The Path to Righteousness

John knew the law given to Moses. He knew what righteousness from the law should look like. When he saw the Kingdom begin to manifest under the authority and work of the King, it concerned him that it was not stacking neatly into his columns of right and wrong. He knew Jesus was the Lamb of God, Who had come to take away the sin of the world. Because he was only privy to revelation of right and wrong through the filter of the law, he could not recognize righteousness that was visible through the filters of love and sacrifice, or of life and death.

When our decisions about what to do nor not to do, or how to judge others’ actions are processed only with right or wrong filters, sourced in law, we will not find righteousness. The law was given to Israel. Conscience was given to gentiles. Neither can lead either to righteousness, however, because their purpose is simply to expose sinfulness.

Being under the influence of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus is the path to righteousness. Be warned, though, that even when we are successful in finding and walking that path, we will be accused of evil and of failure. John, the greatest prophet ever born, was worried that Jesus might not be the right One, because he could not recognize righteousness.