RECONCILIATION AND JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH125

FOR therein is revealed the righteousness of God, from faith to faith. - Here is the grand reason why the gospel

is the power of God unto salvation. It meets the sinner's deepest need. Not only forgiveness and peace, but

righteousness - something the sinner himself can never produce. This is revealed in the gospel.

What do we understand by the expression `from faith to faith?' (ek pisteos eis pistin) (Rom. 1:17). Out of faith

as to its origin, and unto faith as to its goal. It is evident from the whole tenor of the epistle that righteousness can

never originate in the faith of man. If the faith of man cannot be the genesis (ek) of justification, we must search the

Scripture to learn whose faith it must be. Let us pay attention to the following passages:

`... shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect?' (Rom. 3:3 Author's translation).

`... righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ' (Rom. 3:22 Author's translation).

`... the faith of Abraham' (Rom. 4:16).

`... not of works of law, but through faith of Jesus Christ' (Gal. 2:16 Author's translation).

`... justified out of faith of Christ, and not out of works of law' (Gal. 2:16 Author's translation).

`... I live by the faith of the Son of God' (Gal. 2:20).

`... the promise out of the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe' (Gal. 3:22 Author's

`... that (righteousness) which is through faith of Christ' (Phil. 3:9 Author's translation).

The faith of God is God's faith or faithfulness, not my faith in him. The faith of Abraham was Abraham's faith

or faithfulness, not my faith in him. The faith of Christ also means His own faithfulness even unto death. That faith

is the originating cause; that is the righteousness (ek pisteos). This righteousness revealed in the gospel is `unto

faith'. No place is found for the law in it. It was a part of the faithfulness of Christ that He rendered perfect

obedience to the law of Moses, but no spiritual follower of that wondrous life can fail to see that while He fulfilled

every jot and tittle of the law, He did more. His faithfulness and obedience embraced the wider claim of that law of

conscience and testimony of creation, which not only included all the law of Moses, but embraced `the whole duty

of man' wherever and whenever found.

The final `for' introduces the urgent reason for this revelation of righteousness.

FOR the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. - There is only one

way to escape the wrath of God, and that is to be justified; and as no one either under the law of conscience or of

Moses ever rendered perfect obedience, justification, if it ever should come, must come some other way. That other

way is the marvel of God's grace.

Passing over the great parenthesis of 1:18 to 3:20, it will be seen that the apostle takes up the subject at this very

point. Let us read the passages together:

`For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, out of faith unto faith ... But now the righteousness of God

apart from law has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets: even the righteousness of God

which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all who believe' (1:17; 3:21,22 Author's translation).

The gospel of God concerning His Son was according to the promises found in the prophets of Holy Scripture.

The gospel of God found its saving power in that it presented a righteousness quite apart from law-keeping, which

was received simply by faith. Such is the testimony of these verses.

If the nations lapsed early into idolatry and uncleanness, so did Israel. Was not the first commandment ever

given them, `Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image'? Yet in spite of the law they did. Does not the law

of Moses enter into such details concerning uncleanness as to make the passages unsuitable for ordinary public

reading? Yet Israel easily fell a prey to this also. The effects of the Babylonian rebellion could not be altered by the

imposition of law, however holy, just and good that law may be. Nothing but the gospel, the good news concerning

Christ, the righteousness revealed to faith, nothing but this could avail.

The words `But now' are dispensational; they mark the change in God's dealings with men. Here the law passes

off the scene, and we are left alone with Christ. There is no difference here; all have sinned, whether Jew or Gentile,

and the remedy is the same for each: