Guilt and condemnation are two of the most defeating and deflating emotions we experience. When we do something that we know is not right we feel guilty. Then, we condemn ourselves, and as a result, our confidence toward God diminishes because we no longer feel righteous in His eyes.
But what is it that makes us righteous in His eyes? Is it doing all the right things? Righteous, biblically means to be acceptable and blameless according to an established legal standard. In this context it would be God’s established legal standard.
So what is it that makes us righteous in the eyes of God? Many religious people will say that doing right things makes you righteous and doing wrong things makes you unrighteous. That would mean that we are made righteous by our own works.
Promoting Guilt And Condemnation
Those who adopt this view have doctrines that actually promote guilt and condemnation. They make sure you hear the long, long list of deeds that will make you unrighteous. They preach God’s disappointment and displeasure with your actions. And of course, none of us are perfect, and so we feel guilt and condemnation.
The solution, people are told, is to try harder and do more good works so they can be righteous in His eyes. Pray more; read the Bible more; give more; in other words, do, do, do. And so then people resolve to do better and try harder, and do more good works, but then, they fall short, again.
This cycle is repeated over and over with very sad results. Some people just give up, ashamed, feeling like they can never stand before God. Others spend their whole lives doing and doing and they never have any time to develop a personal relationship with God. But something very critical is missing from this picture.
But What Does The Bible Say?
The scriptures plainly tell us that we, by our own works, can never be righteous in God’s eyes, so why do people keep trying and trying? No works, no matter how many or how great, will ever grant you salvation. Works never make you righteous in God’s eyes.
The Bible is clear that salvation is a gift from God, “…not of works lest anyone should boast.” Eternal life and God’s spirit are gifts that cannot be earned. And in addition, to the shock of some people, the Bible also declares that those who are born again, are righteous in God’s eyes because of Christ’s complete redemptive work.
Now, logically, if we are indeed righteous in His eyes and have eternal life, because of what Jesus Christ did for us, can we lose it by doing something wrong? No! If we could lose it, then it would not be eternal life. If we could lose it, then Christ’s completed work was incomplete and he would need to come again.
Jesus Christ completed his Father’s work. Shortly before he gave his life for you and me, he said, “It is finished.”
We Just Can’t
We can not on our own make ourselves righteous, nor can we on our own obtain eternal life; he already did it for us. And now, as a result, the Bible states that nothing can separate us from God’s love.
If that is all true, then what happens when we fall short and do something that is not right? That question usually brings out two different groups: the legalists and, the free in Christ group. And both groups adamantly believe that they are right.
To the legalistic, falling short means that what you did wrong is sin and that separates you from God, otherwise you would have a license to sin. The other group, those who see themselves as free in Christ, believe that they are free to do as they please without any laws.
I will address this conflict next time. In the meantime, know that you are righteous in God’s eyes because of the completed work of his son, Jesus Christ. If you have a comment, go ahead and post it below.
Mike Verdicchio
2012
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We cannot be righteous in the eyes of God through our good works alone because when we are doing this it plainly resulted to self gratification. Certainly, ourselves could not sustain this good works with out faith. However, when we surrender ourselves to our Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as our savior, His Grace will lead us to the path of righteousness and doing good works is a manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks for leaving a comment, Florentino.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that there is nothing we can do, or not do, to gain our own righteousness! It was done for us by Christ, and now we can have it by accepting Christ as lord of all men, and believing that God raised him from the dead.
God bless you.
thanks alot I was looking for this!
I’m glad you found it, Stephen. God bless you.
The Bible says that our righteousness is like filthy rags in the eyes of God meaning that our own righteousness will not get us near God only his prescribed righteousness which i through Christ can flourish us.
Sandra, isn’t it great that because of Jesus Christ’s complete work God made us righteous in His eyes, something we could never attain by our works!
I was blessed by your article. I was studying my bible about Noah and how God saw that only he was righteous. Then I asked myself, how does God see who is righteous and who is not? I read a lot of articles about righteousness in God’s eyes but I must say, this one is the most uplifting that I’ve read as of yet.
Guilt and condemnation indeed are often what Christians are made to feel whenever they sin. It’s reassuring, to be reminded that we will always sin (we are all sinners) but we have already been saved. Thank you for this. I was blessed. 🙂
Hazel, thanks for your comment; glad the article blessed you.
Guilt and condemnation drain the very life out of a Christian, unless we accept Christ’s complete redemptive work.
Then we are truly free indeed.
I was looking for this as I have had debilitating back pain for a week now. In the past, God has healed me in an instant through prayer with the 700 Club. I’m trying to understand why God isn’t healing me this time. I also read in Proverbs how the Blessed by God will have wealth without painful toil. Well, toiling is what got me here. And I am a diligent tither. Thanks for posting this, it helped me better understand where I sit by the throne of Almighty God.
Thanks for the comment, Chrissy. Isn’t it gret we have been invited in to His throne room of grace!
I pray you received His deliverance!
I was a backslidden Christian and have since repented in my heart and asked forgiveness from God in the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ, but I still feel guilty from the sins I committed. In the word it says if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I know it is probably Satan that wants to convince me that I am unforgivable but I know that Satan is a liar. Why do I still have this feeling of guilt. Any comments?
Lawrence,
Our adversary does not want us to accept God’s forgiveness.
I would recommend you listen to the podcast I recently posted on this blog.
You can also read the related article.
Those will help you to believe and accept God’s forgiveness.
God bless you!
I really needed to hear this! I have been in a dark place for a while trying to please god but always falling into temptation. I want to be a righteous man but thanks to Jesus Christ that is possible. I really lifts a HUGE burden off my shoulder! Thanks again!
You’re welcome, Bradley.
Isn’t it great to see what Christ made possible? Knowing that in God’s eyes, we are righteous!
God bless you.
I was searching the Internet for the word righteousness when I came up on your website. I like the verse in Genesis 15:6. Abram believed the Lord and he credited it to him as righteousness. I like to share this verse with my Jewish friends. When I share the gospel, they usually say, it’s too easy to be correct. They feel they have to work at it to be righteous. Genesis 15:6 says otherwise.
Bob,
You are right – if righteousness comes by works, then who could ever obtain. Paul said, “Not having my own righteousness…”
God bless you.
Hi!
Just quick question, I was reading all of this and questioning what it means to be righteous. It states a lot in the bible that if you are a righteous man God will deliver you from hardships and if you are righteous man God will take care of you and so on and so on. You are saying that we cannot be righteous because to be righteous is to be perfect and none of us are. So because of Jesus dying for us, in Gods eyes we are righteous? So really we are all righteous?
Marissa,
In Romans 3 it states no flesh (no person) is justified, or made righteous by the deeds of the Law.
It goes on to say we are justified, or made righteous, by His grace through what Christ accomplished.
So, yes, we ARE righteous in His sight, because He made us righteous, or justified when we believed in His Son.
Romans 5 tells us that we are justified by faith, by believing, and because we are justified or righteous, we shall be saved from the wrath to come!
God bless you.
I’m a Christian! I believe and accepted Jesus 28 years ago. I have had my rollercoaster ride in my relationship with God, but never fell away.
But I had 2 months of separation from my family due to work. With that, work stress, and not having a active relationship with God I fell into sin for a week. I did not cheat on my spouse but it was almost as bad and it was with my best friends husband.
The guilt is horrible. My husband is amazing and forgave me quickly and our marriage is stronger than ever. But I hurt a best friend in this too. And she is hurting bad from this and the trust is gone.
God is amazing and has used this to wake up my marriage and my friends marriage. It has also woken up all of our thirst for God.
I am praying and studying the Bible contiusouly. I know God has a will for everything and He will use us belivers to meet that will and bring him Glory. I have been praying his will include the complete healing of my friend and husbands heart and leave no scars or mistrust in us. I was reading about prayer and it said the prayers of the righteous are answered. So then I question what is righteousness and am I. I certainly don’t feel like that after this horrible sin and hurt I caused.
So I started searching and found this article. I love it. I hope it is true. I was wondering if you could list the scriptures you referenced throughout.
I know God forgives me for all my sins through the blood of Jesus. I just need more help to connect that to righteousness.
I believe I found my answer.
I overlooked it the first time.
Romans 3:22
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ.
Thank you.
I would have continued to pray anyways. This just helps and gives me more hope.
Jacki, great verse – thanks for commenting – God bless you.
Hi
Most organised religions practice this. It is actually driving people away. I found this out a long time ago. I confirm what you have written is corrected. Christ is the saviour not any Church. It’s simple read you bible, pray for Holy Spirit and you will find him.
Taylor,
Thanks for your comment – yes, Jesus is the savior for all of mankind – whosoever! God bless you.
I am hurting now and your article helped. Thank you. In trying to do the right thing, I really was doing my will and not God’s. I didn’t see it at that moment but later after the emotions calmed down, I realized I wasn’t doing his will but my own. I allowed my emotions to cloud the issue and for that I am very sorry. I cannot take it back and I wrote some pretty hurtful things. I feel much guilt and I’m working through that in prayer and scripture. Sometimes in trying to do the right thing and remain firm in our faith and in our Lord, the end result is a human reaction to a bad situation that was only made worse by the way it was handled. While I know God forgives me, I am struggling with making sure the lesson is learned and the sin never repeated.
Sheila, thanks for leaving your comment. We all fall short at times, but isn’t it encouraging to know that God’s forgiveness is always available – not because we are sorry, not because we promise not to do it again, but because Jesus Christ paid the price for all sins! Do accept God’s forgiveness and move forward knowing that nothing can ever, ever separate you from the love of God! God bless you!
this article truly blessed my entire life thankyou brother in Christ and may God continue to shower you with many many blessings
Larsandra, thanks for the kind comment – so glad the article was a blessing to you,
God bless you
Thanks.
This came up in my Bible study tonight. I was of the belief that not one of us is righteous in the eyes of
God,…and I consider my self well read in the Bible. I challenged the group leader when he said we are righteous in the eyes of God. A member of the group referred me to a passage that I never read in the right way before. Here t my home, I started browsing the web to see what was written on the subject and Shazam! I find your article. How I could not have seen this before has to be a mental block…perhaps due to my early beginnings with the Catholic Church and the guilt developed in me.
Thanks for such a well written gift.
Lee, thanks for leaving a comment, I’m glad the article helped you.
I had a similar background with teachings of guilt and condemnation. Sadly, many so called “Christian” Churches fail to teach what we believers are and have because of the completed work of our savior, Jesus Christ. We don’t deserve it and could never earn it – but the Word of God declares we are and we have the righteousness of God! And yes we fall short, but in His eyes, we are righteous.
God bless you