Let’s start by looking at Matt 3:13 – 17 [AMP]
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?
But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him. And when Jesus was baptized, He went up at once out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him.
And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight!
Firstly, I like you to understand that righteousness is a function of faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:21-22). (i.e. you don’t work for it but you become it by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and confessing Him with your mouth). But there are acts of righteousness that validate our salvation (Rom 6:18-19).
This is what Jesus was talking about. Please note that it takes a righteous person to perform an act of righteousness (Matt 12:33-35).
So, if you are saved, you are also expected to fulfill all righteousness.
What is Jesus’ definition of righteousness?
Ps 40:7-8 says, Then said I, Behold, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me; I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart.
And Jesus said in John 4:34[AMP] that…, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish {and} completely finish His work.
From these verses, we can see that what Jesus termed righteousness is basically doing the will of God for His life. Doing what God wants Him to do with His life and times.
“all righteousness” for Jesus included every detail of His assignment. It includes everything that is beneficial/expedient.
Unlike the others who came for baptism (Matt. 3:6), Jesus had no personal sins to confess. Yet He willingly received “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4), a sign that He identifies with the sins of those He came to save (2 Cor. 5:21), which is God’s perfect will.
There is a path that He must follow for the fulfillment of His assignment and fulfilling all righteousness demands that He carefully follow it.
It is total obedience in simple terms.
It is living your life according to the demand of your assignment and not as you want.
Saul was given an assignment in 1Sam 15, but God was not pleased with him because he failed to fulfill all righteousness. He regarded people’s opinions more than God’s instruction and he was rejected from being king.
But for Jesus, the bible says in (Php 2:6-9 KJV) that … Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
When Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, God was pleased with Him
Is it compulsory for all believers today?
Matt 3:15[AMP] says… But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him.
From this verse, The response of Jesus indicated that both He and John the Baptist have the mandate to fulfill all righteousness (or like the Amplified version expatiated it, “to perform completely whatever is right)
For God to be pleased with us, we must fulfill all righteousness
- To fulfill all righteousness, you must know what you need to do. i.e. you must have an understanding of what the will of the Lord is.
- It includes what you do and what you did not do
- We must do all that God requires of us. Depending on your assignment, what you need to fulfill will be different from other people’s. It is your responsibility to discover it.
Lastly, you need to be humble like Jesus to fulfill all righteousness. It takes humility to fully submit to the will of God
I like you to pray to know God’s will and ask for the grace to do it without wavering. I like you to send in your comments and questions using the comment section below. God bless you.