by Arthur W. Pink
by Arthur W. Pink
Philologos Religious Online Books
Philologos.org
by Arthur W. Pink
December, 1943
THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
At no point does the uniqueness of the Divine Oracles appear more strikingly and conspicuously than in their teachings concerning righteousness. Those teachings are at direct variance with the beliefs and conceits of men the world over: in fact so radical and unpalatable are its pronouncements on this subject that many of those who profess to receive the Scriptures as a Divine revelation have exhausted their ingenuity in attempting to explain away some of its plainest statements. The sweeping assertion that among the sons of men “there is none righteous, no, not one,” but that “all the world” stands “guilty before God” (Rom. 3:10,20), is one which never had its origin in any human brain. The declaration that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6) is too distasteful to the proud heart of fallen man to have been invented by “the Church.” The question, how can the unrighteous become righteous before the Divine Judge? is one which, when duly weighed, defies solution by human wisdom. If he had no other evidence for the inspiration of the Scriptures than their teaching upon righteousness, they would suffice to convince this writer of their Divine Authorship.
“The Word of righteousness” (Heb. 5:13). The word righteousness is a forensic one, being the antithesis of guiltiness. Reduced to its simplest form it means righteous, or up to the required standard. It therefore presupposes a rule by which conduct is measured, and that Rule is the will of God as revealed in His Word. The will of God for man is summed up in the Divine Law, and righteousness is nothing more or less than a perfect conformity to the Law in heart and life. Hence we find the Lord saying “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet” (Isa. 28:17), that is, all shall yet be measured by the immutable standard of His Law. Thus we may say, in the first place, that the Word of God is given this particular title because righteousness itself has no other Rule to be regulated by. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).
Second, the Word is so denominated because righteousness is its prime and inexorable demand. The Law is inflexible and implacable. It makes no favourable allowance for human infirmities, constitutional weaknesses, or personal defects. All possibility of misapprehension on this score is excluded if we weigh its solemn declaration, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them” (Gal. 3:10). “Cursed is every one”—without any exception of persons, without any regard to pleas of human weakness or violent temptations. “That continueth not”: it is not sufficient to observe those holy commandments in the general tenor of our lives: our course of conduct must be without the slightest intermission from the earliest dawn of reason to the final breath we draw. In all things: we must refrain from every sin forbidden and the least approach to them, and practice every virtue enjoined and every duty enforced. The Law insists upon an obedience which is perfect in its principle, perfect in all its parts, perfect in every degree, and in each of these respects, perpetual; and pronounces a curse on the slightest failure.
The spirituality and strictness of such a Law reveals the ineffable purity and immaculate righteousness of its Author. It shows that His nature is so holy and His will so immutable that He will not tolerate the least sin nor spare the slightest transgression. It tells us that those sins in which the light of nature could discern but little turpitude, that those faults which the light of reason is ready to excuse as mere trifles, are unspeakably odious and intolerably loathsome in the eyes of Jehovah. Only when the soul is made acutely aware of this does it cry out with the Psalmist, “my flesh trembleth for fear of Thee and I am afraid of Thy judgments” (119:120). It is because of their sottish insensibility of this that the vast majority of our fellows are sleeping in a false security and dreaming in presumptuous hope, instead of crying to God for mercy and fleeing from the wrath to come. It is because of their willful ignorance and excuseless blindness that the religious crowd knows not that “by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight” (Rom. 3:20).
Third, the Word is so denominated because righteousness is its grand revelation. Thousands of years ago the questions raised “How then can man be justified with God?” (Job 25:4) and that perplexity had remained unresolved until the end of time had not God Himself supplied the solution. In the Scriptures He has made known a perfect righteousness provided for the unrighteous. It was for that reason the apostle declared, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ—however it may be deemed foolishness by the sophisticated Greeks or prove a stumbling-block to the carnal Jews—for it is the power of God unto salvation”: the grand Instrument which He has ordained for that purpose, and which He will certainly crown with the success He has appointed. And wherein lies the chief and distinguishing glory of the Gospel? “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from faith to faith” (Rom. 1:16,17): not demanded of impotent sinners, but made ready for their free acceptance—held aloft by a promising God, appropriated by believing souls.
After furnishing conclusive proof that Jew and Gentile alike are destitute of righteousness, the apostle went on to say “But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe” (Rom. 3:21,22). It is a perfect righteousness, which obliterates all guilt and bestows an inalienable title to eternal life. “It is styled the righteousness of God by way of superlative pre-eminence in opposition to any righteousness of our own and in contradistinction from the righteousness of all creatures whatsoever” (James Hervey). But more: it is the “righteousness of God” because God the Father devised it from all eternity, God the Son wrought it out here upon earth, and God the Holy Spirit makes it good to us by working in us a faith which appropriates the same. To sum up Romans 1:16, 17 and 3:21, 22: salvation is by righteousness, righteousness is found in Christ, that righteousness becomes ours by faith.
In Romans 4 the apostle proceeded to illustrate his doctrine by two notable examples. Abraham, who was the most eminent of the patriarchs, the most illustrious pattern of piety among the O.T. saints, the “friend of God” (James 2:23). David, who was the most zealous of the kings, the “sweet Psalmist of Israel,” a “man after God's own heart” (1 Sam. 13,14). How then were they justified before God? Not as upright beings who could claim it, but as sinful creatures who must implore it; not by their own obedience, but by faith in the promised Messiah. Abraham “worked not” with a view to obtaining justification, but “believed on Him that justifieth the ungodly” (vv. 1-5). How was David justified? By his zeal for God's glory or by his noble services for his fellow-men? No, by a righteousness imputed, even the righteousness of Christ, that blessed redemption through which “iniquities are forgiven and sins are covered” (vv. 6-8).
Fourth, the Word is so designated because righteousness is its chief bestowment. “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17) said Christ. He fulfilled the Law by rendering to it a personal, perfect and perpetual obedience as the Surety of His people, and the moment they savingly believe in Him His obedience is reckoned to their account and becomes their legal righteousness before God (Rom. 4:24; 5:19). The perfect righteousness of Christ is “upon all them that believe” (Rom. 3:22). It is their “wedding garment” (Matt. 22:12) the “best robe” (Luke 15:22) by which they are covered. And thus may each one say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength” (Isa. 45:24). Now can he declare “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isa. 61:10). A righteous nature is also communicated, which produces righteous conduct: “everyone that doeth righteousness is born of God” (1 John 2:29). Righteousness imputed, righteousness imparted, constitute our salvation. Then let us unite with the Psalmist in exclaiming, “My mouth shall show forth Thy righteousness and Thy salvation all the day…I will go in the strength of the Lord God. I will make mention of Thy righteousness, even of Thine only” (Psa. 71:15,16). AWP
Philologos | Bible Prophecy Research | The BPR Reference Guide | About Us