This is a great passage, declaring a glorious truth. Sadly, it is not only hardly understood by many; worse, it is twisted and perverted by the wise and prudent. But the Lord is pleased to reveal it to babes
Let's draw out what it declares.
1. For therein...
- that is, in the gospel mentioned in verse 16, of which Apostle Paul is not ashamed, i.e. of which he is not only not ashamed to embrace but also has bold confidence in proclaiming it. Why?
2. ... the righteousness of God...
- in the gospel, the righteousness of God's own provision in and through Jesus Christ is proclaimed.
- this righteousness of God's own provision is at the heart of the gospel. It is based solely on the righteousness that Christ had secured that God freely justifies justly condemned sinners
- Sins, the transgressions of God's laws, bring condemnation and death; righteousness, the obedience to God's law, secures justification and life.
- The wages of sin is condemnation and death; the reward of righteousness is justification and life. Adam through his sin brought the former to all represented by him; Christ, the second and last Adam secured the latter for all represented by Him.
3. ... is revealed...
- the ministry of the word is appointed to reveal - i.e. to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up, disclose, to make known, make manifest, disclose what before was unknown.
- the gospel is the good news, the glad tidings God having provided righteousness in and through His only begotten Son for the redemption of His people.
- no gospel, no knowledge of this righteousness of God in and through Jesus Christ.
- The gospel "give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins" in Jesus Christ; To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:77,79.
4. ... from faith to faith...
- in the context of the gospel ministry and of Apostle Paul being not ashamed in proclaiming the gospel, it is from the faith of the one who has great confidence in the gospel and boldly preaches it;
- it is to faith; to those whom God has regenerated and the indwelling Spirit has worked the grace of faith, thus enabling them to receive the gospel as the good news declaring the power of God in Jesus Christ in their salvation.
- put simply, the gospel is intended to inform and instruct those in whom the Spirit had worked faith. There will always be such who will hear and believe the gospel.
5. ... as it is written...
- this is confirmed by what has been written in the law, see Hab 2:4. This is ancient truth. It was first exemplified by Adam, after he had been clothed with the garment of skin by God (God's gracious act of justifying Adam) calling the woman Eve, the mother of all living, upon hearing the gospel concerning the Seed of the Woman. It was the same in Abraham; the justified Abraham (He was ALREADY a justified man in Gen 12-14, it is just stupidity to say otherwise!) believed when heard God's promise about the seed.
6. The just shall live by faith.
- this simple statement of truth has been perverted and twisted to promote a popular error, i.e. "justification by faith alone."
- "The just shall live by faith" is as far from "justification by faith alone" as the east is from the west.
- "The just shall live by faith alone" is a statement concerning the just, those already justified free by the grace of God. It is a declaration concerning the character of those justified by the grace of God - such shall live by faith. It is like saying, the living shall live by breath.
- "The just shall live by faith" has been twisted and made to mean sola fidei, I.e. "the unjustified by faith alone shall be justified!"
- "the just shall live by faith alone" saying nothing on how they are justified. How condemned sinners (only such need justification before the Judge!) are justified is stated plainly for all to read.
- Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
A sinner who needs justification before God is a man still in his native state of condemnation and death; a man in such native state is incapable of faith in order to be justified by God. Justification by faith alone, popularly understood by the "wise and prudent" is just pure nonsense, a fable.
2Ti 4
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Scriptures whisper',
24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Men scream,
I'm justified on condition of my faith alone in Jesus Christ.
Let God be true but every man a LIAR.
