Up to this point we have had the dark, sad picture of what man is, unfolded to us. As we saw at the beginning, the “light” has shown us all that we are, as sinners, in God’s sight: nothing hidden, nothing undetected; but it is only to pave the way, so to speak, to bring out God’s wonderful remedy, and His glorious salvation. He shuts us up in unbelief and sin, and shows us that if He were to deal with us—in righteousness, we should be forever banished from His presence in the “lake of fire;” and then He acts in pure sovereign grace towards us, not only pardoning us, but giving us a portion in the Son of His love. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:3333O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33)). Up to verse 20, we have seen man’s ruin, and now verse 21 begins God’s wonderful remedy. Man has been fully proved to have no righteousness of his own; “but now the righteousness of God without (or apart from) the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets” (Chapter 3:21). One might have expected that, after bringing out what man is, the love of God towards him would be “manifested;” but no, “God’s righteousness is manifested.” “Righteousness” before love is a principle we find all through Scripture; for righteousness must be satisfied before love can flow out. But one might say, “God’s righteousness manifested! Why then I must be lost! If God deals with me in righteousness, I have no hope!” Quite true; and this would be the experience of every soul born of God: “If I received what I deserved, I should be in hell forever.” “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant: for Thy sight shall no man living be justified” (Psa. 143:22And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. (Psalm 143:2)).
What then does the expression in verse 21 mean “But now the righteousness of God apart from law is manifested”? It is most important to be clear on this point, and most establishing to the soul. One would think at first sight that “the righteousness of God” was always “manifested” from the beginning. It does not mean simply that God is righteous, that was known in Old Testament times, but that God is now righteous in reckoning the believer righteous on the ground of the death of Christ; or, as it is expressed in verse 26, “that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Just and righteous are the same word) This glorious truth was not revealed till after Christ had died. The way we have part in this righteousness is not by law-keeping, not by Christ keeping the law for us, but “by faith of Jesus Christ” (vs. 22). It is “witnessed by the law and the prophets” (vs. 21). Here I understand the “law” not to mean the Ten Commandments, but the five books of Moses; and the whole expression, “the law and the prophets,” simply to mean what we call the Old Testament, as in Luke 24:2727And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27): “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” “The law and the prophets” did not reveal this righteousness, but “bore witness” to it. All through the Old Testament we see it. Even as early as Genesis 3:2121Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21), directly after sin had come in, and Adam and his wife were naked sinners in God’s presence, we read, “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” A beautiful picture of how God was going to clothe us with Christ on the ground of His death; for there must have been death in order to procure the skins. Again, in Abel’s offering (Gen. 4:44And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: (Genesis 4:4)), we must see that the only ground of acceptance before God was the death of another; and the Holy Ghost’s comment upon it in Hebrews 11:44By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) brings out distinctly the very truth we are considering: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which (sacrifice) he obtained witness that he was righteous.” He was reckoned righteous, not on the ground of anything he was, but on the ground of the value of the sacrifice in God’s sight; and it was “by faith,” and had nothing to do with law-keeping whatever. Then there are all the offerings under the law—all looked forward to that blessed One who was “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. 5:22And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor. (Ephesians 5:2)) —and were the witness that God had another way of reckoning righteous than by the law. The prophets were more definite still, and we read direct promises of the One who was coming; also of His sufferings and death (Isa. 53 and other passages; compare also Acts 26:22,2322Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 23That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. (Acts 26:22‑23)). In Habakkuk 2:44Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4) we see it openly and boldly stated, “The just shall live by his faith.” Examples might be multiplied; but these will suffice to show how the “law and the prophets” bore witness to a righteousness of God which was apart from law, or works, and could not be revealed till the Christ had come and died, and redemption was accomplished.
We have seen what the expression means, “The righteousness of God is revealed;” and now in verse 22 we read it is “by faith of Jesus Christ;” that is to say, that the way we have part in this righteousness is not by works, but by believing. Is this righteousness of God only for the Jew, or is it only for a limited number? No; “it is unto all,” Jew and Gentile indiscriminately; but it is only “upon, all them that believe;” “for there is no difference.” How blessed this is! It does not say it is upon those that have this or that experience, or who feel saved; but if you can say, dear reader, that you are one of those who believe, you have God’s word to say that His “righteousness” is upon you; and if “God’s righteousness” is upon you, you are fit to dwell in His presence without a spot. “For there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (vss. 22, 23). How wonderfully this comes in here: “God’s righteousness is unto all because “all have sinned,” “and there is no difference.”
It does not, I think, mean here that there is no difference in degrees of wickedness, or that God makes no distinction between men; for we read in Revelation 20:1212And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12), “The dead were judged according to their works,” and in Luke 12:47,4347And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. (Luke 12:47)
43Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. (Luke 12:43) we have the same thing; but that there is no difference in the sight of God between the Jew and the Gentile for the simple reason that “all have sinned,” and “all” do “come short of the glory of God.” See how this sentence cuts at the root of all human pride and self-righteousness. First of all God says “all have sinned.” How easily, and with what indifference, do people use the language of Scripture! How common to hear people say, “Yes, of course we are all sinners,” as if it was a matter of course, and it did not make much difference whether we were or not. But have you ever thought, dear reader, what God says is the consequence of being a sinner? He says, in Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23), “The wages of sin is death.” And what then? “After this the judgment” (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)). And after the judgment? “The lake of fire” (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). And then? Eternity. But not only have all sinned; but notice the expression, “all do come short of the glory of God;” not “have come short,” but “do come short,” is the correct way of reading it. What a standard God gives! God does not say, “You have come short of what you ought to be.” Most would own that; but He says, “You have come short of My glory.”
How many have said, when asked about their soul’s salvation, “I do the best I can; I have always been moral, and have never done anybody any harm, I say my prayers, and read my Bible.” But that is not the question. God’s glory is put as the standard, and it is not a question of whether we are better than our neighbors; but, Are we fit to stand in that bright glory of God, where nothing inconsistent with that glory can be, and where there is nothing but unsullied holiness? It was a sight of the glory, and the seraphim crying “Holy, holy, holy,” that brought the cry to the lips of the prophet Isaiah: “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:3,53And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isaiah 6:3)
5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 6:5)). What a solemn thought, that a soul is either fit to be in the glory of God, or, if not, the only other portion is the lake of fire forever! Which is yours, dear reader? for there is nothing between the two.
How beautifully do verses 24 to 26 come in! at the same time opening up more fully this righteousness of God which is now revealed. All had sinned, and come short of the glory of God, and were unable to save themselves; but now God acts in pure sovereign grace, and justifies freely, as we read in verse 24: “Being justified” (reckoned righteous) “freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” How full every word of this verse is! There is a poor sinner who has come short of the glory of God; he has no righteousness of his own; he has never done any good; his “throat is like an open sepulcher.” “The way of peace” he has not known, his “mouth is stopped;” and he has the solemn verdict pronounced upon him, “Guilty before God;” and then the just sentence passed, Death—judgment—hell! Can the sentence be avoided? No; God is holy, and God is just. But, blessed be His name, He has found a way by which He can be just, and yet save the sinner! He can say to such an one, if he believes in Jesus, “You are justified;” that is, cleared from every charge that could be laid against him “freely,” for nothing, without money, without works. On what ground then? “By His grace;” that is, undeserved favor and love. How wonderful, that when we deserved nothing but hell, God acts in love towards us And that is grace. But how can God thus justify a sinner if He is so holy? “Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Ah that is the secret, “The redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (vs. 24): “whom God has set forth to be a propitiation” (or mercy-seat is the right word) “through faith in His blood” (vs. 25). That wonderful work of Christ on the cross laid the foundation for all this blessing; there all God’s righteous claims were fully met and satisfied.
F. K.