Wesley Corpus

17: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for therein is the righteousness of God,” his way of justifying sinners, “revealed.” “Now the righteousness of God is manifested; even the righteousness of God which is by faith;” (unless righteousness here also means mercy;) “Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of the sins that are past; that he might be just, and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” (iii. 21, &c.) “They being ignorant of God’s righteousness,” (method of justifying sinners,) “and going about to establish their own righteousness,” (a method of their own opposite to his,) “have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (x. 3.) 4. Perhaps it has a peculiar meaning in 2 Cor. v. 21: “He made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in ” (or through) “him;” that we might be justified and sanctified, might receive the whole blessing of God, through him. 5. And is not this the natural meaning of Phil. iii. 8, 9: “That I may win Christ, and be found in him,” grafted into the true vine, “not having my own righteousness,”--the method of justification which I so long chose for myself, “which is of the law; but the righteousness which is of God”--the method of justification which God hath chosen--“by faith?’” 6. “But is not Christ termed “our righteousness?’” He is: “This is the name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness.” (Jer. xxiii. 6.) And is not the plain, indisputable meaning of this scripture, He shall be what he is called, the sole Purchaser, the sole meritorious Cause, both of our justification and sanctification? 7. Nearly related to this is the following text: “Jesus Christ is made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Cor. i. 30.) And what does this prove, but that he is made unto us righteousness, or justification, just as he is made unto us sanctification? In what sense? He is the sole Author of one, as well as of the other, the Author of our whole salvation. 8. There seems to be something more implied in Romans x. 3.