Two Kinds of Righteousness

The Bibe, as we have seen, teaches, first, that we are under a law which demands perfect obedience and which threatens death in case of transgression; second, that all men have failed in rendering that obedience, and therefore are subject to the threatened penalty; third, that Christ has redeemed us from the law by being made under it (subject to it), and in our place satisfying its demands. It only remains to be shown that this perfect righteousness of Christ is presented as the ground of our justification before God. In Scriptural language, condemnation is a sentence of death pronounced upon sin; justification is a sentence of life pronounced upon righteousness. As this righteousness is not our own, as we are sinners—ungodly, without works—it must be the righteousness of another, even of Him who is our righteousness. Hence we find so constantly the distinction between our own righteousness and that which God gives. 

The Jews, the apostle says, being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God (Rom 10:3). This was the rock on which they shattered. They knew that justification required a righteousness; they insisted on urging their own, imperfect as it was, and would not accept that which God had provided in the merits of His Son, who is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes (Rom 10:4). The same idea is presented in Romans 9:30-32, where Paul sums up the case of the rejection of the Jews and the acceptance of believers. The Gentiles have attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel has not attained it. Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. The Jews would not receive and confide in the righteousness which God had provided, but endeavored, by works, to prepare a righteousness of their own. This was the cause of their ruin.

In direct contrast to the course pursued by the majority of his kinsmen, we find Paul renouncing all dependence upon his own righteousness, and thankfully receiving that which God had provided. Though he had every advantage and every temptation to trust in himself that any man could have, for he was one of the favored people of God, circumcised on the eighth day and touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless; yet all these things Paul counted but loss, that he might win Christ and be found in Him, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith (Phi 3:4-9). Here the two righteousnesses are brought distinctly into view. The one was his own, consisting in obedience to the law; this Paul rejects as inadequate and unworthy of acceptance.

The other is of God and received by faith; this Paul accepts and glories in as all-sufficient and as alone sufficient. This is the righteousness which the apostle says God imputes to those without works. Hence it is called a gift, a free gift, a gift by grace, and believers are described as those who receive this gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17). Hence we are never said to be justified by anything done by us or wrought in us, but by what Christ has done for us. We are justified through the redemption that is in Him (Rom 3:24). We are justified by His blood (Rom 5:9). We are justified by His obedience (Rom 5:19).

We are justified by Him from all things (Act 13:39). He is our righteousness (1Co 1:30). We are made the righteousness of God in Him (2Co 5:21). We are justified in His name (1Co 6:11). There is no condemnation to those who are in Him (Rom 8:1). Justification is, therefore, by faith in Christ, because faith is receiving and trusting to Him as our Savior, as having done all that is required to secure our acceptance before God.

It is thus, then, the Scriptures answer the question, How can a man be just with God? When the soul is burdened with a sense of sin, when it sees how reasonable and holy is that law which demands perfect obedience and threatens death as the penalty of transgression, when it feels the absolute impossibility of ever satisfying these just demands by its own obedience and sufferings, it is then that the revelation of Jesus Christ as our righteousness is felt to be the wisdom and power of God unto salvation. Destitute of all righteousness in ourselves, we have our righteousness in Him. What we could not do, He has done for us. The righteousness, therefore—on the ground of which the sentence of justification is passed upon the believing sinner—is not his own, but that of Jesus Christ.

Source: Charles Hodge, The Way of Life. Philadelphia, American Sunday-school Union (1841).