Christ Our Righteousness
Many Have Missed the Way
How strange and how sad that this simple, beautiful way of righteousness seems so hard for the natural, carnal heart to find and accept! It was a great sorrow to Paul that Israel, his kinsmen according to the flesh, missed the way so fatally. He said: “Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.” Romans 9:31, 32. COR 20.2
On the other hand, “the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.” Romans 9:30. COR 20.3
And now the apostle reveals the real secret of Israel’s failure: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law [the one to whom the law points] for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Romans 10:3, 4 COR 20.4
Finally, the apostle closes his exposition of this sublime theme with these assuring words: “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10. COR 21.1
“Righteousness by faith” is not a theory. People may hold a theory about it, and at the same time be “ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness.” “Righteousness by faith” is a transaction, an experience. It is a submitting unto “the righteousness of God.” It is a change of standing before God and His law. It is a regeneration, a new birth. Without this change there can be no hope for the sinner, for he will remain under the condemnation of God’s changeless, holy law; its terrible penalty will still hang over his head. COR 21.2
How very essential it thus appears that we come to know, by clear, positive experience, that this great, vital transaction called “righteousness by faith” has been wrought in our hearts and lives by the power of God. Only then can we truly pray our Lord’s prayer, addressing, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.” COR 21.3
“This name is hallowed by the angels of heaven, by the inhabitants of unfallen worlds. When you pray, ‘Hallowed be Thy name,’ you ask that it may be hallowed in this world, hallowed in you. God has acknowledged you before men and angels as His child; pray that you may do no dishonor to the ‘worthy name by which ye are called.’ God sends you into the world as His representatives. In every act of life you are to make manifest the name of God. This petition calls upon you to possess His character. You cannot hallow His name, you cannot represent Him to the world, unless in life and character you represent the very life and character of God. This you can do only through the acceptance of the grace and righteousness of Christ.”-Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 158. COR 22.1