No Condemnation in Christ Jesus  by Octavius Winslow, 1852

The Righteousness of the Law Accomplished in the Believer

"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:4

From a representation of the impotence of the law, the Apostle passes to a vindication of its holiness. As if his statement affecting its inadequacy to accomplish that in failure of which God sent his Son into the world, might derogate from its dignity, and impair its rights, he hastens to delineate its true character, and to assert the actual fulfillment of its claims. We purpose, in the elucidation of this passage, to contemplate the exalted character of the law; and then show in what sense its righteousness is fulfilled in the believer.

"The righteousness of the law." It falls not within our province, at the present moment, to establish the necessity, or to prove the existence of a Divine law, for the moral government of God's intelligent creatures. In point of fact, the doctrine requires no argument. The proposition is self-evident. There is no part of God's creation, intelligent or irrational, left to self-government; or, in other words, that is without law. In the outer world it is manifest; in the domestic constitution still more so; and in God's providential and moral government the evidence is demonstrative. "His kingdom rules over all." It is, however, with the character, not the existence, of the Divine law which God has framed for the well-being and happiness of his moral creatures, that we have strictly now to do.

Emanating from a Being infinitely perfect in every moral perfection, it follows as a natural sequence from this truth, that the law, designed to be a transcript of what God is—a copy of himself—must be in every respect a most perfect law. "The law of the Lord is perfect." How could it be otherwise? Is it rational to suppose that a Being of infinite holiness, wisdom, and goodness, would form a rule for the government of moral creatures that would fail to place before their eye the loftiest standard of excellence, and that should not demand and secure their supreme obedience and happiness? It follows, then, that the law being essentially and perfectly holy, all its requirements must be equally so. It cannot change, nor compromise, nor soften down either the nature, or the outline, or the enforcement of a single enactment. It demands of every creature the profoundest homage, the most implicit obedience, and the most perfect love. In requiring this, the creature shall have no ground for impeaching the Divine goodness. He shall have no reason for alleging of God that he is harsh and austere. As if fearful of perplexing the mind with a multitude of enactments, our Lord has presented one precept of the law, the perfect keeping of which resolves itself into a virtual fulfillment of all. "Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment."

Who but an infinitely wise Lawgiver could have embodied all the requisitions of an extended code in a single one? What an unfolding of the wisdom of God is here! In securing to himself the supreme love of his creatures, he wins a willing obedience to every precept of his law. Such is the all-commanding, all-constraining power of love to God! Employing no other than this gentle and persuasive motive, God asks your intellect, your time, your service, your rank, your substance, your person, your life, your all. And, in demanding this complete surrender, his law stands forth, in view of all created intelligences, as a rule worthy of him from whom it emanates. O yes! it is a most righteous law.

But in what sense is the righteousness of the law accomplished in the believer? This, it will be perceived, is the declaration of the passage, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us."

Now it is obvious that the law required obedience, and that that obedience is properly termed the "righteousness of the law." How is this accomplished in us? Most clearly, not in the sense in which it supposes it fulfilled in our own persons. Where, then, would be the weakness of the law? The law has never yet received a complete fulfillment in any fallen creature. Take the most perfect specimen of human obedience, and test it by the high precept we have named. If, for instance, in your love to God there is detected any truancy of affection; if every passion of your soul, if every pulse of your heart, beat not with warm, unwavering and supreme love to God, then your love is imperfect, and your obedience necessarily so. But where is the creature who can assert his plea of perfect love to God? Who can say, "I have loved the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my mind?" What a solemn truth is this, that the best obedience of the best of creatures falls as infinitely below the requirements of the law, as the obedience of the incarnate God rose above it! How, then, are we to understand the holiness of the law as fulfilled in us? Undoubtedly, in that sense only in which it was fulfilled in our Surety. The Lord Jesus fulfilled the righteousness of the law in the behalf of his people. He only could do so who was himself "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." The first step in this wondrous achievement was his being made under the law. What a stoop of Jehovah was

this! The Lawgiver placing himself under the government of his own enactment! Let astonishment, love, and praise fill our souls, while, with more than seraphs' ardor, we look into this truth. Having made himself amenable to the law, he then proceeds to its fulfilment. He enters into no negotiation, he proposes no conditions—he asks no compromise—he demurs not at its stern, unbending demand; but receiving it from God just as it was—all broken, weak, and dishonored he yields it back to his Father, "magnified and made honorable." Trace the outline of his obedience. Is the grand moving spring of the law, love? Where was ever seen such costly love to God as our Surety displayed? Was he not a voluntary, a self-immolated sacrifice upon the altar of Divine justice, all for the love he bore his Father's honor? Did he not offer to God a perfectly pure and undivided heart? And did not that affection constrain him to a supreme consecration to his Father's glory? In addition to supreme love, was there not the most perfect sanctity of life? Did not Satan strive to ensnare him by his subtlety, and did not man seek to catch him in his words? And yet no sin was found in him. Trace all the subsequent stages of his course, until that course closed in suffering and blood, accompany him to the baptismal waters, and hear him exclaim, as he meekly yielded himself into the hands of the Baptist, "Thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness." Then follow him to Calvary, and behold the last, the finishing act of his unparalleled obedience, his obedience unto death! Was there ever such a law-fulfiller as the Son of God? Such was our Lord's fulfillment of the righteousness of the law, in behalf of his people.

But the question still returns—In what way are we to reconcile the honoring of the law by Christ, and the fulfillment of its righteousness in us?

The difficulty is solved by a reference to the federal union of Christ and his Church—a subject already adverted to in the preceding pages. Standing to his people in the relation of a Covenant Head, the law being fulfilled by him in a legal sense, it was virtually a fulfilment of the law by us, his obedience being accepted in lieu of ours. Thus it is written—"He has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." "By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Thus the doctrine of substitution at once harmonizes the apparent discrepancy. The law thus met in all its claims, fulfilled in its utmost precept, gloriously illustrated, and divinely honored, there can possibly be no condemnation to those in whose behalf the Surety acted. Thus every humble sinner who, feeling the plague of his own heart, breaking away from his dependence upon a covenant of works, and repairing in simple faith beneath the righteousness of the Incarnate God, shall never come into condemnation. In his case the precept has been obeyed, and the punishment endured, and the debt discharged, and not one drop of the dark, lowering storm shall light upon his head. Jesus has delivered him from the wrath to come. And thus by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the believer, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in him.

"Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." The rightful claimants of this privileged state are thus described. In a delineation which we have already given of this character, we remarked, that those who walked not after the flesh were those who regulated not their life by the dictates of the flesh. It supposes not his exemption from the assaults and the woundings of the flesh. So far from this, a Christian is a more prominent mark for its assailings than any other man. He may be ensnared and stumble, but he walks not after the flesh. "A just man falls seven times, and rises up again." An unrighteous man, when he falls through the temptations of the flesh, knows nothing of holy contrition for his sin, nor the sprinkling of the atoning blood upon the conscience. He falls, but where he falls he lies. "He that is unrighteous is unrighteous still." He "walks after the flesh." But those in whom the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in their Surety, and in whom a Gospel righteousness, an evangelical obedience, is performed by themselves, "walk after the Spirit."

Behold, what an open door does this subject set before the humble, convinced sinner. It encircles the whole future of his being with the covenant bow of hope. Beneath its gorgeous and expanding arch he is safe. The law, now honored as it never was—invested with a luster before which its former glory pales, and at the brightness of which angels veil their faces—the utmost honor brought to the Divine government, do you think, penitent reader, that the Lord will reject the application of a single sinner who

humbly asks to be saved? What! after the Son of God had stooped so low to save the lowest, had suffered so much to save the vilest, will the Father refuse to enfold to his reconciled heart the penitent who flees to its blessed asylum? Never! Approach, then, bowed and broken, weary and burdened spirit. There is hope for you in Jesus, there is forgiveness for you in Jesus, there is acceptance for you in Jesus, there is rest for you in Jesus, there is a heaven of bliss and glory awaiting you– all in Jesus, the law's great fulfiller. O, how welcome will the heart of Christ make you. How full and free will be the pardon of God extended to you. How deep and rich the peace, and joy, and hope, which, like a river, will roll its gladdening waves into your soul the moment that you receive Christ into your heart! "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved." "He that believes shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life."

Saints of God, keep the eye of your faith intently and immovably fixed upon Christ, your sole pattern. Our Lord did not keep that law that his people might be lawless. He did not honor that law that they might dishonor its precepts. His obedience provided no license for our disobedience. His fulfillment releases us not from the obligation--the sweet and pleasant, yet solemn obligation to holiness of life. Our faith does not make void the law, but rather establishes the law. The "righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us" when we "walk after the Spirit," in lowly conformity to Christ's example. Was he meek and lowly in heart? Did he bless when cursed? Did he, when reviled, revile not again? Did he walk in secret with God? Did he always seek to do those things which pleased his Father? Did he live a life of faith, and prayer, and toil? So let us imitate him, that of us it may be said, "These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goes."

What richer comfort can flow into the hearts of the godly than that which springs from this truth? "The righteousness of the law fulfilled in us!" What wondrous, blessed words! You are often in fear that the righteousness of the law will rise against you; and when you consider your many failures and shortcomings, you justly tremble. But fear not! for in Christ the law is perfectly fulfilled, and fulfilled in your stead, as much as if you had obeyed it in your own person. Is not this a sure ground of comfort? You see the imperfection of your own obedience, and you are alarmed; but have you not an eye also for the perfection of Christ's obedience, which he has made yours by imputation? "There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus," because he has fulfilled the law's righteousness in their behalf. You are cast down because of the law of sin, but the Spirit of life has freed you from the law. You are troubled because of the law of God, but that law, by Christ's perfect obedience, is fulfilled in you. You desire a righteousness that will present you without spot before God, you have it in him who is the "Lord our Righteousness." Christian! Christ's whole obedience is yours. What can sin, or Satan, or conscience, or the law itself allege against you now? Be humble, and mourn over the many flaws and failures in your obedience; yet withal rejoice, and glory, and make your boast in the fullness, perfection, and unchangeableness of that righteousness of the Incarnate God which will place you without fault before the throne. Sinner! if the righteousness of the law is not fulfilled in you now, that righteousness will be exhibited in your just condemnation to all eternity! Flee to Christ Jesus, the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes.