The Righteousness of God
Romans 1:17
I am humbled each and every time I remember that at one point in my life I was doomed. Outside of Christ the sobering reality is a coming hell. In Christ – He died; I die – He lives; I live – He rose; I will rise – He is seated in the heavenlies; I am seated in the heavenlies.
“For therein is (in the Gospel) the righteousness of God revealed; from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith.”
Martin Luther after wrestling with this phrase and reality of “the righteousness of God” said “I hated Him.” What Luther hated was the righteous character of God. He hated it as God must hold the whole of humanity to that very standard. Yet it wasn’t until He grasped the fact that true life (eternal & life with purpose today) only comes from having the righteousness of God credited to the sinners account – the doomed unworthy sinner by faith will have the righteousness of God unloaded on them!
In Romans 1:17 one finds four statements:
1. For therein is – in the Gospel – the righteousness of God revealed – continually being revealed
2. From faith to faith – it is totally sourced in faith
3. As it is written – it was written in (Hab. 2:4) and it still stands written today
4. The just shall live by faith – righteous ones live by faith
The difficulty Luther had and so many today have is – what is the phrase “the righteousness of God” referring to. There are basically 3 options:
1. Who God is – His righteous attribute. God is absolutely just and righteous in character.
2. What God does – His righteous action. God desires to make that which is wrong right. Some good examples are seen in (Psalm 143) where David is being pursued by Absalom. He appeals to God’s righteous character as well as His willingness to make that which is wrong right. We also see in (Isa. 59:14-16) that God looked everyone and saw no one “so my “God” own arm brought salvation.” God intervened in eternity past with the plan of the incarnation of Himself – God willingly robed Himself in the flesh and died for sin.
3. What God gives – His righteous gift credited to sinners who exercise faith.
So which of these 3 options is Paul talking about here?
A look at (Rom. 2:22-25) clears things up. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of (in) Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe…being justified freely by His grace. (v. 22 & 24)” In those two verses Paul is dealing with what God gives – His righteousness credited to the believing sinners account. But he doesn’t stop there for he writes (v. 25) “whom God hath set forth (purposed) to be a propitiation through faith in His (Christ) blood.” There he is speaking of what God does – His righteous action. God purposed the death of Christ. God had a plan. God Himself intervened on behalf of mankind. But he doesn’t stop there for he writes (v. 25b) “to declare His righteousness” – all that Christ did was ultimately for the glory of God – to declared – to display the righteousness of God. So that covers who God is – His righteous attribute.
Therefore I would submit that Paul is talking about all the above in the statement “the righteousness of God.” He is righteous and hold humanity to that standard. God also knows that humanity cannot attain to that standard – it is impossible – so He intervenes out of a righteous desire to help. The incarnation, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ makes it possible that one exercises personal faith in that truth and the righteousness of God is credited to His account – out of sheer mercy and grace!!
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.
