THE apostle Paul describes himself before his conversion as, “touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless”; and, after his conversion, as “not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” The words are most remarkable. Had he described himself as a great transgressor before his conversion, and, after it, as having found the righteousness he sorely needed, he might be the better understood. But he puts side by side two kinds of righteousness― the righteousness which is of the law, and the righteousness which is of God― the first he speaks of as “mine own,” the next as outside himself ; the first as of works, the next as of faith.
In a similar manner he speaks of men going about to establish their own righteousness, yet by so doing acting in disobedience; or not submitting “themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
Herein lies most solemn instruction for every religious person. The inspired apostle teaches that there may be “a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge,” a life may be spent in religion which does not approach one step to God, but in enmity to God’s way of righteousness.
“Moses,” says the apostle, “describeth the righteousness which is of the law; that the man which doeth these things shall live by them.”
DOING AND LIVING BY DOING
is a very commonly accepted religious principle. Yet who shall say, “touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless”? Perhaps no one save the Apostle Paul; for shortcoming in word and deed―not to speak of thoughts―surely must arise to condemn the heart. And if the doing fail on any one point,
DOING ENDS IN DYING,
since every one is cursed who continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.
But even should the doing be perfect, the root principle of doing is that of not submitting to God in His way of man’s becoming righteous, and is, therefore, disobedience to God.
The righteousness which is of the law, cannot render a man acceptable to God, and though a man thus justified might have “whereof to glory,” it would not be before God. The reason of this is because God will have those He justifies glory in His Son. If we could save ourselves we should not need a Saviour. If we could work out a perfect righteousness of our own, we should not require the righteousness of God. This
RIGHTEOUSNESS BECOMES OURS BY FAITH,
and “what saith the righteousness which is of faith?”. . . “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Not by our doings, but by Christ’s, we live. Not by our own works, but by His work do we obtain salvation. The apostle Paul so gloried in Christ and His work, that, for Christ’s sake, he counted all his righteousness and blamelessness under the law but loss. It would be well if we could hear more of this apostolic teaching in our own day. There was a time when the apostle was the leader in the system of the righteousness which is of the law, and when he did his very utmost to destroy the faith of Jesus Christ; but when he became converted he counted as loss all his religious glory and honor. And after he had been converted some thirty years, he still counted them as loss, and, indeed, as dung so that he might win Christ.
It was the sight of Christ which caused Saul’s conversion, and when we see Christ, we too, reject self. Yet it is no light loss to cast away one’s religious glory in the world. But Saul saw Christ’s glory in heaven, and there and then away he flung every hope in self, and every effort to be made acceptable to God by his own works. The inexpressible glory of Christ his Lord and Saviour filled his whole being, and, in the power and joy to his soul of the excellency of Christ, he declared his grand purpose of being “found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”