Like it or not…agree with it or not, many decisions in this life are based on the quick and easy act of a simple ‘coin flip’. You know, “heads or tails…now call it!”

It might be to settle a tie breaker or to determine who will go first in a competition or when/where that competition will be held. The coin flip at the start of our revered Super Bowl has become ceremoniously extravagant with specially designed coins being used and celebrities and such having part as all the world awaits to see if after the coin lands…Is it heads or is it tails. Rarely is there any room left for debate or argument once the call is made.

It is either going to be ‘heads’ or it’s going to be ‘tails’. It has to be one of those; as in, it can’t be both. Nor can it be ‘in-between’ either. I mean…I suppose the coin could land and settle cock-eyed if it fell into a crack or something. But then, that would be declared invalid and the coin would be flipped once more to make the outcome clear and final.

Sometimes, much can be riding on that simple act of a coin flip and those who lose…are never really pleased with the outcome. Seems silly and absurd to make seemingly important decisions based on a 50-50 ‘game of chance’. It is what it is though.

Now it’s one thing to decide various matters in such fashion by calling either ‘heads or tails’; but when it comes to more important matters…things that truly bear importance…like eternal consequences… I think we could all agree there has to be a better way. I mean, imagine showing up at those ‘pearly gates’ and there’s Peter standing before you with a silver dollar and there’s not much time to talk or discuss matters. You are either in or out…now ‘call it’ as that coin makes its way up before falling on that ‘golden doormat of heaven’. Is that how you would want your eternal destiny decided? I think not.

And yet, sadly…this is how we tend to look at scriptural truths found in our Bibles. We reduce certain topics to it’s either ‘heads or tails’…’faith or works’…”Calvinism or Arminianism’. (And if that last example threw you, don’t fret over it. You get the idea)

But today, I want to wade into a topic that focuses on one word in particular that we seem to fall into one camp or another in the way in which we understand and view it.

The word is ‘righteousness’ or ‘righteous’.

Try kicking off a small bible study group discussion with that one…and ask what the word means to folks. Or better yet, how would you explain the meaning of that word to a new convert or a ‘sincere seeker’ who kept coming across that word in their Bibles? What does it mean to be ‘righteous’?

Usually, we like to begin with a simple definition of the word and that leads us to something that sounds like this: “acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin. 2. a. : morally right or justifiable.”

A common and widely used explanation I have heard over the years in church circles sounds more like this: “to be righteous is to be in ‘right standing’ with God’. Or, as one made the case for years ago when taking about ‘God’s Righteousness’ – is ‘doing what is right in God’s eyes’. That one works well for me too.

To be in ‘right standing with God’ would infer that all is well with your soul and God is pleased with where you are. The fruit of that place or position is usually marked by ‘peace’ and your heart ‘no longer is condemning you’. John mentions this in his first letter saying “If our heart does not condemn us we have confidence toward God…and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because…we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (3:21-22). Now that statement alone ushers in some interesting points that we will address this at some point.

But when the topic of righteousness and who is righteous comes up, the discussion usually heads down a path that sounds something like this (and supported with much scripture)

”God says there is none who is righteous given all have sinned. Any righteous acts we may have done or performed are like ‘filthy rags’ in God’s sight. None of us could ever be righteous enough to meet God’s holy standards so He sent Jesus to demonstrate what a perfect, holy, righteous life looked like. Then He died on a cross to pay for all of our unrighteous acts of sin, paying our ‘debt in full’ given that the ‘wages of sin is death’. So the only way we can ever be seen or declared ‘righteous’ in the eyes of God is to profess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God and Lord of all who was raised from the dead. Then…because we ‘say and believe’ this statement making this profession of faith…that God then ‘imputes’ His righteousness on all who ‘believe’.

In other words, one is not made or declared ‘righteous’ by anything he/she could possibly ‘do’. One is made or declared to be ‘righteous’ simply by putting their hope and trust in Jesus.

Now granted, with possibly a few minor tweaks to that assessment, I would submit that the majority of the church world subscribes to that line of thinking. And I would also submit that we have approached this topic like a coin flip and suggest it is a ‘cut and dry’ definition. Yet, I would also suggest that just maybe, we’ve been taught incorrectly and looked at this as if there could be no ‘in-between’. Funny…I can already hear swords being drawn and blades sharpened. ;- )

Here's why I used the coin flip analogy and I’ll explain why in this fashion:

‘Heads’ = “We are made or declared ‘righteous’ because we say or profess to have faith in Christ alone.” The modern church world, or ‘faith alone’ group align with this.

‘Tails’ = “We are righteous because we keep the law or God’s commandments.” The Pharisees and most ‘religious’ minded lean in this direction.

You know…it’s the ‘works vs. faith’ crowd. (That’s why I mentioned hearing swords being drawn…lol)

But what if both sides are wrong? What if it’s neither? Or even more…what if it’s both?

Take a deep breath…this is not intended to be some theological squabble to argue over or to cause your brain to melt in confusion. But it is not as simple as calling ‘heads or tails’. So just what if…both sides have seen it this way, as in: - either-or - and because of our dogmatic ways of seeing things, we missed the real understanding or meaning of what it means to be ‘righteous’?

Again…all I can do is point you to more scripture, which is not a bad idea. The reason we tend to get tangled up in man-made doctrines that end up capturing our hearts (as opposed to God having them fully) is because we take Bible verses and construct a line of thinking that sounds good and seems to make sense. But then…when confronted with other scriptures that don’t ‘fit’ with that line of thinking, we go in to wanting to defend our ‘structure’ at the expense of rejecting more truth that God intended for us to receive. Does that make sense?

For example, that popular assessment I used above that most believers tend to agree with is based on a good bit of scripture. Yet, I can lay out plenty of other verses along side those that would seem to offer up another perspective. And as always, I’m not asking you to believe ‘my version’; on the contrary…just be willing to examine scripture to see if what I’m sharing here is true. (Acts 17:11). And we’ll need to take this slow so have pen/paper and Bible ready. ;-)

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he is speaking as an ‘ambassador of Christ’, ‘imploring us on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled to God’. (5:20). We are reminded there that God ‘made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become or be made the ‘righteousness of God in Him.’ (21)

We need to look at three points here (which we’ll do over the next few days Lord willing). The first question to be addressed is ‘Why is this even important?’ Well, for starters, Jesus tells how a day is coming when God will ‘separate’ the nations like a shepherd might divide his sheep and goats. (Matt. 25:32) And after explaining why and how this process will play out, he goes on to explain the outcome for those who are the ‘cursed’ and those who are ‘righteous’, drawing a distinct line where the ‘righteous will enter eternal life’ …and the rest, will not.(46)

Another reason as to why this is good to study out and become more enlightened on is there are many wonderful ‘benefits’ promised to the ‘righteous’ and we will examine those as well. But in closing for today, just ‘How is one made, or how does one become righteous’?

God made it clear that there was ‘none who are righteous’. (Rom. 3:10). So are we made righteous simply because we say some words about what we believe? Or do we become righteous because of ‘righteous acts’ we might do in accordance with keeping the commandments?

One verse tells us that “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight”, given our righteous acts are like ‘filthy rags’. (Rom. 3:20; Isa. 64:6). Yet, we can see a few other verses that plainly tell us: If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him….”Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. (1 John 2:29; 3:7)

So what is it? Heads? Tails? Or maybe something else?