785
THE KING’S BUSINESS
vin and Ridley and Knox were without ex cuse for their revolt from Romanism, and were guilty of enormous crimes against the doctrine of the church; nor have we any right in such case to remain outside of Ro manism ; we are guilty of schism and heresy. The definition of the righteousness of God marks all the difference between Romanism and Protestantism. It is worth our while to be clear on this point also. Nay, we cannot preach a full Gospel unless we know the truth touching this matter. That it is not inherent righteousness that is meant, appears first from Rom. iii :22: “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe.” The revision omits “up on all,” and has only “unto all.” Even in this case the verse unmistakably teaches that the righteousness of God is unto all, therefore it is something external to the sin ner, something that comes to him, is given to him when he receives the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, this righteousness is said to be reckoned, accounted, or imputed to the believer. In Rom. iv, eleven times this is asserted. The meaning of the term reckon appears from the use of a similar Greek word in Phil. 18: “set that to my account,” i. e., reckon it to me, and I will pay it, writes the Apostle. It is obvious that what is thus set to one’s account is something external to him, not something wrought within him. That is to say, the righteous ness of God is not the product of faith in the heart, nor of grace, nor the work of the Spirit in the soul, much less the result of our good works. 3. But observe again, that this righteous ness is described as divine. In the original there is no article; and it is quite difficult if not impossible, to translate precisely the phrase into English, preserving its peculiar ity, for we have no exact equivalent. Per haps you will perceive what I am trying to bring out when I venture to render it thus: a righteousness from God; or perhaps bet ter, righteousness which is of God, or from
God. This genitive case is not one of pos session simply. It would be incorrect to say, God’s righteousness, for that would be ambiguous. You could not determine whether by it God’s attribute of justice was meant, or something else. The genitive is one of authorship, origin or source. Hence righteousness of God signifies righteousness which has God for its author pre-eminently, it is of His procuring and providing. GOD’S CREATION . Thus, in Isa. xlv:8, we read that this righteousness, God has created: “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.” It is this right eousness which Hebrew believers confess, as we are told in verse 24 of this chapter ; and it is the same which is the ground of justification of Israel’s seed, as verse 25 informs us. That the righteousness which in Isaiah is declared to be of divine crea tion, which Israel confesses at length, and which becomes their justification, is that which is revealed in the Gospel of the Son of God is manifest in Rom. ix 11 (See par ticularly ix:30; x :ll.) Israel’s fall was oc casioned by unbelief; and unbelief was man ifest specially in the rejection of the right eousness of God, that righteousness which He has- created and provided In His Son Jesus Christ; and in the vain and insane effort to establish their own righteousness by law observance. 'Clearly, therefore, the righteousness of God is divine; for it has God for its author; its of Him and from Him; hence it is infinite, and infinitely per fect. It is one that every way meets the claim of law and justice, or holiness and truth, on God’s part toward us; and it meets our deep needs as well. 4. But now, what is this righteousness of God? Let us try to define it. Strictly, righteousness is absolute conformity to law. Righteousness is rightness. To be righteous is to be conformed to God’s law in all its requirements, in its precept and penalty, in its minutia and its mass, in its letter and
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online