1257. The Righteousness of God
The Righteousness of God
"For therein, is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom_1:17).
"The righteousness of God" goes beyond the holiness of God which is an inherent quality of His blessed Deity. "The righteousness of God" has to do with the acts of God. God is righteous in all His dealings.
1. A righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel because the Gospel never sets at naught, in the least degree, any of the Divine attributes of God. The Gospel justifies the sinner without marring the justice of God. The Gospel receives the sinner into the presence of God without lowering the standard of God's holiness or of God's holy requirements for entrance into His presence chamber.
2. A righteousness of God is imputed through the Gospel. The believer stands Blood-washed and righteous before God. God reveals His wrath against all unrighteousness but Christ died for our sins, and God does not impute them unto us. Our sins are on Christ, His righteousness is upon us. This righteousness of God is proclaimed by the Gospel, and it is realized out of faith, unto faith. When God speaks of His righteousness being placed upon believers He in no sense belittles sin. Hear His Word: Rom_3:22-23 : "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
The same chapter that displays God's righteousness, places all emphasis on man's sin. Man's faithlessness does not destroy God's faithfulness; man's unrighteousness does not make impossible God's righteousness. All of this is true through the work of Christ in His death and resurrection.
3. A righteousness of God is made manifest apart from the Law (see Rom_3:21). "If the Law could have given righteousness, verily righteousness had come by the Law." But "what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,"–God did through the Cross of Christ; upon those who believe.
Not that the Law was unholy, or that it lacked anything that would have given audience with God–not that. The Law was holy, and just and good; but man was unable to stand before it. The Law manifested the righteous requirements of God. Therefore the Law, apart from the work of Christ, and apart from the faith of the sinner, was just as helpless to save a soul from death as was God helpless apart from the same.
A righteousness of God is borne witness to by the Law and the Prophets; this righteousness was so dazzling, so glorious that sinful man quailed before its forthshining. The Gospel reveals how we, through faith, may become the righteousness of God in Christ, and how we may stand unabashed and rejoicing in the very presence of the Holy God.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR