Being declared-righteous and being righteous can be linked

Summary:

In the Bible, people can be described as:

- Being declared-righteous ("justified").

- Being righteous.

There is biblical evidence that there can be a link between:

- Being declared-righteous and being made righteous (Romans 5:18-19).

- Being declared-righteous and being righteous (Galatians 3:11).

- Being declared-righteous from sin and being righteous (Romans 6:7 & 1 Timothy 1:9). 

- Being declared-righteous and not being unrighteous (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

You can find more details below:

Link between being "declared-righteous" and being "righteous":

Being declared-righteous and being made righteous:

In Romans 5:18-19, Paul seems to connect the terms "DECLARING-RIGHTEOUS" with "TO-BE-MADE RIGHTEOUS", as it is written:

"as (it was) through one trespass resulting-in a verdict-of-condemnation for all people, SO ALSO (it was) through one righteous-act resulting-in (a) DECLARING-RIGHTEOUS (issuing in) life for all people. FOR just-as through the disobedience (of) the one man the many were-made sinners, SO ALSO through the obedience (of) the One the many WILL-BE-MADE RIGHTEOUS (ONES)" (Romans 5:18-19).

Being declared-righteous and being righteous:

Paul wrote "that no-one IS-DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS by (the) Law before God (is) evident, BECAUSE “The RIGHTEOUS (one) will-live by faith”." (Galatians 3:11). 

Being declared-righteous from sin and being righteous:

In Romans 6, Paul wrote: "the (one) HAVING-DIED HAS-BEEN-DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS from sin" (Romans 6:7).

Here the image of someone who died is used. Someone who died actually would not be able to sin anymore (as they would be dead). In that sense, such a person would be "DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS FROM SIN" (Romans 6:7). So here the idea to be "DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS FROM SIN" (Romans 6:7) is connected to someone who really would not sin (and thus be RIGHTEOUS). 

Indeed, in the Bible someone who is RIGHTEOUS can be described as being indirectly in opposition to someone who would be SINNING. For example Paul wrote "that law is not laid-down (for a) RIGHTEOUS (one) BUT (for) lawless (ones) and rebellious (ones), non-worshiping (ones) and SINNING (ones)" (1 Timothy 1:9). 

For more information:

Descriptions of a righteous person:
Click here

Being declared-righteous and not being unrighteous:

In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul wrote about "UNRIGHTEOUS (ONES)" (1 Corinthians 6:9) and added that "some (of you) WERE THESE (THINGS) [...] BUT YOU-WERE-DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS" (1 Corinthians 6:11).

Paul seems to oppose the "UNRIGHTEOUS (ONES)" (1 Corinthians 6:9) whom they "WERE" (1 Corinthians 6:11) in the past, with when "YOU-WERE-DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS" (1 Corinthians 6:11) after that.

Here if a person would not be an UNRIGHTEOUS ONE anymore, then such a one may be a RIGHTEOUS ONE instead, which may be why Paul may have connected it with "YOU-WERE-DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS" (1 Corinthians 6:11).

People can be described as "righteous":

People can be described as "RIGHTEOUS" in the Bible. 

For more information:

Descriptions of a righteous person:
Click here

Examples of how people are declared-righteous by God:

By looking at how people can be declared-righteous by God, it is possible to further deduce that there can be a link between BEING RIGHTEOUS before God and being DECLARED-RIGHTEOUS by God.

For more information:

How can people be declared-righteous by God?:
Click here

↺ Click here to return to the Table of Contents.