"Who of God is made unto us Righteousness."—1 Cor.
1:30
It is gainful employment to analyze the term
Righteousness. The study instructs and elevates the mind. All knowledge is
dignity and power; especially knowledge of true Righteousness.
The meaning, though exceedingly grand, is not obscure. It
expresses exact rectitude, undeviating adherence to right line,
uncompromising conformity to given law. It is not a halting, stumbling, or
backsliding quality. It is not a vacillating yes and no. It is the bright
shining of faultlessness without a cloud. It is as water clear from a
mountain-spring.
This definition is general, and belongs to Righteousness
in its abstract sense. But when we enter the Gospel-region, Righteousness
assumes a far more glorious aspect. It is then perfect adherence to that law
of God, which is the transcript of His essence, the manifestation of His
image, the embodiment of His perfections. It closely follows that this
Righteousness must be the property of all who would see God's face in glory.
It must invest and ennoble all who bask in His smile, and listen to His
voice, and sit at His table, and have fellowship with His family in heaven.
If any should seek that abode whose garments exhibited stains of sin and
were not resplendent in purity, dismay would startle the bright home, eyes
would be abhorrently averted, serenity would cease to smile, the intrusion
would excite a thrill of horror. The climate of heaven is perfect holiness;
none can dwell there who are not purged from all iniquity, and clad in
clothing of celestial brightness. There must be absence of all trace of
evil, there must be the presence of all the beauties of unsullied
Righteousness. The multitude of the redeemed are cleansed from all iniquity,
and have put on a change of clothing. Thus they shine in loveliness divine,
and God, who sees the guests, counts them worthy of His own abode.
The position then admits not a denial. Those who would
enter heaven must be righteous as washed from all sin, righteous as
arrayed in all obedience.
What a momentous thought now rushes to the front! We see
that Righteousness is essential to salvation. Without it, hell gapes,
and heaven is closed. Without it, misery unalloyed glares in the prospect.
Without it, "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish" (Rom. 2:8, 9)
are the decreed portion forever. Without it, every step moves downward to
the abyss of agonized despair. Can the cry be checked, How can this
Righteousness be won? Where can this blessing come? From what quarry can
this gem be raised? In what garden can this flower be plucked? By what
efforts can such happiness be wrought?
Scripture announces that this Righteousness is the
Righteousness of God. Here is the reply to the vain hope that human merit
could procure it, or human hands elaborate it. If the whole race of man from
Adam to the present hour had combined in one effort to work out God's
Righteousness, the toil must have been utterly in vain—it would have steered
the vessel to hopeless wreck.
The subject is so infinitely important, that further
elucidation is not superfluous. Man's every day is stained with countless
sins, each hour sees violation of God's law. The wandering thoughts stray
into forbidden course. Thus the garments are bespattered with the mire of
ceaseless transgressions. But each transgression is direct antagonism to
Righteousness, and is an infinite offense infinitely hateful to our
all-righteous God. Each must be obliterated, or God's smile cannot beam
lovingly; each must be hidden from His omniscient search, or just hatred and
wrath must exist.
Here is man's miserable need. The stains of sin are
crimson-dyed. No human effort can erase them. Regard our best works. If they
could be perfect, they would but be the duty of the moment. They would only
satisfy the present claim. They would leave all behind them unobliterated;
the scarlet would be still scarlet; the guilt would be still guilt. But such
is our misery, that imperfection cleaves to our holiest works. Our
repentance needs to be washed with repenting tears, and therefore in itself
has no expunging power. If fast-falling tears bedew our worthlessness, those
tears themselves need cleansing, and therefore cannot purify offense.
Contrite weeping is faulty, and therefore cannot mitigate a fault. Shall we
present their aid to cover sin! Where is the man who turns not with shame
from praying hours! They testify of wandering thoughts, of hateful
intrusions, of unreal professions, of lack of reverence for the Majesty of
heaven. Who has not often cried, Oh! save me from my guilt in prayer! Shall
alms-giving present itself as a cloak to hide iniquity? Beneath its slender
texture what motives appear! How often is the thought prominent of
man's applause! How often is the real object to gain commendation for poor
self! In the same way all man's doings might be examined and found to be
only some phase, at least, of imperfection. Evil cannot atone for evil, sins
cannot expiate sins, transgression cannot undo the past. Iniquity cannot
constitute Righteousness. Thus man's constant lament must be, Unrighteous!
unrighteous!
Can the angelic hosts upraise us from this
miserable state? Pure indeed is their nature; holiness is their essence;
compassion is their tender feeling. But still they cannot soar beyond the
limits of created power. Their works could never rise to infinite efficacy.
Hence evil could never be removed by them. They might commiserate, but they
never could bestow a justifying Righteousness.
But now let our eyes be turned from man, and all man's
misery, from angels, and all angelic inability, to the blessed Jesus.
Instantly the scene is changed. The prospect brightens. The clouds are
raised. Hope flies to banish despair. All dismal fears give place to
heavenly brightness. Joy claps its hands and loudly utters praise. "Jesus
Christ the Righteous" shows His all-saving form. "He of God is made unto us
Righteousness." He is the rich treasure-house of the supplies which we
require, and of His fullness we may receive. His hands extend the gift,
without which we are undone. "He was made sin for us, that we might be made
the Righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:21) Hence He condescends to bear
the comforting title, "The Lord our Righteousness." (Jer. 23:6) It is the
very joy of joys to gaze on Him removing all unrighteousness, and working
out and confirming all Righteousness. Thus He justifies, thus He rescues
from hell, thus He gives title to Heaven.
Let thought now separate the distinct portions of this
redeeming work.
It is a grand truth, that Jesus came commissioned from on
high to consummate eternal salvation, and to people heaven with a multitude
all worthy of such bright abode. With such design He stoops to wear the
garments of humanity, and takes upon Himself man's total nature. As man, He
receives by the Father's appointment the burden and the guilt of all the
sins of all His people. Hear the assurance, "All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on
Him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:6) And again, "He was made sin for
us"; (2 Cor. 5:21) and weighed down under this oppressive load, He sighs,
"My iniquities have taken hold upon Me, so that I am not able to look up:
they are more than the hairs of My head." (Psa. 40:12)
It is a comforting thought, that the sins thus removed
from the guilty and transferred to the guiltless, leave the real
transgressor relieved from the weight of evil. Thus unrighteousness is
removed. "The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
Jesus thus laden with iniquities, endures all that sin merits and the law
denounces. He approaches the altar of the Cross. He there presents Himself
the willing victim. He there lays down His life, the all-sufficient
sacrifice. He there sheds His blood, worthy to make expiation and to give
total satisfaction. Wrath pours out on Him all its vials: justice sheaths in
His heart its avenging sword: the law pours on His head its total curse: He
endures to the uttermost all that justice required.
Where now are the believer's sins? That which is blotted
out can no more be found. God is satisfied, and therefore "faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John
1:9) "God is just, and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus." (Rom.
3:26) Thus Jesus is made unto us Righteousness. None who are washed in His
most precious blood can be borne off to hell. Satan claims sinners as his
own. He can offer no charge against those on whom no sin is found.
Again—Jesus lives and moves and works as very man on
earth. But what is His earthly course? It is as pure as He is pure in
heaven. His Father's will is His delight. His heart is perfect holiness. He
fully exhibited exact compliance with every demand of the glorious law.
Undeviating love is its requirement. Jesus' life was love in its perfection.
Scrutinize His every word and work. Probe every movement of His heart. They
are the image of pure Deity. He was diligently watched, but no vigilance of
malicious men, no craft of the arch-foe, could ever find a flaw in Him. In
Him love never waned or had eclipse. Thus He is "Jesus Christ the
Righteous." (1 John 2:1)
But why was this Righteousness achieved and manifested?
He lived not to acquire Righteousness for Himself. He moved on earth as the
accepted representative of His people. It was for those who He thus
lived, for those who He thus obeyed, for those who He thus brightly shone.
He wove this spotless robe that it might be the wedding garment of "the
Bride, the Lamb's wife." (Rev. 21:9) Hence the Spirit testifies,
"Righteousness is to all, and upon all those who believe." (Rom. 3:22) It is
to them as placed to their credit in the Book of Life; truly theirs, as much
as if their own performance had achieved it. It is upon them as an entire
covering, as bright as heaven is bright, and as glorious as God is glorious.
Thus Jesus is "the Lord our Righteousness." As the believer escaped hell
by the plea, "Christ died," so he enters heaven by the plea,
"Jesus lived." Christ's death places him as though he had never sinned.
Christ's life places him as though he had always obeyed. Here lips are
silent. We would adore, but language fails.
Let it be briefly added, that the application of
this Righteousness is entirely through grace. We read, "It is
therefore by faith, that it might be by grace." (Rom. 4:16) Hence it is
termed "the Righteousness of faith." Christ becomes our Righteousness by
uniting us to Himself. He makes us thoroughly one with Himself, so that "as
He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17) The uniting link is
Spirit-wrought faith. This was early exemplified in the case of Abraham. "He
believed God, and it was credited to him as Righteousness." (Rom. 4:3) By
the eye of faith he saw the day of Christ, and he was glad. By faith he
received the testimony of God, and believed in the coming Savior. This faith
made him one with Him, and "heir of the Righteousness which is by faith."
(Heb. 11:7) Similarly all who believe in Him are the children of faith, and
the heirs of Righteousness. Hence "the promise is sure to all the seed."
(Rom. 4:16) They all rejoice in Him, "who of God is made unto them
Righteousness."
How wondrous is this Gospel-truth, how evidently Divine
in origin and significance! It springs from heaven as evidently as it bears
to heaven. Let us begin on earth all adoration to Him through whom
unrighteousness is obliterated, and sin washed out, and Righteousness
imputed. And blessed be the Holy Spirit for the gift of faith, as the
connecting and appropriating link.