Righteousness - Not because of mine
Deuteronomy 9:1-6Â (New International Version)
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Not Because of Israel’s Righteousness
 1 Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. 2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” 3 But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you. 4 After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
So far, we have seen that believing God is credited to us as righteousness, though our subsequent actions be unrighteousness. We then saw that obeying God is righteousness, even if our follow-through be lacking… but if merely to reinforce our obedience, God makes up for the lack. In either case, believing or obeying, actual success on our own behalf is not the measure of our righteousness, so it should be no wonder that when God starts preparing the Hebrews for the wars they are to fight for God, He makes it known that they were not chosen as His agents because of their righteousness, nor will it be their righteousness that causes the success of their mission. Nor is He choosing them to ultimately take possession of the newly vacant land on account of their own righteousness.
It turns out that the land is being vacated because of the occupants’ wickedness, and then given to the Hebrews to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Notice also what is not said. God did not say that He was doing this on account of Abraham’s righteousness, though God had credited him with righteousness for his belief. He was doing it on account of His own promise. “But would He have even made the promise if Abraham (then Abram) weren’t righteous?” Well, yes, because in fact the promise Abram believed was that he’d have a son through which he’d father many nations. So in fact, the Abram’s righteousness came from the promise, not the other way around, showing that God’s promise is His own to make and His own to keep, and if we believe His promises and obey Him, we will be righteous in God’s eyes and used to fulfill things that are not on account of our righteousness on account of God’s promises.
“But isn’t He choosing to use you on account of your righteousness?” Not at all, notice that the promise comes first. It’s the first domino to fall here. God makes his choice before we’re righteous, and our righteousness follows from it, because of our belief and our obedience. “But God knew you’d believe and that you’d obey, didn’t He?” Well, here’s the thing. He doesn’t limit His promises to those who believe them. Sarah didn’t believe. King Saul didn’t obey. Jonah refused to obey, and ironically it was because he believed! So, sure God knew, but He promises regardless. He wants us to believe and obey and so gives us the chance, leaving it up to us whether we believe and obey or not. If we choose not to, it’s on us; and if we choose to, it is credited to us. Simple. It is we who make it complicated. Don’t make it complicated.
Did God choose you? Did He promise you anything? Is He using you for something? Don’t get a big head. It isn’t because you are righteous, but it is your chance. From the scriptures we’ve seen so far, it is by God’s grace that we are even given a chance at righteousness, and by His grace that He grants it. Do you want Him to grant it? Fine then. Believe God and obey, and that will your righteousness.
Apparently, righteousness is not a badge of honor to parade around before your fellow man, especially if God is doing all the heavy lifting. However, it is a choice. So choose… but He chose you first.