The
Righteousness of Faith
by
John Wesley
Prefaced
& Edited by Dr. Riktor Von Zhades
But
what saith it The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy
heart: That is, the word of faith, which we preach."
The
Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans [1]
Preface:
Brethren:
It was once believed by this editor, that I could not be a Christian, because God only wanted “good people”2, and as such a sinner (and the worst of ones) as myself was unworthy to be called a child of the most high God. It was only, when it was revealed unto me by a friend, that it was in fact the very people He wanted, were those that were dead in their sins, and would earn only eternal separation from Him, that He came to save. For His desire was for none to perish, but that all should be saved. [Read Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9]
It was once believed by this editor, that I could not be a Christian, because God only wanted “good people”2, and as such a sinner (and the worst of ones) as myself was unworthy to be called a child of the most high God. It was only, when it was revealed unto me by a friend, that it was in fact the very people He wanted, were those that were dead in their sins, and would earn only eternal separation from Him, that He came to save. For His desire was for none to perish, but that all should be saved. [Read Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9]
Therefore,
brethren, friends, readers, take solace and know this, that you are
saved by grace. You cannot work your way into heaven. There is no
road as such, for if there were, there would be no need of the new
covenant. The living of the good way, would be enough. Additionally,
there is no such thing as my good outweighs my bad, as all mankind is
guilty of sin. If the law says it is so, then the law convicts us
all. Recall if you will our Savior Christ Jesus said, that not one
tittle or jot of the law shall pass. [Read Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17]
Herein
below then, is a sermon on the righteousness of faith. Read
carefully, and think upon it today.
Dr.
RVZ
The
Apostle does not here oppose the covenant given by Moses, to the
covenant given by Christ. If we ever imagined this, it was for want
of observing, that the latter as well as the former part of these
words were spoken by Moses himself to the people of Israel, and that
concerning the covenant which then was. (Read Deuteronomy 30:11, 12,
14.) But it is the covenant of grace [Read Acts 2:21; Hebrews 9:15],
which God, through Christ, hath established with men in all ages, (as
well before and under the Jewish dispensation, as since God was
manifest in the flesh,) which St. Paul here opposes to the covenant
of works, made with Adam while in Paradise, hut commonly supposed to
be the only covenant which God had made with man, particularly by
those Jews of whom the Apostle writes.
Of
these it was that he so affectionately speaks in the begining of this
chapter: "My heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is,
that they may be saved. For I bear them record, that they have a zeal
for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of
God's righteousness," (of the justification that flows from his
mere grace and mercy, freely forgiving our sins through the Son of
his love, through the redemption which is in Jesus,) "and
seeking to establish their own righteousness," (their own
holiness, antecedent to faith in "him that justifieth the
ungodly," as the ground of their pardon and acceptance,) "have
not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God," and
consequently seek death in the error of their life.
They
were ignorant that "Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth;" -- that, by the
oblation of himself once offered, he had put an end to the first law
or covenant, (which, indeed, was not given by God to Moses, but to
Adam in his state of innocence,) the strict tenor whereof, without
any abatement, was, "Do this, and live;" and, at the same
time, purchased for us that better covenant," Believe, and
live;" believe, and thou shalt be saved[Read Romans 10:13]; now
saved, both from the guilt and power of sin, and, of consequence,
from the wages of it.
And
how many are equally ignorant now, even among those who are called by
the name of Christ! How many who have now a "zeal for God,"
yet have it not "according to knowledge;" but are still
seeking "to establish their own righteousness," as the
ground of their pardon and acceptance; and therefore, vehemently
refuse to "submit themselves unto the righteousness of God!"
Surely my heart's desire, and prayer to God for you, brethren, is,
that ye may be saved. And, in order to remove this grand
stumbling-block out of your way, I will endeavor to show, what the
righteousness is, which is of the law; and what "the
righteousness which is of faith.
The
righteousness which is of the law saith, The man which doeth these
things shall live by them. [Read Leviticus 18:5] Constantly and
perfectly observe all these things to do them, and then thou shalt
live for ever. This law, or covenant, (usually called the Covenant of
Works,) given by God to man in Paradise, required an obedience
perfect in all its parts, entire and wanting nothing, as the
condition of his eternal continuance in the holiness and happiness
wherein he was created. It required that man should fulfill all
righteousness, inward and outward, negative and positive: That he
should not only abstain from every idle word, and avoid every evil
work, but should keep every affection, every desire, every thought,
in obedience to the will of God: That he should continue holy, as he
which had created him was holy, both in heart, and in all manner of
conversation: That he should be pure in heart, even as God is pure;
perfect as his Father in heaven was perfect: That he should love the
Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his
mind, and with all his strength; that he should love every soul which
God had made, even as God had loved him: That by this universal
benevolence, he should dwell in God, (who is love,) and God in him:
That he should serve the Lord his God with all his strength, and in
all things singly aim at his glory.
These
were the things which the righteousness of the law required, that he
who did them might live thereby. But it farther required, that this
entire obedience to God, this inward and outward holiness, this
conformity both of heart and life to his will, should be perfect in
degree. No abatement, no allowance could possibly be made, for
falling short in any degree, as to any jot or tittle, either of the
outward or the inward law. If every commandment, relating to outward
things, was obeyed, yet that was not sufficient unless every one was
obeyed with all the strength, in the highest measure, and most
perfect manner. Nor did it answer the demand of this covenant, to
love God with every power and faculty, unless he were loved with the
full capacity of each, with the whole possibility of the soul. One
thing more was indispensably required by the righteousness of the
law, namely, that this universal obedience, this perfect holiness
both of heart and life, should be perfectly uninterrupted also,
should continue without any intermission, from the moment wherein God
created man, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, until
the days of his trial should be ended, and he should be confirmed in
life everlasting. The righteousness, then, which is of the law,
speaketh on this wise: "Thou, O man of God, stand fast in love,
in the image of God wherein thou art made. If thou wilt remain in
life, keep the commandments, which are now written in thy heart. Love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart. Love, as thyself, every soul
that he hath made. Desire nothing but God. Aim at God in every
thought, in every word and work. Swerve not, in one motion of body or
soul, from him, thy mark, and the prize of thy high calling; and let
all that is in thee praise his holy name, every power and faculty of
thy soul, in every kind, in every degree, and at every moment of
thine existence. `This do, and thou shalt live:' Thy light shall
shine, thy love shall flame more and more, till thou art received up
into the house of God in the heavens, to reign with him for ever and
ever.
[However],
the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise: Say not in
thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven that is, to bring down
Christ from above;" (as though it were some impossible task
which God required thee previously to perform in order to thine
acceptance;) "or, Who shall descend into the deep that is, to
bring up Christ from the dead;" (as though that were still
remaining to be done, for the sake of which thou wert to be
accepted;) "but what saith it The word," according to the
tenor of which thou mayest now be accepted as an heir of life
eternal, "is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart;
that is, the word of faith which we preach," -- the new covenant
which God hath now established with sinful man, through Christ Jesus.
By "the righteousness which is of faith" is meant, that
condition of justification, (and, in consequence, of present and
final salvation, if we endure therein unto the end,) which was given
by God to fallen man, through the merits and mediation of his
only-begotten Son. This was in part revealed to Adam, soon after his
fall; being contained in the original promise, made to him and his
seed, concerning the Seed of the Woman, who should "bruise the
serpent's head." (Read Genesis 3:15.) It was a little more
clearly revealed to Abraham, by the angel of God from heaven, saying,
"By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, that in thy seed shall
all the nations of the world be blessed." (Read Genesis 12:15,
18.) It was yet more fully made known to Moses, to David, and to the
Prophets that followed; and, through them, to many of the people of
God in their respective generations. But still the bulk even of these
were ignorant of it; and very few understood it clearly. Still "life
and immortality" were not so "brought to light" to the
Jews of old, as they are now unto us "by the gospel."
Now,
this covenant saith not to sinful man, "Perform unsinning
obedience, and live." If this were the term, he would have no
more benefit by all which Christ hath done and suffered for him, than
if he was required, in order to life, to "ascend into heaven,
and bring down Christ from above;" or to "descend into the
deep," into the invisible world, and "bring up Christ from
the dead." It doth not require any impossibility to be done:
(Although to mere man, what it requires would be impossible; but not
to man assisted by the Spirit of God:) This were only to mock human
weakness. Indeed, strictly speaking, the covenant of grace doth not
require us to do anything at all, as absolutely and indispensably
necessary in order to our justification; but only, to believe in Him
who, for the sake of his Son, and the propitiation which he hath
made, "justifieth the ungodly that worketh not," and
imputes his faith to him for righteousness. Even so Abraham "believed
in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Read
Genesis 15:6.) "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal
of the righteousness of faith, -- that he might be the father of all
them that believe, -- that righteousness might be imputed unto them
also." (Read Romans 4:11.) "Now it was not written for his
sake alone, that it," i.e., faith, "was imputed to him; but
for us also, to whom it shall be imputed," to whom faith shall
be imputed for righteousness, shall stand in the stead of perfect
obedience, in order to our acceptance with God, "if we believe
on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered"
to death "for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification:" (Read Romans 4:23-25:) For the assurance of the
remission of our sins, and of a second life to come, to them that
believe.
What
saith then the covenant of forgiveness, of unmerited love, of
pardoning mercy "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved." In the day thou believest, thou shalt surely
live. Thou shalt be restored to the favour of God; and in his
pleasure is life. Thou shalt be saved from the curse, and from the
wrath of God. Thou shalt be quickened, from the death of sin into the
life of righteousness. And if thou endure to the end, believing in
Jesus, thou shalt never taste the second death; but, having suffered
with thy Lord, shalt also live and reign with him for ever and ever
1
There is no occasion to seek high or low for the saving power; the
word of reconciliation is nigh. The way of salvation is now both
plain and easy. The law is magnified and made honorable by the death
of Christ; and the doctrine of faith in his death and resurrection
is fully proclaimed, and amply proved to be effectual to the purpose
for which it was revealed. By the preaching of the Gospel the
doctrine of salvation is nigh thee, and the saving influence is at
hand: it is in thy mouth, easy to be understood, easy to be
professed: and in thy heart, if thou art upright before God,
sincerely desiring to be saved on his own terms, not striving to
establish thy own method of justification by the law, which must for
ever be ineffectual, but submitting to the method of justification
which God has. - Adam Clarke - Theologian
2This
is a lie from the father of all lies Satan. Surely he says, that you
are not worthy to be saved.
