Editorial July 12, 1930 Issue

Righteousness

Duncan Sinclair

IT is heartening to observe how righteousness is extolled in the Bible. In Psalms it is said that "the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright." In the book of Job it is written, "The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." And in Proverbs it is stated that "righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." The Bible is the great upholder of righteousness, uprightness, goodness; and this makes it most precious as a companion and guide to mortals struggling with unrighteous or evil beliefs in themselves and others.

The Hebrew prophets regarded themselves as peculiarly set apart by God to bear witness to Him, to denounce the sins of the people, and to endeavor to bring back the evildoers to the path of righteousness. These men had a keen sense of what was upright, and were equally alert to detect evil thinking and evil doing, to point out where these led, and to denounce them as heinous in God's sight. The prophets still stand, after long centuries, among the world's greatest benefactors; for not only did their message aid those of their own generation, but all who since then have heard it understandingly have benefited. The Bible preserves the God-inspired messages of the prophets of Israel, and this by itself makes the Book of books of incalculable value to mankind.

But a greater prophet than any whose words are chronicled in the Old Testament came in the fullness of time; and he also was an advocate of righteousness. Christ Jesus upheld every appeal for righteousness made by the Hebrew prophets who preceded him, and added to that appeal his own declaration of the need and value of uprightness along with the example of his own righteous life. What a life of goodness was that of the Master! We think of him as always about his Father's business, always doing the will of God, always thinking and acting righteously. Consider his denunciations of materialism, lack of spirituality, and hypocrisy, and his appreciation of goodness! Jesus uncompromisingly condemned evil; and his condemnation was meant to awaken the evildoer and to turn his thoughts to good.

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