An earnest enquirer asks, “In Rom. 1:1717For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17), there is revealed the righteousness of God by faith unto faith.” “What does Paul mean by the two faiths in this verse?”
This inquiry contains one of the deepest needs of souls—one which lays at the very root of solid peace with God.
The literal translation of this scripture is given thus: “For I am not ashamed of the glad tidings; for it is God’s power to salvation, to every one that believes, both to Jew first, and to Greek: for righteousness of God is revealed therein, on the principle of faith, to faith: according as it is written, But the just shall live by faith [or on the principle of faith.]” Righteousness of God is a new thing—a new thought, revealed in contrast with righteousness of man required by the law. It is important to understand this clearly. The glad tidings are thus in direct contrast with the law.
The law was concerning man, God’s righteous claims on man, God claiming righteousness from man, the just and holy commands of God to man—that was the principle of law. It was no question of faith, but of perfect obedience.
Now mark this entirely new revelation, the glad tidings, is God’s power to salvation to everyone that believes. Surely then it is of the first importance to understand what this new revelation is. “For righteousness of God is revealed therein, on the principle of faith, to faith.” That is, it is not at all. neither can be, on the principle of works of law; but is entirely on the principle of faith. And it is still further remarkable what follows: “according as it is written, But the just shall live by faith.” In the original “by faith” is the same as “on the principle of faith.”
The apostle then proves that on the principle of law, man, whether Jew or Gentile, cannot be justified. Those under law were sinners, guilty of the most shameful sins. Those not under law were no better; all were proved guilty. “For we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin: as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one,” &c. The applied principle of law only brought out this: “That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
Let it then be fully understood that on the principle of law and works no one can be justified—all are concluded under judgment to God. Man has been fully tried, found guilty, and is under judgment. Like a prisoner who has been fully and fairly tried by a jury of twelve of his countrymen. All that counsel could say for him has been said. The sentence is past: he is under judgment of death. Look at him in his condemned cell, waiting the awful moment of execution. Here the illustration must stop. Nothing can illustrate this new revelation of God. No judge could pass sentence on a proved-guilty prisoner, and then declare himself to be the very justifier of this guilty man. Could he say, “The prisoner at the bar has been proved guilty. I have, according to the principles of the law of this land, passed sentence of death upon him; and now I justify him from every charge, and declare there is no condemnation to him?” On the principle of law, even human law, this would be impossible.
Have you ever been taken up? It is not unlikely that you have been trying to attain to righteousness and justification by the principles of law. Have you ever felt the horror of the condemned cell—guilty and under judgment? You may say, “I am not a Jew, I was never under law.” Very well, but you have sinned; you are guilty; you are under judgment if you belong to this world. Now the very principle of law is what you are to God, and you never can be satisfied that you are what you would like to be to God. No, if you stand before God on the principle of what you are, and what you have done, or what you feel, &c, if it is concerning yourself, you are in the condemned cell; and you cannot get out on the principle of your works to God. God is true; you have no righteousness, not even as much as would satisfy your own conscience. Have you?
Hence the deep need of your soul to have righteousness of God. This is, not what you are to God, hut what God is to you. It is entirely what God is, in justifying you, a guilty, condemned sinner. Oh, the need in this day of this new revelation, righteousness of God, on the principle of faith. This is without law; if we bring in the principle of law, God could not be righteous in justifying what His law condemns. It is wholly apart from law, though the law with all its sacrifices bore witness of Gods provision and purpose to justify the sinner. The prophets speak of the Holy Sufferer, who should bear the iniquities of His people. Abraham believed God, and was accounted righteous.
Now, how has righteousness of God been revealed? On the principle of faith. “Righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ towards all, and upon all those who believe; for there is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3:22-2422Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:22‑24).) You will notice these glad tidings are concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; not concerning us, or our feelings, or our works.
What then has God done? We are guilty, only guilty. What has God done? is the question. He has loved us when guilty in the condemned cell. He has given His Son to die for us, to redeem us from guilt and judgment. All this was pure grace to the guilty under judgment. God, in sending His Son to redeem us, is set before us as the object of faith. In the life of Jesus we see God for us, not reckoning our iniquities unto us, but in love, beseeching us to be reconciled to Him. And when this utterly failed to win the heart of man, when the very priesthood of His people Israel hated Him with inveterate hatred, even unto the most cruel and shameful death, even there in that death, grace and righteousness shone forth as never known or seen before. When we had done our utmost against God in the person of the eternal Son, in that very place, on that very cross, God was for us. He was delivered for our iniquities. If God is to be righteous in justifying us, Jesus must suffer the infinite wrath due to our sins. Yea, more: He must be made sin, and as the one sin offering, He must be forsaken of God. Yes, Jesus, lifted up on the cross, explains, reveals righteousness of God in justifying both Old Testament saints before, and all who have believed since that death on the cross. Jesus said, “It is finished.” He bowed His head in death, gave up the Ghost, and was laid in the sepulcher.
But how am I to know that God has accepted the atoning death of Christ for me? “Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification:” precious certainty for faith to rest upon. Now, have our works, or our feelings, or our keeping the law, anything to do with this certainty of faith? Did our feelings raise Him from the dead? Oh, the blessed principle of faith: God the object of faith to our faith. That is, we believe God; and believing God, we have all the eternal benefit of righteousness of God. It is upon us. “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ,” &c. (Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1).)
You notice the article, “the,” is omitted in the original. “Righteousness of God,” not the righteousness, as if there were any other righteousness. “There is none righteous, no, not one.” How vain then must be the effort to seek righteousness by works, or on the principle of works, or law. There is no such thing as righteousness on the principle of works. God sets His Son before us as the object of faith, all on the principle of faith. Will you try any longer to prove that God has made a mistake? that after all you hope, with His help, to attain to salvation by your works, and by your prayers, or fasting, or by any other means? You must see that all this is not on the principle of faith. And you never can have peace with God on the principle of works.
No, righteousness of God is what God has done. Do you say, What has He done? He set Christ before you as the mercy seat. The blood of Jesus is the answer. The atoning death for our sins is the answer of God. God hath laid our iniquities on His only begotten Son on the cross. Yes, God so loved us when we were in, not our righteousness, but in our sins, and had no righteousness. God undertook our redemption. He provided the Lamb. This is “righteousness of God, which is, by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe.” What a wonderful thing the principle of faith is. Many hundreds of years before Jesus thus died as the sacrifice for sins, Abraham believed God, and faith was reckoned for righteousness. But now Jesus has died, God has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (all who believe). Jesus, sent of the Father, has taken the entire responsibility of all our sins. He has endured the wrath due to them; and He has put them away. The believer is justified in Him.
Can you doubt that God has accepted Him as our representative? Look at that empty sepulcher. Where is Jesus? Look up to the throne of God. Jesus is there, crowned with glory. He was once crowned with thorns, bearing the shame that we deserved; and then soon far deeper sorrow, bearing the wrath of God—made sin for us. Once all our sins were on Him when forsaken of God. Oh, mystery of love!
Is one of our sins on Him now? If one of our sins is on Him now in heaven, He must be as forsaken of God as He was on the cross. Such is sin in the sight of righteousness of God. No, sins are gone, to be remembered no more: and all this on the principle of faith according to righteousness of God, not according to my righteousness of law. Jesus has made peace by the death of the cross, according to righteousness of God. Thus everything that was on the principle of our works is gone. All things are now new, and all of God.
Now, do you believe that God is righteous in putting away your sins by the blood of Jesus? and further, in raising up His beloved Son for your justification? If you believe God, righteousness, His righteousness, is reckoned to you. You are reckoned righteous before God. You are reckoned what that blessed Man, God’s Son, is in the glory. “As He is, so are we in this world,” and soon to be as He is, like Him forever. “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Do not forget Satan’s object is ever to take the eye off Christ, the principle of faith, to self, the principle of works, or what I am to God. Satan knows well, how this fills the soul with darkness and unbelief. The principle of faith is what God is to me revealed in Christ.
C.S.