Pursuit of Righteousness Part 1: Are You a Man/Woman of God?

Pursuit of Righteousness

Part 1: Are You a Man/Woman of God?
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
June 28, 2026

Opening Verse:
“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
1 John 2:16-17 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we starting a brand new series I entitled "The Pursuit of Righteousness." You have probably heard the phrase that says "The Pursuit of Happiness?" There is no mentioned ever in the Scriptures that we should pursue "happiness". As a matter of fact everything that makes us happy is temporary and easily replaced and forgotten. The Bible actually commanded us to pursue "righteousness" instead because it is what really leads us closer to God! Part 1 is entitled "Are You a Man/Woman of God?"

Main Pointers:
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

1. What does being a man/woman of God mean to you?

A. Paul in this chapter charges Timothy with a very strong and firm command. "You Are a Man of God!" This means you are not just like anyone else in this world! You have a purpose and a calling! The things that you are pursuing should be very different from what others are pursuing!
B. “Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.”
Psalms 112:1-10 NLT

2. Righteousness is being right with God so we can do right by others.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with Godthrough Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

A. Are we capable of doing right things? Absolutely but because of our sinful nature we can never be right with God on our own. This is the reason why Jesus overcame sin for us so that through Him we can become the righteousness of God.
B. “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: in my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”
Romans 7:24-25 NLT

3. Righteousness is focused on being rich in good works not in the things of this world.

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all.”
1 Timothy 6:17-21 NLT

A. Paul's contrast about the world's riches and eternal riches were very clear. One is very unreliable and it brings no eternal purpose. Paul wanted Timothy to focus on the things that lasts. Things that really make a difference and bring fulfillment in life. This is what a true man or woman of God should be pursuing.
B. “But the Lord replied to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42 AMP

Conclusion:
As we end the middle of the year, it is good to re-calibrate ourselves and ask if we are truly pursuing the right things in life? What are we Pursuing? Is it something God really wants us to pursue? There is only one thing we should be focusing on. We should always focus on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith! It's time to re-caibrate!