Are you concerned about righteousness?

Do you want to be a righteous person?

I have students in the seminary, and I've been teaching seminary for a long time,

who are beset with difficult theological questions.

And they can't wait to corner the professor and say, Professor, what about this problem

or what about that question?

How can you help me with this?

They're always asking questions.

There's no end of their questions.

And I've had them ask me very practical questions.

How can I be a more effective speaker?

How can I be a more effective communicator? I've had them ask me very practical questions. How can I be a more effective speaker? How can I be a more effective communicator?

I've had them ask me spiritual questions.

How can I have a stronger spiritual life?

How can I have a higher ethical standard?

All of these questions I hear all the time.

You know the question I've never heard, ever once?

And this may reflect more on me than on the people. I've never

had somebody come up to me and say, R.C., how can I be a righteous person? I've never had anybody

asked me that. Again, it may be because they don't see any sign of righteousness in me,

and they say, why should I ask him about righteousness when he doesn't have any to begin with? Maybe that's it, but I don't think that's the only reason that people don't ask me that question. I think the reason they don't ask is because they're not interested in it. We want to be pious. We want to be spiritual. We want all of these things that reflect a religious culture. But what is the purpose

of spirituality? What is the purpose of piety other than righteousness? The goal of the Christian

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