by Nyron Medina The greatest controversy in the history of Christianity has been upon the doctrine of Righteousness by Faith. These discussions have not yet ended. They have been kept alive by the large amount of literature that continues to be produced on this topic. What is Righteousness by Faith? Or, according to the original language of the Second Witness, what is 'Righteousness of Faith' (Rom 4:13) or Righteousness of God...through Faith... ?11 (Rom 3:22). The present reigning concepts are all anti-nomian (against God's Law), and are meant to define God's work of Justification and the sacrificial crucifixion in such a way as to hide from the view of man the need to keep God's Law. In order to understand the phrase "Righteousness of Faith," we have first to understand what is righteousness and faith and what are their relationship. Also, we must understand how to become righteous "out of" faith which is called Justification, and how was Righteousness justifying Righteousness revealed at the cross. The prime erroneous concept we have to disannul is that which describes the Righteousness of God in terms of the cross. For example, "of course, the way in which Paul interprets the doing and dying of Christ. He also calls it a "Redemption"(four times), a "Propitiation" (one time), and a "reconciliation" (four times). But He uses the word "Righteousness" (or God) and related nouns, verbs and adjectives ("justification", "justify","justified") numerous times." Justification by Robert D. Brinsmead, pg. 44. "The righteousness of faith is the righteousness which faith apprehends - namely, the doing and dying of the God-man, Jesus Christ. It is the righteousness which is the object of faith,and not any quality in, with or after faith." The shaking of Adventism by Geoffrey J. Paxton pg.44. "Thus in the death of Christ the sins of His people were judge and 'forgotten' and the result of (His) act of Righteousness was Justification that brings life for all men." Know the Truth by Bruce Milne, pg.154. "But for those who are in Christ, He has therefore become righteosness, and the content of the gospel of the death and resurrection of Christ can be defined as the revelation of the righteousness of God for everyone who believes." Paul: An outline of His Theology by Herman Ridderbos pg.168. Now, all these quotations have one thing in CO~on, they all Present the Righteousness of God as the deeds and death Of Christ. And to some it is the resurrection Of Christ. Thus when they say that God imputes this Righteousness of Christ to the believer as free from condemnation by Christ's death, and thus he is accepted in a secure standing with God. This is what they call justification and, as it is clearly evident, this have nothing to do with the giving of the law of God in the heart. So that this "Gospel;" is basically anti-nomian and illegal. Now if the historical doing and dying of Christ in time and space (in Palestine about 2000 years ago) is the revelation of God's righteousness or justice, it would mean that there was no actual Righteousness (of God) before Christ incarnated. If the righteousness of God is Christ's redemptive act on the cross then there was no righteousness in existence in First Witness times, or, there was a different righteousness before the entrance of sin, and a different type of sin. But scripture no where presents righteousness so fragile. David tells us that God's "... Righteousness endureth for ever" (Ps 111:3). In fact, righteousness is never depersonalized for "Yahweh (is) our righteousness" (Jer 23:6) and He "... change(s) not..." (Mal 3:6). Now not only is Yahweh Himself Righteousness but His Law is an expression of His divine nature - the biblical definition for righteousness. The following texts in both the First and Second Witnesses either plainly or implicatively say so. (Ps 119:172;142,144; Isa 51:6,7; Ps 37:30,31; Ps 40:8,9; Ps 111:3,7,8; Dan 4:27; Rom 2:26,27;Rom 8:4;Rom 9:31,32;1 Pet 2:24;1 Jn 3:4;1 Jn 5:17). Thus Righteousness is simply described as the spiritual law of God (Rom 3:20,22; Rom 7: 14; Rom 8:2). It is true that the righteousness of God is revealed in Christ, who is the truth - the gospel (Jn 14:6; Rom 1:16,17), and this includes His death and resurrection. The cross of Christ exemplified this Righteousness in a wonderful way. For example, the keenness of the sufferage of Christ, the extent of which was eternal in quality, was based upon His purity from sin (1 Pet 2:22) as He sinlessly obeyed the Law (Jn 15:10). This exalted the Law as exceedingly perfect and i table (Rom 7:12; Ps 111:7,8). The fact that Christ had to die for sin, which is transgression of the law (1 Jn 3:4), is proof that God could not change His law. This not only showed how immutable it is, but it showed that God's aversion for sin is His character or nature Himself (Isa 59:2), and this is His Law (Rom 8:6,7). Thus "...the Lord (was) well pleased for His righteousness sake; He ... magnified the law and (made) it honourable. (Isa 42:21), at the cross. The Law then is the "... Righteousness of God through Faith of Jesus Christ. . . " (Rom 3:22). It is justifying Righteousness because it is into all and upon all them ... believing (Rom 3:22). But what is faith? Apostate Protestants usually describe it as "believing," "trust" or some, recognizing the emptiness of these definitions even define faith as "believing God's redemptive act..." and so, by this they make faith (which is a noun) both a noun and verb together. The verb is "believing" the noun is "Redemptive act. " But Heb. 11:1) using "Hupostais".(title deed) and "Elegehos" (proof). Word Studies From the Greek New Testament Vol 2 pg 192-193 by Kenneth S. Wuest put these concepts to death. Faith is the revealed truths of the Plan of Salvation (1 Tim 4:6; Rom 3:3; Rom 10:8), and (Heb 11:6) shows that it is through our mental act of believing that we acquire or possess faith, but faith is not believing. And (Phil 1:27) tells us that the gospel has faith while (Gal 1:23) tells us that faith can be preached. Thus the gospel is the gospel of faith. What then is the relation of faith to Righteousness? It is the same as the relationship of Righteousness to the gospel. Righteousness is "in it" (Rom 1:17), the "Righteousness of God" is in the gospel which is the gospel of faith. Thus this righteousness is represented in the original Greek as coming "EK" "out of faith..." (Rom 1:17), as "... through faith or Jesus ..." (Rom 3:22) (meaning through the medium of), as "... the Righteousness of the Faith..." (Rom 4:11) (meaning the Righteousness that belongs to the faith) or the "...Righteousness of Faith..." (Rom 4:13). The revealed truths of the gospel of the Plan of Salvation simply reveal the nature, law, love or the righteousness of God which inhabits it. Now we can understand how this righteousness of faith justifies us when God imputes it to us. The prime problem of man is the sin of the carnal mind (Rom 3:23; Rom 8:6,7). The opposite of sin is Righteousness (Dan 4:27). To make man right or just, which is justifying him, the carnal mind must be obliterated and righteousness - the law, love or nature of God must substitute it. This solution is what is explained in Romans chapter 4,5,6,7, and 8. In Chapter 4, when we believe the faith - gospel, that "... the faith is counted into 'righteousness." (Rom4:5). If our faith (revealed truths) is counted into righteousness it means that its righteousness is in us like the faith itself. Faith is being esteemed as into righteousness, that is, it reaches into righteousness for us, that we may have the Righteousness into which faith is sunk, and comes from the faith. The intention of faith is to grasp into Righteousness for us, and that it does. Thus by counting faith to us, we get the righteousness the faith plunged into and pulls into us. Human believing cannot do this for we are not the Mediator. Faith must mediate or bring Righteousness to us, thus it must grab into it, and is thus counted as grabbing into it for us. Rom 6:6,7 tells us that the "old man" of the carnal mind is "crucified", "for he that is dead is justified from the sin (of the carnal mind). Rom 8:2,4 tells us that the "law of the Spirit. . (the spiritual Law) or "Righteousness of the Law" - the righteousness of God through Christ's faith is made to fulfil in us. This law was in our heart under Prevenient Grace convicting us, but when we repent and believe it is.given "Didous" (Heb 8:10), into our minds by imputation and so we are made righteous. So the righteous have the Law - righteousness (Ps 119: 172) of God in their hearts (Ps 37:30,31). Those who know righteousness have the law of God in them (Isa 51:6,7). So Justification is the giving of the law into the heart which brings obedience (Pr 4:23; Rom 3:28,31). The perfect realization of the law is the character of Christ for the Righteousness we need (Rom 10:4). The knowledge of God - the gospel or faith of Christ awakens us to righteousness thus we sin not when it is imputed into us (1 Cor 15:34). So our conclusion is that righteousness of faith is the law that Christ magnified on the cross that comes through the medium of faith, and it is only when God imputes it to us (as it was convicting us in our hearts), it becomes subjectively our new possession of character. AMEN. The Elijah Messenger would be more than eager to answer any of your questions on what you have just read. We feel it is our obligation to explain as much as the Spirit of God inspires us to do so. In these last days His Spirit is urging us all to be diligent with what we know and more importantly not stop searching for the Truth which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. May God Bless. |
WHAT IS...RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH?