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spirit. With some diffidence I submit the following definition: The righteousness of God is the sum-total of all that God com mands, demands, approves, and Himself provides. William Cunningham’s definition is strik ing, but fails, I cannot but think, in one or two essential elements: “The righteous ness of God is that righteousness which God’s righteousness requires Him to re quire.” In this there is no hint that God Himself has furnished the righteousness which His own perfections require Him to require. S. The righteousness of God is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our righteous ness before God the Father. He fulfills the great word of Jeremiah, “Jehovah tsidkenu” —the Lord our righteousness, Jer. xxiii:6. He is made of God unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. i:30. We are made the righteous ness of God in Him, 2 Cor. v :21. PERFECT OBEDIENCE It consists of a perfect obedience ren dered by the Lord Jesus to the law and justice of God—an obedience which ,is at once the counterpart and cancellation for believers of the disobedience of the first man, Adam. By the sin of Adam all men were constituted sinners, and brought under the righteous judgment of God. It was the gracious work of the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem them who believe, from the guilt and condemnation under which they lie. This He did by His obedience unto death. Rom. v:18, 19. There are two words in these verses which bear on the point: “righteous ness” and “obedience.” They appear to be used interchangeably, for the righteousness which is unto justification of life is clearly the obedience of the One (or the one obe dience), Christ. In what did the obedience of Christ consist ? While not unmindful of the difference of views entertained on this subj ect, I do not hesitate to express my opinion that by His obedience is meant His whole unbroken obedience both in His life and in His death. I cannot but think that there is little warrant in Scripture for the
teaching of some that the obedient life of our Lord forms no part of the righteousness on the ground of which God justifies be lievers. In Gal. iv :4, there is a significant phrase which throws no little light on this point—the phrase, “made under law.” Of no mere creature could this be affirmed, for all created beings are of necessity bom under the law; it is an essential element in the constitution of their being. But Christ was born or made under law. He took that place in His incarnation voluntarily. He was Himself the Lawgiver, and as such He was not nor could He be under law as are men. And He took the place that He might redeem them that are under law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. He was‘made under law not only in its penal aspect, that is, in order to bear the penalty which justice demands for the violation of law, but also that He might fulfill every precept of the law. His obedience, carried through His entire life, culminated in His death, and terminated with His exultant and triumphant cry, “It is finished.” The right eousness of God, therefore, consists of the perfect and unbroken obedience of Christ whereby every requirement of law and jus tice was met and satisfied by God’s co-equal Son. The essence of the atonement is the sub stitutionary sacrifice of Christ, and the es sence of His substitution is the creation of a divine, eternal righteousness on the ground of which God justifies him who believes in His Son. “Him that knew no sin He hath made to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” 2 Cor. v :21. 6. The righteousness of God becomes ours by faith, Rom. i:16, 17; iii:22; iv:3-7; x:4; Phil. iii:9. ---- ------- 4—--------- , Spurgeon tells of an English peasant who inscribed on his weather vane, “God is love.” “Do you mean that God’s love is a change able as the weather vane?” inquired the preacher indignantly. “No,” replied the peasant, “I mean that God is love which ever way the wind blows.”
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