THE TWO KINDS OF BIBLICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

 

The Bible reveals two kinds of righteousness—one that we try to attain through obedience; the other is the unearned gift of God. Paul had refused to trust in the first kind so that he could trust exclusively in the enduring and saving righteousness that could only be freely granted:

 

·       But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything [in which I had trusted] as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. (Philippians 3:7-9)

 

Paul knew that he couldn’t trust the “righteousness” that he had trusted in before—a self-righteousness based on his efforts. Besides, he knew that if he trusted in his own performance-based righteousness, it would undermine his relationship with Jesus, which demanded an all-or-nothing trust (Galatians 5:1-4).

 

While the law was good, to trust in it for our worth and righteousness was arrogant and spiritually blind. Even the Mosaic Law warned that such a trust kills (Deuteronomy 27:26) as Paul later warned:

 

·       For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:10-11)

 

The gift of eternal life and righteousness had only been available by trusting in the Lord, as many of the Psalms proclaim:

 

·       Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. (Psalm 32:1-2)

 

Blessedness was never a matter of our triumphs but of God’s mercy. There was nothing the matter with following the law, as long as it didn’t lead to a hardness and self-righteousness, but it generally did. Instead, the law is intended to humble us:

 

·       Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:19-20)

 

The law was intended to humble us and eliminate any hope in our own merit. The idea of being good enough for God through obedience to the Law was foreign to the Scriptures. All required the mercy of God, although faithful obedience would be blessed (Deuteronomy 28-29). The Psalmists were aware of this second and greater form of righteousness:

 

·       Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope is in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33:18-22)

 

True blessedness always depended upon trusting in the Lord. God only esteemed and blessed obedience which arose from trust in God and not in ourselves. Consequently, the greatest command had often been overlooked:

·       “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.” (Deuteronomy 11:13–14)