“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”PTUK October 22, 1891, page 344.1

The apostle had just before stated that he regarded himself a debtor to all mankind, and that he was willing to preach the gospel even in the proud city of Rome, because, says he “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” The reason why he was not ashamed of the gospel, was that it is “the power of God unto salvation.” Men glory in power; if they have none of their own, then they attach themselves to someone who has, and exalt in the power with which they are connected. The man who has the greatest power, or who thinks he has, has none of that apologetic air which characterizes the weakling. The ambassador in a foreign country feels boldness, and has a sense of pride in proportion to the greatness of the Government which he represents. Of course Paul’s feeling was entirely different from the pride of self-exaltation of the ambassador of an earthly court; but as the ambassador of Christ, he felt that he had nothing to be ashamed of. The power which he represented was the power of God. Why should he be ashamed? Yet it is a fact that many who profess the name of Christ are ashamed and afraid to declare it. Must it not be because they have never experienced the power of the gospel in their own hearts? When one has actually felt “the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead,” he cannot be ashamed of it.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 344.2

But the seventeenth verse contains another reason why he is not ashamed, or, rather, an evidence that the gospel is the power of God, namely, “for therein is the righteousness of God revealed.” What is the righteousness of God? and how is it revealed in the gospel? These questions should be settled here, for the expression, “the righteousness of God,” is one upon which a great deal depends in the book of Romans. Pages upon pages have been devoted to this question by commentators, who have learnedly discussed the original; but the reader who depends solely upon the Bible for an answer will find it very easily.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 344.3

In Deuteronomy 6:25, after rehearsing the ten commandments, Moses says, “And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He hath commanded us.” This follows from the fact stated in Psalm 119:172, where the psalmist says: “My tongue shall speak of Thy Word; for all Thy commandments are righteousness.” Since all the commandments of God are righteousness, it is evident that those who do them will be righteous; for “he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He [Christ] is righteous.” 1 John 3:7.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 344.4

But the ten commandments are not simply righteousness in the abstract. They are the expression of the righteous character of God. Says the Lord, through the prophet Isaiah:-PTUK October 22, 1891, page 344.5

“Hearken unto Me, My people; and give ear unto Me, O My nation; for a law shall proceed from Me, and I will make My judgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is near; My salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon Me, and on Mine arm shall they trust. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but My salvation shall be for ever, and My righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto Me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law.” Isaiah 51:4-7.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 344.6

Those who know righteousness are the ones in whose heart is the law of God; and this righteousness God calls “My righteousness.” That the commandments of God are an expression of His righteousness, may be shown in another way. The apostle Peter says: “As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [conduct]; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15, 16. This is what God requires of us-to be holy, as He is. But the wise man says: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13. Now since He requires holiness of all, and the keeping of the commandments is the whole duty of man, it follows that the keeping of the commandments constitutes holiness.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 344.7

The proposition that in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, which is only stated here, is fully elaborated in the epistle later on, so that a few words on it may suffice at the present time. First, the righteousness of God-the law of God-is revealed in the gospel, because the gospel carries the law on its very forefront. Without the preaching of the law there can be no preaching of the gospel. The gospel is God’s remedy for sin, which is the transgression of the law. All men are sinners, but all men do not realise that fact; for many who are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, think that they are rich and increased with goods. Revelation 3:17. Now it is evident that before such will listen to the counsel to buy the eye-salve, the gold tried in the fire, and the white raiment, they must be shown their condition. They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick; but they who are sick will not send for a physician until they are convinced of their illness, and shown that they need help. So it is useless to preach the gospel as the way of salvation, without showing the need of salvation; and the law of God is the only thing that points out sin.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 345.1

But it is with a deeper meaning than this, that the apostle says that in the gospel of the righteousness of God is revealed. The opposite of sin is righteousness; and so when God remits-sends away-sin, He does it by putting righteousness in its place. Where once was sin, now appears perfect righteousness, “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” Romans 3:22. The righteousness of God is declared for the remission of the sins of all who believe in Jesus. He cures the disease by putting health in its place. The righteousness which is brought to the believing sinner through the gospel, is the same thing exactly as the righteousness of the law, for it is witnessed by the law (Romans 3:21); but it cannot be contained except in Christ, who, as the Word of God, is the embodiment of the law.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 345.2

This gospel righteousness is the righteousness of which Paul speaks in Philippians 3:9, where his desire is that when Christ comes he “may be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” The fact that God cannot deny himself, proves that he can have but one righteousness; and therefore the righteousness of his law, and the righteousness which the gospel imparts,-the righteousness which is of God by faith,-must be the same righteousness. So we have the law before the gospel, the law in the gospel, and the law in the life as the result of believing the gospel. E. J. W.PTUK October 22, 1891, page 345.3

October 8, 1891

November 5, 1891