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#4.
Righteousness.
p. 139
Whether we contemplate Creation, Law, or Gospel, one thing remains constant: the
righteousness of God is maintained throughout all His works and ways. While it is a
blessed fact that salvation springs from the love of God, it is so planned that it vindicates
His righteousness, and provides also a righteousness for the guilty sinner who believes.
In setting forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the propitiation, God was as much concerned that
it should "declare His righteousness", as that it should provide a righteousness for the
redeemed. The very power of the gospel resides in the fact that "therein the
righteousness of God is revealed". To this end Christ died, the just for the unjust: and
He Who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in Him. The righteousness of God is absolutely essential, whether it be in doctrine,
or in practice; it is one of the "things that be of God" without which all must be in vain
and end in death.
#5.
Power.
pp. 159, 160
The righteousness of God and the power of God are never separate in their motives.
Might always subserves Right. When power to do is not under the control of
Righteousness, then we have the conditions for the making of a Devil.
In the epistles of Paul, the power of God is associated with the cross (I Cor. 1: 18), and
with the gospel (Rom. 1: 16). Peter assures the believer that this same power "keeps"
(I Pet. 1: 5), and provides all things that pertain unto life and godliness (II Pet. 1: 3).
Resurrection is also intimately associated with the power of God. Christ "liveth by
the power of God" (II Cor. 13: 4), even as He was invested with power at His
resurrection (Rom. 1: 4). The resurrection of the believer is also assured by this same
power (I Cor. 6: 14), as also is the ability to walk in newness of life unto God
(II Cor. 4: 7; 12: 9; 13: 4; Eph. 1: 19; Phil. 3: 10).
The reader should note that dunamis, "power", is closely related to the verb dunameo,
"to be able", and that in some passages where the word "able" occurs, it is wise to
substitute the word "power" in order to do justice to the original.