Righteousness by Faith by O. E. Jones

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 27, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 25.

Righteousness by Faith

By O. E. Jones

I count all things but loss, . . . that I may win Christ, and 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. Phil. 3:8, 9.

GOD gave His Son to die, and Christ laid down His life, to make it possible for us to be made righteous, that we might not perish, but have eternal life, with all its attendant blessings. In 2 Cor. 5:21 we read:

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.

He (the Father) made Him (the Son) to be sin for us. Our sins, with the full penalty, were by imputation placed to Christ's account. In Isa. 53:6 we read:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Note the marginal reading, "hath made the iniquity of us all to meet on Him." In taking our sins upon Himself, Christ came under the law as a condemning rule, as we read in Galatians:

When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

His suffering on the cross was for our sins, as it is written:

Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18.

We recall the Saviour's agony in Gethsemane as He prayed, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Christ bore the penalty (curse) of the broken law of God in our stead. In Gal. 3:13 we read:

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.

He hath made Him to be sin for us, . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

We have no righteousness of our own to commend us to God, for we read, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Isa. 64:6. Our only hope, then, is in the imputed righteousness of Christ. This is beautifully set forth in the following scripture:

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law [a perfect standard] 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. Rom. 3:20-22.

"The righteousness of God [imputed] unto all and [imparted] upon all them that believe." Note also verses 24 to 26:

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.

(To believe in Jesus and to believe merely in a historical fact that such a one lived are widely different propositions.)

For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. Rom. 4:3-6.

Of ancient Israel we read:

But 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. . . . 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. Rom. 9:31, 32; 10:3.

"They sought it [righteousness] not by faith." Blessed indeed is the man or woman to whom God imputes righteousness without works.

Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Rom. 4:7, 8.

Not only is righteousness placed (imputed) to the account of every believer, but by faith Christ dwells in the heart (Eph. 3:17) and imparts righteousness. As we read again:

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Phil. 2:13.

And with the apostle we can say:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me. Gal. 2:20.

Christ living in me, the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God — living faith abounding in fruits of righteousness (faith without works is dead, James 2:26), that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. Rom. 8:4.

We love to read of Noah, Abraham, Daniel, the three Hebrew children, and others, men and women strong in faith. By faith we may be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, a righteousness woven in the loom of heaven, without one thread of human invention in it. We may stand faultless before the throne of God, ascribing all praise to Him who has redeemed us by His own blood.

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake. Ps. 115:1.

O. E. JONES.