Value of Upright Living Apart From Righteousness
Upright living, distinct from a state of perfect righteousness before God, holds significant value within Christian thought, though its nature and efficacy are understood differently across traditions. The concept of "uprightness" often refers to sincerity, integrity, and a life free from notorious or persistent sin [4]. Proverbs states that "righteousness preserves the upright of life" [1], and that "the way of the upright is to turn away from evil" [3].
The Old Testament frequently associates uprightness with God's pleasure and blessing. God is described as perfect in uprightness and takes pleasure in it [2]. He created humanity in uprightness, though humanity has since deviated [2]. An upright person is characterized by a heart that fears God, loves Christ, and walks in truth [2, 4]. Such individuals are said to be countenanced by God and receive light in darkness [2, 5]. John Gill, commenting on Proverbs, notes that the upright "shall dwell in the land," referring to both the literal land of Canaan and a spiritual dwelling [8].
However, this uprightness is not presented as a means of achieving justification or perfect righteousness in the sight of God. Charles Hodge distinguishes between "man's own righteousness," which is deemed valueless for justification, and "the righteousness of God," which is the righteousness of Christ, provided and accepted by God [9]. John Calvin emphasizes that justification comes "by faith without the deeds of the law," rejecting the notion that only ceremonial works are excluded from justification, while moral works contribute to it [6]. Calvin further clarifies that those called "just and upright" are not perfect, but rather "cultivate righteousness purely, and from their heart," acknowledging that God does not demand perfect adherence to the law from His people [7].
Even saints, when supplicating God, are understood to appeal to God's mercy rather than their own righteousness, as their prayers are consecrated by the expiation of blood [12]. While a virtuous person may not need the law in the same way a lawbreaker does, a righteous life for Christians is understood to result from faith apart from the law [13]. Augustine, while acknowledging that God could enable a person to live without sin, cautioned against misinterpreting statements about sinless living, implying that such perfection is not the common human experience [10]. The righteous are those who persevere in their walk of faith and holiness, not those who achieve sinless perfection [11].
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 13:6 (Geneva1599) — Righteousnesse preserueth the vpright of life: but wickednes ouerthroweth the sinner.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Uprightness — God is perfect in -- Isa 26:7. God has pleasure in -- 1Ch 29:17. God created man in -- Ec 7:29. Man has deviated from -- Ec 7:29. Should be in Heart. -- 2Ch 29:34; Ps 125:4. Speech. -- Isa 33:15. Walk. -- Pr 14:2. Judging. -- Ps 58:1; 75:2. Ruling. -- Ps 78:72. The being kept from presumptuous sins is necessary to -- Ps 19:13. With poverty, is better than sin with riches -- Pr 28:6. With poverty, is better than folly -- Pr 19:1. They who walk in Fear God. -- Pr 14:2. Love Christ. -- Song 1:4. Countenanced by God. -- Ps 11:7. Delighted in by God. -- Pr 1”
- Proverbs “Proverbs 16:17 (LITV) — The way of the upright is to turn away from evil, he keeping his soul watches his way.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 15:2: He that walketh uprightly,.... Or "perfectly" (e); see Gen 17:1; not so as to be without sin entirely, but as not to be chargeable with any notorious crime, and living in it; moreover, perfection and uprightness often signify sincerity, and the phrase here may design an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile; whose faith is unfeigned, whose love is without dissimulation, whose hope is without hypocrisy, and his whole conduct without fraud and deceit; likewise such an one may be said to walk uprightly who walks according to the truth of the Gospel, and by faith on Chris”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 112:4: Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness,.... Upright ones are sometimes in the darkness of affliction, under divine desertions, without spiritual joy, and in an uncomfortable condition; when on a sudden light arises to them, like break of day, or the morning light: they have deliverance from affliction, and enjoy prosperity; the light of God's countenance is lifted up on them; the sun of righteousness arises upon them with healing in his wings; and spiritual joy and comfort are communicated unto them. It may denote the comforts the people of God have ami”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 66: he not plainly enough attribute everything to faith alone when he disconnects it with works? What I would ask, is meant by the expressions, “The righteousness of God without the law is manifested;” “Being justified freely by his grace;” “Justified by faith without the deeds of the law?” ( Rom. 3:21 , 24 , 28 ). Here they have an ingenious subterfuge, one which, though not of their own devising but taken from Origin and some ancient writers, is most childish. They pretend that the works excluded are ceremonial, not moral works. Such”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 10.18: hands, and eyes, and feet, in obedience to his Law; but integrity of heart is above all things required, and holds the chief place in the true definition of righteousness. Let us, however, know that they are called just and upright, not who are in every respect perfect, and in whom there is no defect; but who cultivate righteousness purely, and from their heart. Because we are assured that God does not act towards his own people with the rigour of justice, as requiring of them a life according to the perfect rule of the Law; for,”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 2:21: For the upright shall dwell in the land,.... Such as are upright in heart, who have a right spirit renewed in them; whose hearts are right with God, have the truth of grace in them; whose faith is unfeigned, their love without dissimulation, and their hope without hypocrisy; and who are upright in their lives and conversations; these being Israelites according to the flesh, as well as Israelites indeed in a spiritual sense, shall dwell in the land of Canaan, which the Lord promised to such, and which good men enjoyed by virtue of it: or the sense is, that such shall”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 23: man’s “own righteousness” is that which would render him righteous, then “the righteousness of God,” in this connection, must be a justifying righteousness. It is called the righteousness of God, because, as said before, He is its author. It is the righteousness of Christ. It is provided, offered, and accepted of God. Here then are two righteousnesses; the one human, the other divine; the one valueless, the other infinitely meritorious. The folly of the Jews, and of thousands since their day, consists in refusing the latter and trusting t”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 53 [XLVIII.]--IN WHAT SENSE SOME MEN MAY BE SAID TO LIVE WITHOUT SIN IN THE: PRESENT LIFE. But in reference to the particular point in which he quoted the holy Ambrose with so much approbation,--because he found in that author's writings, from the praises he accorded to Zacharias and Elisabeth, the opinion that a man might possibly in this life be without sin;[2] although this cannot be denied if God wills it, with whom all things are possible, yet he ought to consider more carefully in what sense this was said. Now, so far as I can see, this stat”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 17:9: The righteous also shall hold on his way,.... He that is righteous, not in appearance but really, not in a legal but in an evangelic sense; who is justified by the righteousness of Job's living Redeemer, who lives by faith on his righteousness, and in consequence of that in holiness of life and conversation; such an one being in Christ the way of righteousness and salvation, and walking in the paths of faith, holiness, and truth, and in all the tracks of religious worship, private and public, he will persevere therein, and will not on any account depart out of the right ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” ( 1 John 1:9 ). Hence, under the law it was necessary to consecrate prayers by the expiation of blood, both that they might be accepted, and that the people might be warned that they were unworthy of the high privilege until, being purged from their defilements, they founded their confidence in prayer entirely on the mercy of God. 10. Sometimes, however, the saints in supplicating God, seem to appeal to their own righteousness, as when David sa”
- 1 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Timothy 1:9: 1:9 the law was not intended for people who do what is right: As a general principle, the virtuous person needs no law. For Christians, a righteous life results from faith apart from the law (see Gal 5:16-26; Eph 2:11-14; Titus 2:11-14; cp. Rom 8:1-17; Jas 2:14-16).”