The Trinity – Righteousness

‘RIGHTEOUSNESS is a moral attribute of the Godhead, or more properly is an attribute of love: 32:4; Job 36:2-3; Ps. 11:7; 19:9; Is. 45:21-23; Jer. 9:23-24; Dan. 9:7, 14; Hosea 14:9; Jn. 17:25; Ro. 14:17; He. 1:8-9; Re. 15:3.

Righteousness is simply a disposition to deal rightly with every moral being. Righteousness as a moral attribute of

God is God’s determination to treat every moral being according to his conduct and to dispense justice among moral beings. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” (“do right?”, KJV), declared Abraham (Ge. 18:25). Just as holiness describes the voluntary disposition of love back of all actions, so righteousness describes the many individual actions that issue forth from this disposition of love in the conduct of God’s responsibilities toward His moral creatures. If God should show leniency and partiality toward some and be more strict with others, He would have to do so for some selfish reason. But if there is any selfish reason for any of God’s actions, God has ceased to be benevolent and impartial. Thus righteousness toward all moral beings is dictated by the perfect,  virtuous  love of God. The righteousness of God is manifested:

1. In Divine reactions against all disobedience and pleasures in obedience of His moral creatures, with a registry of every guilty and virtuous action: Ps. 138:6; He. 6:10; Jas. 4:6; I Pe. 5:5.
2. In establishing a court of final judgment to evaluate the guilt of each moral being in all fairness before all men: 14:10-12; II Co. 5:10; He. 9:27; Re. 20:12.
3. In the eternal separation of those who love Him and desire to live virtuously, compared to those who have insisted on living in their own rebellion of heart—with due rewards and sufferings: Dan. 12:2; Mt. 25:46; II 1:6-10; Re. 20:15.
4. In the forgiveness of repentant sinners through faith in the substituted sufferings of the Lord Jesus: Ro. 3:24-26; I Jn. 1:9.’

Source: Gordon Olson, The Truth Shall Make You Free, The Truth About The Nature and Character of God; p 34-35 (Illinois, Bible Research Fellowship Inc., 1980)

Gordon C. Olson, himself, speaks:

 Source: my youtube channel (check for primary source and more videos by Gordon C. Olson)

Read also: “Righteous Father” (by W Scott Taylor).

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