In our last chapter we contemplated the
problem which is presented in the justifying or pronouncing righteous
one who is a flagrant violater of the Law of God. Some may have been surprised
at the introduction of such a term as "problem": as there are many in the ranks
of the ungodly who feel that the world owes them a living, so there are
not a few Pharisees in Christendom who suppose it is due them that at
death their Creator should take them to Heaven. But different far is it with
one who has been enlightened and convicted by the Holy Spirit, so that he sees
himself to be a filthy wretch, a vile rebel against God. Such an one will ask,
seeing that the word of God so plainly declares "there shall in no wise enter
into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination" (Rev.
21:27), how is it possible that I can ever gain admission into the
heavenly Jerusalem? How can it be that one so completely devoid of
righteousness as I am, and so filled with unrighteousness, should ever be
pronounced just by a holy God?
Various attempts have been made by unbelieving
minds to solve this problem. Some have reasoned that if they now turn over a
new leaf, thoroughly reform their lives and henceforth walk in obedience to
God's Law, they shall be approved before the Divine Tribunal. This scheme,
reduced to simple terms, is salvation by our own works. But such a scheme is
utterly untenable, and salvation by such means is absolutely impossible. The
works of a reformed sinner cannot be the meritorious or efficacious cause of
his salvation, and that for the following reasons. First, no provision is made
for his previous failures. Suppose that henceforth I never again transgress
God's Law, what is to atone for my past sins? Second, a fallen and sinful
creature cannot produce that which is perfect, and nothing short of perfection
is acceptable to God. Third, were it possible for us to be saved by our own
works, then the sufferings and death of Christ were needless. Fourth, salvation
by our own merits would entirely eclipse the glory of Divine grace.
Others suppose this problem may be solved by an
appeal to the bare mercy of God. But mercy is not an attribute that
overshadows all the other Divine perfections: justice, truth, and holiness are
also operative in the salvation of God's elect. The law is not set aside, but
honored and magnified. The truth of God in His solemn threats is not sullied,
but faithfully carried out. The Divine righteousness is not flouted, but
vindicated. One of God's perfections is not exercised to the injury of any of
the others, but all of them shine forth with equal clearness in the plan which
Divine wisdom devised. Mercy at the expense of justice over-ridden would not
suit the Divine government, and justice enforced to the exclusion of mercy
would not befit the Divine character. The problem which no finite intelligence
could solve was how both might be exercised in the sinner's
salvation.
A striking example of mercy helpless
before the claims of the law occurs in Daniel 6. There we find that Darius, the
king of Babylon, was induced by his nobles to sign a decree that any subject
within his kingdom who should pray, or "ask a petition of any God or man for
thirty days" save the king himself, should be cast into the den of lions.
Daniel knowing this, nevertheless, continued to pray before God as hitherto.
Whereupon the nobles acquainted Darius with his violation of the royal edict,
which "according to the law of the Medes and Persians altereth not," and
demanded his punishment. Now Daniel stood high in the king's favour, and he
greatly desired to show clemency unto him, so he "set his heart on Daniel
to deliver him, and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver
him." But he found no way out of the difficulty: the law must be
honored, so Daniel was cast into the lion's den.
An equally striking example of law
helpless in the presence of mercy is found in John 8. There we read of a
woman taken in the act of adultery. The scribes and Pharisees apprehended her
and set her before Christ, charging her with the crime, and reminding the
Saviour that "Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned." She
was unquestionably guilty, and her accusers were determined that the penalty of
the law should be inflicted upon her. The Lord turned to them and said, "He
that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her"; and they,
being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, leaving the
adulteress alone with Christ. Turning to her, He asked, "Woman, where are thine
accusers, hath no man condemned thee?" She replied, "No man, Lord," and He
answered, "Neither do I condemn thee, go, and sin no more."
The two adverse principles are seen operating
in conjuction in Luke 15. The "Father" could not have the (prodigal) son at
His table clad in the rags of the far country, but He could go out and meet him
in those rags: He could fall on his neck and kiss him in those rags--it was
blessedly characteristic of His grace so to do; but to seat him at His
table in garments suited to the swine-troughs would not be fitting. But the
grace which brought the Father out to the prodigal "reigned" through that
righteousness which brought the prodigal in to the Father's house. It
had not been "grace" had the Father waited till the prodigal decked himself out
in suitable garments of his own providing; nor would it have been
"righteousness" to bring him to His table in his rags. Both grace and
righteousness shone forth in their respective beauty when the Father said
"bring forth the best robe, and put it on him."
It is through Christ and His atonement that the
justice and mercy of God, His righteousness and grace, meet in the justifying
of a believing sinner. In Christ is found the solution to every problem which
sin has raised. In the Cross of Christ every attribute of God shines
forth in its meridian splendor. In the satisfaction which the Redeemer offered
unto God every claim of the law, whether preceptive or penal, has been fully
met. God has been infinitely more honored by the obedience of the last Adam
than He was dishonored by the disobedience of the first Adam. The justice of
God was infinitely more magnified when its awful sword smote the beloved Son,
than had every member of the human race burned for ever and ever in the lake of
fire. There is infinitely more efficacy in the blood of Christ to cleanse, than
there is in sin to befoul. There is infinitely more merit in Christ's one
perfect righteousness than there is demerit in the combined unrighteousness of
all the ungodly. Well may we exclaim, "But God forbid that I should glory, save
in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14).
But while many are agreed that the atoning death
of Christ is the meritorious cause of His peoples' salvation, there are now few
indeed who can give any clear Scriptural explanation of the way and
manner by which the work of Christ secures the justification of all who
believe. Hence the need for a clear and full statement thereon. Hazy ideas at
this point are both dishonouring to God and unsettling to our peace. It is of
first importance that the Christian should obtain a clear understanding of the
ground on which God pardons his sins and grants him a title to the
heavenly inheritance. Perhaps this may best be set forth under three words:
substitution, identification, imputation. As their Surety and Sponsor, Christ
entered the place occupied by His people under the law, so identifying Himself
with them as to be their Head and Representative, and as such He assumed and
discharged all their legal obligations: their liabilities being transferred to
Him, His merits being transferred to them.
The Lord Jesus has wrought out for His people a
perfect righteousness by obeying the law in thought and word and deed, and this
righteousness is imputed to them, reckoned to their account. The Lord Jesus has
suffered the penalty of the law in their stead, and through His atoning death
they are cleansed from all guilt. As creatures they were under
obligations to obey Gods' Law; as criminals (transgressors) they were
under the death-sentence of the law. Therefore, to fully meet our liabilities
and discharge our debts it was necessary that our Substitute should both obey
and die. The shedding of Christ's blood blotted out our sins, but it did not,
of itself, provide the "best robe" for us. To silence the accusations of the
law against us so that there is now "no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus" is simply a negative blessing: something more was
required, namely, a positive righteousness, the keeping of the law, so
that we might be entitled to its blessing and reward.
In Old Testament times the name under which the
Messiah and Mediator was foretold is, "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jer. 23:6).
It was plainly predicted by Daniel that He should come here to "finish the
transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for
iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness" (9:24). Isaiah
announced "Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and
strength: even to Him shall men come; and all that are incensed against Him
shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and
shall glory" (45:24, 25). And again, he represents each of the redeemed
exclaiming, "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" (61:10).
In Romans 4:6-8 we read, "David also describeth
the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Here we are
shown the inseparability of the two things: God imputing "righteousness"
and God not imputing "sins." The two are never divided: unto whom God imputes
not sin He imputes righteousness; and unto whom He imputes righteousness, He
imputes not sin. But the particular point which we are most anxious for the
reader to grasp is, Whose "righteousness" is it that God imputes or
reckons to the account of the one who believes? The answer is, that
righteousness which was wrought out by our Surety, that obedience to the law
which was vicariously rendered by our Sponsor, even "the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:1). This righteousness is not only
"unto all" but also "upon all them that believe" (Rom. 3:22). It is
called "the righteousness of God" because it was the righteousness of
the God-man Mediator, just as in Acts 20:28 His blood is call the blood of
God.
The "righteousness of God" which is mentioned so
frequently in the Roman epistle refers not to the essential
righteousness of the Divine character, for that cannot possibly be
imputed or legally transferred to any creature. When we are told in 10:3 that
the Jews were "ignorant of God's righteousness" it most certainly does not mean
they were in the dark concerning the Divine rectitude or that they knew nothing
about God's justice; but it signifies that they were unenlightened as to the
righteousness which the God-man Mediator had vicariously wrought out for His
people. This is abundantly clear from the remainder of that verse: "and going
about to establish their own righteousness"--not their own rectitude or
justice, but performing works by which they hoped to merit acceptance with God.
So tightly did they cling to this delusion, they, "submitted not themselves
unto the righteousness of God": that is, they refused to turn from their
self-righteousness and put their trust in the obedience and sufferings of the
incarnate Son of God.
"I would explain what we mean by the imputation
of Christ's righteousness. Sometimes the expression is taken by our divines in
a larger sense, for the imputation of all that Christ did and suffered for our
redemption whereby we are free from guilt, and stand righteous in the sight of
God; and so implies the imputation both of Christ's satisfaction and obedience.
But here I intend it in a stricter sense, for the imputation of that
righteousness or moral goodness that consists in the obedience of Christ. And
by that obedience being imputed to us, is meant no other than this, that that
righteousness of Christ is accepted for us, and admitted instead of that
perfect inherent righteousness that ought to be in ourselves: Christ's perfect
obedience shall be reckoned to our account, so that we shall have the benefit
of it, as though we had performed it ourselves: and so we suppose, that a title
to eternal life is given us as the reward of this righteousness" (Jonathan
Edwards).
The one passage which casts the clearest light
upon that aspect of justification which we are now considering is 2 Corinthians
5:21, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in Him." Here we have the counter imputations: of
our sins to Christ, of His righteousness to us. As the teaching of this verse
is of such vital moment let us endeavor to consider its terms the more closely.
How was Christ "made sin for us"? By God imputing to Him our
disobedience, or our transgressions of the law; in like manner, we are made
"the righteousness of God in Him" (in Christ, not in ourselves) by God
imputing to us Christ's obedience, His fulfilling the precepts of the law
for us.
As Christ "knew no sin" by inward defilement or
personal commission, so we "knew" or had no righteousness of our own by inward
conformity to the law, or by personal obedience to it. As Christ was "made sin"
by having our sins placed to His account or charged upon Him in a judicial way,
and as it was not by any criminal conduct of His own that He was "made sin," so
it is not by any pious activities of our own that we become "righteous": Christ
was not "made sin" by the infusion of depravity, nor are we "made righteous" by
the infusion of holiness. Though personally holy, our Sponsor did, by entering
our law-place, render Himself officially liable to the wrath of God; and so
though personally unholy, we are, by virtue of our legal identification with
Christ, entitled to the favor of God. As the consequence of Christ's being
"made sin for us" was, that "the LORD laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isa.
53:6), so the consequence of Christ's obedience being reckoned to our account
is that God lays righteousness "upon all them that believe" (Rom. 3:22).
As our sins were the judicial ground of the sufferings of Christ, by which
sufferings He satisfied Justice; so Christ's righteousness is the judicial
ground of our acceptance with God, by which our pardon is an act of Justice.
Notice carefully that in 2 Corinthians 5:21 it is
God who "made" or legally constituted Christ to be "sin for us," though
as Hebrews 10:7 shows, the Son gladly acquiesced therein. "He was made sin by
imputation: the sins of all His people were transferred unto Him, laid upon
Him, and placed to His account and having them upon Him He was treated by the
justice of God as if He had been not only a sinner, but a mass of sin: for to
be made sin is a stronger expression than to be made a sinner" (John Gill).
"That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" signifies to be legally
constituted righteous before God--justified. "It is a righteousness `in Him,'
in Christ, and not in ourselves, and therefore must mean the righteousness of
Christ: so called, because it is wrought by Christ, who is God over all, the
true God, and eternal life" (Ibid.).
The same counter-exchange which has been before
us in 2 Corinthians 5:21 is found again in Galatians 3:13, 14, "Christ hath
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ." As the Surety of His
people, Christ was "made under the law" (Gal. 4:4), stood in their law-place
and stead, and having all their sins imputed to Him, and the law finding them
all upon Him, condemned Him for them; and so the justice of God delivered Him
up to the accursed death of the cross. The purpose, as well as the consequence,
of this was "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles":
the "blessing of Abraham" (as Rom. 4 shows) was justification by faith through
the righteousness of Christ.
"Upon
a Life I did not live,
Upon a Death I did not die;
Another's death, Another's life
I'd rest my soul eternally."