A paper: The Truth about Righteousness by Faith

I was going through a bunch of stuff and came across this paper I wrote back in college, in a church history class. So I thought I would share it here. I haven't read it in awhile, so some of what I understood back then, may have grown and deepened some since then. At the time I wrote it our campus was going through a bit of a debate on the subject and so I studied some on it. This issue is an ongoing one.

Anyway without further commentary......



The Truth about Righteousness by Faith

Righteousness by faith is a subject, which was a matter of concern to the Advent movement and was disputed and discussed at several conferences. Today, as then, it is talked and written about, this time to the other extreme.

Shortly after the Great Disappointment, two leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist movement began to advocate a move toward making Christ the center of the Gospel message and salvation, or righteousness by faith. The opposition then was that we aren't saved by faith, but by works. Today's stand is completely opposite. "We must not get legalistic, we are saved by faith, not works."

What is true? Is there a balance? What really is Righteousness by faith? This is what we are going to find out.

First, what is righteousness?  The word 'righteousness' comes from the the Tree word 'dikaios' which has several meaning.

NT:1342
dikaio, dikaia, dikaion
righteous, observing divine and human laws; one who is such as he ought to be
1. in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God.
  a. universally: Matt 1:19
  b. the negative idea predominantly : innocent, faultless, guiltless
  c. preeminently, of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore is needs no rectification in heart or life. Acts 7:52
  d. contextually, approved God, acceptable to God, Rom 5:19
2. In a narrower sense, rendering to each his due; and that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others. Titus 1:8
(Thayers Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright 2000 by Biblesoft)


So righteousness is being right with God, or innocent and faultless. Now, what does it mean to be right with God, innocent and faultless? The word innocent means uncorrupted by evil or wrongdoing; sinless, legally blameless, and allowed by the law. (American Heritage Talking Dictionary, Copyright 1998 by learning Company Properties Inc.)

The reason we must be made blameless or innocent is because we have sinned and come "short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23  This sin is the result of the sin of Adam which we see here in Romans chapter 5: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." Romans 5:12-14   "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4

So because we have sinned, by way of Adam's sin, we have transgressed the law and must now be made innocent or pardoned. That pardon was made possible by Jesus death and resurrection. Jesus took our place and paid the price that we deserved so we could stand blameless before the throne of Grace. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Now we know what the concept of Righteousness is all about. What about the faith part? What is faith?

Faith, by definition means "The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will."(American Heritage Talking Dictionary, Copyright 1998 by Learning Company properties Inc.)
Faith is trusting completely in God's guidance in everything that He does for us and in us. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:1-3  
"If you take hold of the strength of the mighty Helper, and not reason with your adversary and never complain of God, His promises will be verified. The experience that you gain today in trusting Him will help you in meeting the difficulties of tomorrow. Each day you are to come, trusting as a little child drawing nearer to Jesus and heaven. In meeting with unwavering trust in God the daily trials and difficulties, you will gain strength to resist temptation, and when the harder trials come, you will be able to endure." (Our High Calling page 326, by Ellen G. White.)

By trusting that God has, through Christ paid the price for sin, justification is made possible. " As the sinner looks to the law, his guilt is made plain to him and pressed home to his conscience, and he is condemned. His only comfort and hope is found in looking to the cross of Calvary. As he ventures upon the promises, taking God at His word, relief and peace come to his soul. He cries, "Lord, Thou hast promised to save alll who come unto Thee in the name of Thy Son. I am a lost, helpless, hopeless soul. Lord, save, or I perish." His faith lays hold on Christ, and he is justified before God." Faith and Works p 100, 101 (Ellen G. White)

*Note: "Pardon and justification are one and the same thing. Through faith the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his Substitute and Surety. The Lord speaks to His heavenly Father, saying: "This is My child, I reprieve his from the condemnation of death, giving him My life insurance policy--eternal life--because I have taken his place and have suffered for his sins. He is even My beloved son." Thus man, pardon, and clothed with the beautiful garments of Christ's righteousness , stands faultless before God." (Ibid, p 103)

"But what about obedience to the law?" I can hear someone saying. "Don't we have to obey to be saved as well?"

The law was in existence even before it was written down at Mount Sinai. It was a revelation of God's character to HIs people. ("The law of God given from Sinai is a copy of the mind and will of the Infinite God. It is sacredly revered by the holy angels. Obedience to its requirements  will perfect Christian character, and restore man, through Christ, to his condition before the fall. The sins forbidden in the law could never find place in heaven." Our High Calling p. 138)

As HIs children we are called to be like HIm. "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily best us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." Hebrews 12:1-4

But that's legalism. Or is it? Let's find out.

A favorite author puts it quite clearly: "The Lord requires at this time just what He required of Adam in Eden-- perfect obedience to the law of God. We must have righteousness without a flaw, without a blemish. God gave HIs Son to die for the world, but He did not die to repeal the law which was holy and just and good. The sacrifice of Christ on Calvary is an unanswerable argument showing the immutability of the law. Its penalty was felt by the Son of God in behalf of guilty man, that through His merits the sinner might obtain the virtue of His spotless character by faith in His name." Faith and Works, p 89

"Is he now free to transgress God's law? Says Paul: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." "How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" And John declares, "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous." [Rom. 3:31; 6:2; 1 John 5:3]  In the new birth the heart is brought into harmony with God, as it is brought into accord with his law. When this mighty change has taken place in the sinner, he has passed from death unto life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and rebellion to obedience and loyalty. The old life of alienation from God has ended; the new life of reconciliation, of faith and love, has begun. Then "the righteousness of the law" will "be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." [Rom. 8:4] And the language of the soul will be, "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." [PS 119:97] "  (The Great Controversy p 468 by Ellen G. White)