Jesus’ Holiness and Righteousness Expressed Through Us
 
Holiness and righteousness are two different, but overlapping, attributes of God. Holiness is God’s essence, substance, core, or character. Righteousness is His conduct to His creation. His love for the world is both: His love has purity in character (holiness) that is always expressed practically (righteousness). 

Likewise, we are expected to pursue both. Zecariah (the father of John the Baptist) said, “[That we]...might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (Luke 1:74-75). Having or performing one without the other, however, was a constant problem for God’s people throughout the Old and New Testament.