where they are, we have not the mind (the technical expertise), or the resources in terms of finances, or whatever to actually do something that way physically - but the very least we can do is pray for the person. That is doing something, is it not? That is expressing your concern for the person to God. Surely we can all do something like that. That is an active step toward doing righteousness, a very important one.
So we can have fine words, fine thoughts, fine feelings, but none of those things will ever take the place of deeds. God's emphasis is always on action. Christ laid down His life for us.
They were ignorant of God's righteousness. Righteousness simply means right doing; rectitude. According to Psalm 119:172, righteousness is defined as the commandments of God. That is right doing! So we see here that, by definition, these people did not know of God's right doing - God's right way, God's right method, God's commandments. We see that confirmed in Mark 7, where Jesus said:
Brethren, it says in Psalm 119:172 that ALL of God's commandments are righteousness. Understanding is the result of doing the commands of God. When we stop doing, we begin to lose the understanding. It is not something that will happen quickly. It will not happen overnight, or in the blink of the eye. But, in the biblical milieu there, You use it, or you lose it.
