Righteousness can be understood both as the state of one who is right with God and as the life(style) of that one. Which is Paul talking about? The answer is that the two truths are inseparable. What Paul is seeking is found in Christ (v9); that is our position before God. Yet Paul is seeking a lifestyle of righteousness (v10-14), the life that is conformed to His death and that attains to His resurrection. He wants the one so as to have the other; he does not suggest having one without the other.
There
are four prepositions used in relation to righteousness.
·
“In”: denoting position. Paul wants to be found in Him, in Christ. He wants
to be that person that believers become when they are born again. Rom. 6:1-6 speaks of this union with Christ
where we are united with Him in His death and resurrection.
·
“From”: denoting origin. This preposition is twice in v9: my own
righteousness from the law and the
righteousness from God by faith. The former is the most popular righteousness;
it is measuring up to some law. The
problem is that it does not meet God’s standard. It is the righteousness that is like filthy rags (Isa. 64:6); it falls short
of God’s glory (Rom. 3:10,20-23). But
the latter, the righteousness from God
does meet His standard because it is the righteousness of Christ. Note these simple thoughts about God as the
“source” of righteousness:
o Rom.
5:17: It is a “gift” from God. To use
terminology of some it is “alien righteousness;” it comes to us from outside of
us, given to us by God.
o Rom.
8:3-4: It depends on Christ’s righteousness.
I can’t fulfill the law; He did!
o 2
Cor. 5:21: We become the righteousness of God in Christ.
·
“Through”: denoting the channel of an act. A literal translation of v9 reads, that which is through the faith of Christ. Most English translations say “faith in
Christ” but that does not do justice to the specific preposition. Further it makes this phrase the same as the
next phrase. The point is that through
Jesus’ faith, through His trust in His Father by which He was obedient even to
death on the cross, through Jesus’ faith righteousness is made available to
believers.
·
“Upon”: that upon which anything rests. This is the preposition in the final phrase
of v9: the righteousness which is from
God by faith. This is where
our faith comes into the picture.
Christ’s faith on the cross made Him the channel of righteousness. Through my faith in Christ I have
appropriated His righteousness. Thus
Scripture says to him who does not work
but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for
righteousness (Rom. 4:5). And it is
also the reason Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because in it
God’s righteousness through Christ was revealed so that people might live by faith (Rom. 1:16-17).
Again we ask: where is my confidence? Is it in the flesh, my own righteousness? Or is it in Christ and His faithful work on the cross?
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