Romans ISample

Righteous Harmony

The Greek word for righteousness is dikaiosune. It means harmony. In a good song, the lyrics and melody work together toward a common purpose. Being righteous is being a good steward of our gifts in a way that benefits the entire body to which we belong.

The Bible often calls the church the Body of Christ. Righteousness is not just about doing our part, but also about doing it in conjunction with others around us. Righteousness comes through walking by faith—faith that God’s way is the right way to live. It is the goal at the beginning, middle, and end of the Christian life: “from first to last,” according to Romans 1:17.

Paul might have been writing a parallel to Plato’s Republic, the reasoning his Roman audience would recognize. Plato and Paul both address the same question: What is dikaiosune (justice/righteousness)? They both come up with similar answers: harmony. 

Paul uses the metaphor of a body to illustrate the harmony of dikaiosune, with all the parts doing their job. Plato uses a city-state, where everyone applies their gifts for the body’s best interest. But the big difference is the head. Paul’s head is Jesus. Plato’s is a group of capable people, the “Guardians.” Plato postulates some people are born without selfishness. We all know that’s wishful thinking. 

Paul is writing about the good news of the power of God. That is the real source of unity. The force of harmony comes from Him. Christ is both the reason for righteousness and the ability to achieve it; as Head, He holds and directs the body. 

Paul’s message is astonishing: through trust in Christ’s power and ability, we can live the righteousness God has called us to because we have the resurrection power of Jesus living inside of us. It is a spectacular assertion, with the ability to transform our lives, but it requires that we set aside false perspectives and believe and act upon what is true.

As a believer in Christ, the truth is that in Him and through His blood sacrifice, you have been made righteous and have the power to live righteously. 

Do you believe this?