THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

In Rom 1:16-17 (LSB) Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.”’ These verses state the entire theme of the book of Romans.[1] The message and content of the Gospel reveals and makes known the righteousness of God. This righteousness is revealed from faith into faith, meaning that it is first seen and understood by humans through their faith, and as this faith is increased, so is the human’s understanding of the righteousness of God[2]; this righteousness comes out of faith into a growing faith. The fact that the faith is that of humans is further demonstrated by the following citation of Habakkuk, that the righteous will live by their faith. Therefore, there is an unbreakable connection between the content of the Gospel and the revelation of “The righteousness of God” (δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται)[3] and the faith of human beings.

The purpose of this paper is to define the term and concept of the “righteousness of God” and explain how the content of the Gospel reveals this righteousness, as well as the connection of this righteousness to the faith of a person through justification. This will be accomplished by first observing Old Testament usage of “Righteousness” for the semantic and Biblical context, and then seeking to understand what the Gospel uniquely reveals about “the righteousness of God.”

OLD TESTAMENT USAGE OF “RIGHTEOUSNESS”

The term Righteousness in Rom 1:17 is the English translation δικαιοσύνη; this word is one of many in Romans and the NT that comes from the dik root[4] (other words being δικαιόω, δίκαιος, for instance). These words are fundamental to the understanding of the Gospel. The lexical definition from BDAG of δικαιοσύνη is broadly the attribute of “the quality of being upright”[5] with several précising definitions offered. The broad connotative meaning always requires the concept of uprightness or correctness, but only the context of Paul will demonstrate what the term means in specific instances.

The Greek term is the consistent and near-universal translation of the term צֶדֶק in the LXX[6] (The ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament). Understanding this Old Testament context will help understand Paul’s argument, as Paul is continuously citing the Old Testament in Romans. He claims for instance in Romans 3:21 that the Law and the Prophets (a broad designation of the Old Testament Scriptures) bear witness to this “righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ”. Hence the Old Testament context is crucial.

John Piper surveyed the Old Testament usage of צֶדֶק, and reports that scholarly debate has arisen over the past century due to the fact that there are separate emphases of the term, yet not mutually exclusive definitions.[7] The first emphasis of צֶדֶק is the concept of something being in accordance with a norm, or a standard. For example, Lev 19:35-36 states: “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measurement of weight, or capacity. You shall have just (צֶדֶק) balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt.” Here clearly the rule communicated is that the standards of one’s measures ought to be in accordance to the standard measure, or “objective norm”.

The second emphasis given by Piper of צֶדֶק is “faithfulness to the particular claims of a relationship”. An example of this emphasis is Psalm 143:1,2: “O Yahweh, hear my prayer, Give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness (צֶדֶק)! And do not enter into judgment with Your slave, For no one living is righteous in Your sight.” If God’s righteousness always meant recompense, or equal payback in accordance with the exacting justice which is due, then the Psalmists prayer here would be unintelligible. Instead, the Psalmist is rather requesting, by appealing to God’s צֶדֶק, that God not recompense his deeds, but rather to answer him according to God’s faithfulness. The Psalmist petitions the part of God’s nature that enters relationships with people not in accordance with the deeds of humans, but upon His own mercy.[8]

Williams Smith effectively argues that the faithfulness appealed to here is faithfulness specifically to the unilateral promises which God made to Abraham. In Gal 3:8 Paul explains that God proclaimed the Gospel beforehand in His promise to Abraham that “All the nations will be blessed in you.” And thus Smith argues that the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel is God’s continued faithfulness to this promise, and accomplishment of it through Jesus Christ. John Piper instead sees the faithfulness to which the Psalmist appeals to be God’s allegiance to His own name,[9] which while still connected to the idea of covenantal faithfulness, is more concerned with seeing God’s covenantal faithfulness as a means of displaying His own glory. These again are simply different emphases, rather than mutually exclusive ideas.

The two emphases of the meaning of δικαιοσύνη in the OT provide foundational context for understanding the unique revelation of God’s righteousness in the Gospel. The first being one’s action in accordance with a true standard or norm (justice), the other being God’s merciful action toward sinners, not rendering to them as they deserve, but showing mercy for the sake of God’s name, His glory, and His faithfulness to His promises to Abraham. Yet how can God’s righteousness be both manifested by acting in accordance with the norm and not acting in accordance with that norm towards sinners for the sake of mercy? How does God’s mercy not violate His own just standards? The Gospel brings these two seemingly contradictory conceptions into harmony.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN JUST JUDGMENT BY THE LAW

As Rom 1:16-17 is a summary statement of the theme of Romans, Romans 3:19-31 is the first significant apex of the book, wherein the bright light of God’s righteousness may be beheld. Here Paul explicitly states how the righteousness of God is manifested through the Gospel. It is a great unfolding and explanation of Paul’s initial summary in Rom 1:17.[10] But to understand this, one must first understand the preceding context of God’s just judgment on the wicked.

In Rom 3:4, Paul argues that sin on behalf of humans does not nullify the faithfulness of God, which he supports with an OT quotation. The sense of the quotation of Rom 3:4 is that sin indicates the vindication and exhibition of God’s justice in the judgment which God pronounces in reference to it.[11] Paul then states in Rom 3:5 that God’s righteousness is demonstrated by His inflicting wrath upon the unrighteous in His just acts and declarations of judgement. Those who lack righteousness receive just punishment at the hands of God, when He will “judge the world”. Through just and proper repayment, the righteousness of God is manifested and the “truth abounds to His glory”.

The objection which Paul refutes in vs. 7 supports this interpretation. The incorrect thinking framed by Paul goes as follows: if God’s truth and righteousness abound through His judgment of my sin, why should I not do much evil, so that much good will come of it via God’s judgment? Paul condemns this thinking, but the objection itself demonstrates that the righteousness of God (also being synonymous with God’s judgment and the truth of God abounding for His glory) is manifested in the just judgement of sinners.

This use of God’s righteousness accords with the first concept seen in the OT, repaying in accordance to a standard. Those who do evil will receive what they deserve in full measure. That standard here is God’s moral truth, which is revealed in verse 19 to be the Law. This Law includes but is not limited to the Law of Moses, including also the whole OT cannon, as evident from Paul’s broad citations. Yet the Mosaic Law is still the preeminent referent, as all the citations of Paul which condemn do so on the basis of a violation of this Law.[12] What is revealed here is the problem of universal condemnation, whereby all are liable or accountable or indebted to God: His wrath upon them being that which is right, and fitting, and of equal and equitable payment.[13]

To this point in Romans, the righteousness of God is revealed in His wrath, which follows the first meaning of righteousness in the OT. But now the second emphasis and aspect of God’s righteousness will be revealed apart from the Law.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

Rom 3:21 begins the contrast to the righteousness of the Law, which none attains and by which all are condemned, by introducing in vs. 22 “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness “has been manifested” meaning that the work of Jesus Christ has been brought to light in a manner which was hereunto hidden. Yet the Law and the Prophets bear witness to this righteousness. Paul’s many citations of the OT demonstrate this fact, that the Gospel, not yet revealed, was foreshadowed and prophesied and typified in the OT Scriptures. This righteousness is that which is obtained through faith[14] for all who believe. Paul moves here from describing God’s righteousness in Himself, to explaining what God specifically has done for sinners in regard to their righteousness. Even though all have sinned and are condemned by the Law, they have been justified (δικαιούμενοι) as a gift by the grace of God through the means of the redemption (the ‘making free’ by payment of a ransom[15]) which God accomplished through the display of Jesus Christ as a propitiatory, wrath-satisfying, sacrifice. Time fails to further explore the necessary Gospel-concepts of redemption and propitiation in this presentation, but the totality of this work done by God through Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners Paul describes as a “demonstration of God’s righteousness” since God had passed over the sins previously committed in His mercy, before the cross.

This phrase at the end of verse 25 means that God had not enacted justice for the sins of His people in the past; God restrained His wrath in His patience, because the Christ was going to pay the redemption of those sins. Thus, it is now revealed that God’s justice is not violated in His acts of mercy. Until the advent of Christ there was no true way of appeasing God’s wrath, and this verse demonstrates that the Law had only types and shadows of the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ[16] (c.f. Heb 9:15).

Therefore the righteousness of God is first said to be demonstrated in the just punishment of the previously committed sins, of which God demonstrated His mercy in passing over, until the propitiation of Christ came. Yet also in vs. 26 the sacrifice of Christ is said to be a new demonstration of God’s righteousness, so that God would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Herein is the manner in which God’s righteousness is revealed in the Gospel hereunto not seen: not only is God’s just wrath poured out on sinners, the first emphasis of the OT, but God’s mercy is shown to sinners without any violation of His justice, standard, or character. He shows mercy, and justifies the ungodly, accounting them righteous, their legal debt paid, whilst having satisfied His wrath, without compromising His justice.

The righteousness of God in the Gospel harmonizes both aspects of God’s righteousness displayed in the Old Testament. God’s justice is manifested by His wrath being poured out on the wicked, and upon the propitiatory sacrifice of the Christ for sinners; God’s mercy is manifested to sinners in His act of unilateral love and grace by justifying the wicked through faith (in fulfillment of His promises to Abraham). Thus He is both the just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

William Smith argues that the righteousness displayed in this justification of the wicked is manifestly that of God’s display of His faithfulness to His covenant promises to Abraham. God’s faithfulness to His word, despite all other factors, demonstrates God’s righteousness. The promises to Abraham is also the foundation for the hope of global eschatological blessing in the full outworking of the Gospel to all the nations.[17]

While this is true, it is insufficient and not exhaustive, simply for the fact that God never had to make a promise to Abraham in the first place. God’s plan from before the foundation of the world (Rev 17:8) to save a people for Himself is a demonstration of His loving and gracious and merciful character. The Abrahamic covenant was one step toward the advancement of this plan. God was never under obligation to promise to save anyone, and thus the righteousness of God is revealed in both His initial gracious promise to Abraham, as well as His faithfulness to it in the fulfillment of it in the Gospel: God entering into covenant with sinners on the basis of the work of the Christ.

JUSTIFICATION OF SINNERS

In order to understand more clearly the righteousness of God displayed in the specific aspect of the justification of sinners, one must understand the meaning of justification. This point is of historical controversy in the history of the Church, and as this author believes, if one accepts the Biblical view of justification, one is excluded from both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox fellowships.

Paul moves from Rom 3 to Rom 4 to demonstrate that receiving the righteousness of God through faith is not a new concept, as well as explaining in detail the transaction of justification. Paul focuses specifically on Gen 15:6 where the Scripture says that "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Some translations say that it was credited to him as righteousness which is an inferior and improper translation.

In current accounting vocabulary, when one credits a liability, the liability increases. Paul is here conveying that God imputed or reckoned or counted or considered Abraham with righteousness which came from God, which Abraham did not have intrinsically.[18] Thus Abraham’s sin liability before God was abolished, and God considered Abraham to be in righteous standing before Him. In current accounting terms, it would technically need to be that Abraham was debited righteousness to accurately convey the concept in modern vocabulary.

Regardless, the concept of the imputing or accounting can be understood in the immediate context by the competing conception of a worker who is due wages. In Rom 4:4, Paul contrasts the accounting which God performed upon Abraham to the wages which are owed to a worker after he works. When one works, one receives his just due; one receives what is fitting and right for him to receive. Abraham, however, received righteousness foreign to him on the basis of his belief in God’s promise. He received a righteousness which he did not deserve by his works. Hence the phrase in verse 5, that God “justifies the ungodly”. A common misconception of justification is that God declares those to be just who are intrinsically just[19] already, but that conception cannot work here, as the one being justified here is the ungodly, and hence their justification is a gracious gift from God, not based on intrinsic merit.

Therefore, with this concept, one can see more clearly how God’s righteousness is displayed in Rom 3:26. God demonstrates His righteousness in His wrath by justly punishing the wicked for their evil. He also satisfies His justice by pouring out His wrath on the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who pays the liability of the wicked. Through doing this, God accounts righteousness to the ungodly as an act of mercy through the instrument of their faith, without any violation of His own just character or Law. Therefore God’s righteousness is displayed in His being simultaneously the just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

God’s righteousness is demonstrated in accounting alien righteousness from God unto the ungodly without violation of His own character. Paul will continue to explain in Romans 6-8 that this accounting not only removes the debt of the Law, but also has an ontological effect on the sinner, wherein they are enabled by the Holy Spirit to walk in accordance with the Law of God which they once violated.

This righteousness is one that objectively transfers a sinner from standing under the condemnation of the Law, to being positionally under the state of grace (Rom 5:1, 2). This imputed righteousness also subjectively transforms the sinner, conforming them to the character and standard of God Himself. All who are justified are conformed in this way as what God declares always comes to pass.[20] The sinner’s standing status before God is transferred full-scale at the temporal point of justification, as seen in Rom 5:1; this transfer results in the ontological change described in Rom 5:5, as effected by the union of the sinner with the Holy Spirit.

THE EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL ON THE WORLD

With God’s righteousness displayed in the Gospel through the harmonization of justice and mercy in the salvation of the sinner, Paul continues in Rom 9-11 to vindicate God’s justice and righteousness in His unilateral election of the true Israel, which consists of children of promise, and not of the genetic offspring of Abraham[21]. This group is shown carefully to be those who are chosen by God, including both Jews and Gentiles of the flesh (Rom 9:24). Paul defends God’s freedom in the election of whomever He wills unto this salvation, separating all peoples into categories of either vessels of wrath (corresponding with God’s righteousness displayed in justice) or vessels of mercy (corresponding to God’s righteousness demonstrated in justification by faith as an act of undeserving grace). Neither of these groups receives injustice.

In Chapter 10:3-4, Israel of the flesh is said to have fallen short of salvation, because they did not know the “righteousness of God”, seeking to establish their own righteousness through the Law. They did not realize that the Law is designed to lead a person to Christ, to receive salvation by grace through faith. Yet Paul also reveals that God’s electing purposes for the nations and Israel will result in the world being given “life from the dead” in Rom 11:15. Again later after Paul’s discussion of the ethics of a life lived in the realm of grace, Paul prays that the church, comprised of the elect children of promise, “may with one voice glorify God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 15:6).

All this to say that the final way in which the Gospel demonstrates the righteousness of God, is what is stated in Rom 1:5, and Rom 16:26, the beginning and end of the book, that the revelation of the Gospel will lead to the obedience of faith of all the nations. All the nations will be sanctified by the Holy Spirit, through the justification of individuals, and the just destruction of those who will not submit to the Gospel.

CONCLUSION

We have seen that two (seemingly contradictory) Old Testament concepts of righteousness are brought together in harmony through the revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This harmonization is the revelation of the Righteousness of God which was unknown previously before the revelation of The Gospel. This Gospel brings together God’s justice in His wrath against the wicked and His mercy in justifying the ungodly on the basis of Christ’s work on the cross, faithfully fulfilling His covenant to Abraham.

Briefly we also saw that God’s electing purposes of Israel and the nations will result in God’s righteousness being manifested in the obedience of all people to the Gospel. May we preach the Gospel which brings life from the dead, so that Christ will have His dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth (Psa 72).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aland, Barbara, Kurt Aland, Eberhard Nestle, Erwin Nestle, and Holger Strutwolf. Novum Testamentum Graece / Novum Testamentum Graece / based on the work of Eberhard and Erwin Nestle ; edited by Barbara and Kurt Aland [and others]. 28., rev. Aufl. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2012.

Alexander, Joseph A. Commentary on Isaiah. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1992.

Calvin, Jean. Commentaries on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1981.

Hodges, Zane Clark, John H. Niemela, and Robert N. Wilkin. Romans: Deliverance from Wrath. Corinth, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2013.

Keener, Craig S. Romans: A New Covenant Commentary. New covenant commentary series. Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2009.

Moo, Douglas J. The Letter to the Romans. Second edition. MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018.

Murray, John. The Epistle to the Romans: The English Text with Introduction, Exposition and Notes. Vol. 1: Chapters 1 to 8. Vol. 1. Repinted. The New international commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1993.

Piper, John. The Justification of God: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Romans 9:1-23. 2nd ed. 11th printing. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007.

Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. Baker exegetical commentary on the New Testament 6. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998.

Seifrid, Mark A. Christ, Our Righteousness: Paul’s Theology of Justification. Reprint. New studies in biblical theology 9. Leicester: Apollos [u.a.], 2000.

Williams, Sam K. “The ‘Righteousness of God’ in Romans.” Journal of Biblical Literature 99, no. 2 (1980): 241–90.

Legacy Standard Bible. Handy size edition. Irvine, California: Steadfast Bibles, a division of Three Sixteen Publishing, 2021.

The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon: With an Appendix Containing the Biblical Aramaic; Coded with the Numbering System from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible = The Hebrew and English Lexicon. 13. Dr., Reprinted from the 1906 ed. Peabody, Ma: Hendrickson Publishers, 2010.

[1] Douglas J. Moo, The Letter to the Romans, Second edition. (MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2018), 67.

[2] Jean Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1981), 65.

[3] Barbara Aland et al., Novum Testamentum Graece / Novum Testamentum Graece / based on the work of Eberhard and Erwin Nestle ; edited by Barbara and Kurt Aland [and others], 28., rev. Aufl. (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2012).

[4] Moo, The Letter to the Romans, 82.

[5] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 247.

[6] John Piper, The Justification of God: An Exegetical and Theological Study of Romans 9:1-23, 2nd ed. 11th printing. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 103.

[7] Piper, The Justification of God, 105.

[8] Sam K. Williams, “The ‘Righteousness of God’ in Romans,” Journal of Biblical Literature 99.2 (1980): 271, https://doi.org/10.2307/3265815.

[9] Piper, The Justification of God, 142.

[10] Mark A. Seifrid, Christ, Our Righteousness: Paul’s Theology of Justification, Reprint., New Studies in Biblical Theology 9 (Leicester: Apollos [u.a.], 2000), 64.

[11] John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans: The English Text with Introduction, Exposition and Notes. Vol. 1: Chapters 1 to 8, Repinted., vol. 1 of The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1993), 95.

[12] Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament 6 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998), 168.

[13] Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, 107.

[14] Seifrid, Christ, Our Righteousness, 64.

[15] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 117.

[16] Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, 145.

[17] Williams, “The ‘Righteousness of God’ in Romans,” 269-271.

[18] Schreiner, Romans, 215.

[19] Williams, “The ‘Righteousness of God’ in Romans,” 241.

[20] Craig S. Keener, Romans: A New Covenant Commentary, New Covenant Commentary Series (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2009), 29.

[21] Joseph A. Alexander, Commentary on Isaiah (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1992), 56.

Michael Seethaler

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN ROMANS