RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH FAITH At some point, the heart must be brought to trust in the Word of the Lord – particularly its assessment of the human race. The reason for this is straightforward. MEN WILL NOT RECEIVE A RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD UNTIL THEY ARE CONVINCED THEY HAVE NONE OF THEIR OWN. -- Tomorrow:
"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: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Rom 3:21-26)
Devotion 2 of 24
One of the grievous transgressions of sectarianism is the attempt to codify morality and systematize salvation. Among other things, this is the inveterate tendency of men because they overestimate their own wisdom and ability. They imagine themselves to be equal to the task of pleasing God through natural aptitude alone.
Without going into the particulars of this circumstance, it is enough to observe WHY men engage in such efforts. It is because they either do not possess the righteousness of God, or lack the confidence that they do. An ignorance of the righteousness of God (Rom 10:3) compels the unlearned to seek a righteousness of their own. This is the mother of legalism, and is a blight upon the body of Christ.
If a fundamental ignorance of the righteousness of God, that is given to men, did not exist, the passage we are considering would not be necessary. It has been given to us to clarify what the devil has obscured, and to lift us into the realm of blessing, and out of the realm of cursing.
RIGHTEOUSNESS APART FROM THE LAW
"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets."
Having seen the fruitlessness of all human endeavors to become righteous, the Spirit will now reveal to us the Divine initiative. He will show us what the Lord has done about our situation. The absolute effectiveness and availability of Divine intention will be proclaimed with great spiritual power. Here is something every soul needs to comprehend.
BUT NOW
Here is a joyful transition from the condemnation of the Law to the good news of the Gospel. The provision of a righteousness from God is not an afterthought, or a Divine reaction to an unexpected turn of events. Since what is now revealed transcends what was experienced at the first by Adam, it should be evident it was purposed before him. Things did not begin with Adam, but with Divine purpose – before the world began. As it is written, "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN" (2 Tim 1:9).
In His redemptive capacity, Jesus "was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you" (1 Pet 1:20). He is truly "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev 13:8). That being the case, Adam was not the ultimate man, but only "the first man" (1 Cor 15:45,47). Through him, the introduction to God's "eternal purpose" was initiated upon the earth. That purpose included the predetermination that those foreknown by God would be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom 8:29). This conformation involved the subject of our text: the "righteousness of God."
Among other things, this confirms that, in Christ, God is not restoring what Adam had. Although such a view is quite common, it has no basis in Scripture. Jesus is the "last Adam" (1 Cor 15:45), and the beginning of a new race – "the second Man" (1 Cor 15:47). He is NOT giving back what Satan took away, for Satan did not take away what God intended to give. The dominion that will be realized in the world to come will be vastly superior to the dominion Adam had only for a short time. Jesus is the end of Adam, not his restoration.
A PURPOSE FOR HISTORY
At the time when Christ entered into the world, from an earthly perspective, it looked as though history had been virtually ungoverned, with no real purpose being served. But this was not the case at all. In the digression of man, there was an increasing confirmation of his fundamental sinfulness. Both time and the old covenant proved this was true.
AVOIDING POINTLESS PHILOSOPHY
We must zealously avoid developing crystallized philosophies about this matter, or posing questions that are not posed in Scripture. Some, for example, spend endless hours contemplating whether or not God knew man would sin. Based upon speculation, these contemplators then question why God did not stop man from sinning, or if there was a race before man . . . etc., etc., etc. These are all profitless cogitations. They reveal the very real depravity of the flesh, and the absolute need for a new nature – a "new heart" and a "new spirit" (Ezek 36:26).
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for the "better" things you have purposed to give, and that they are realized in Christ alone.