Rom 3:21 ...the righteousness of God has been manifested... (22) Even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ to all those who believe, for there is no distinction; (24) Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Righteousness, or justice, is a judicial matter. Love, on the contrary, is a matter of the emotion. If I love you, I may choose to pay attention to you. But if I do not love you, I may simply forget about you. Yes, God has so loved the world, but His love is not as firm as His righteousness. God, of course, will not change in His love. But suppose His love did change. God has the right to change in His love, but He does not have the right to change in His righteousness. Whether God loves us or gives us up, He is not wrong. He also would not be wrong in showing grace to us or in not showing grace to us. Grace is a matter of God's wish. But righteousness is a matter neither of emotion nor of wish, it is a judicial matter. A judicial matter is related to the execution of the law, to legislation. God's gospel is altogether a judicial matter, a matter of divine legislation. God has saved us judicially. Of course, God's salvation is initiated by His love and accomplished through His grace. Eventually, however, it issues in His righteousness. Therefore, the salvation we have received today is not merely a matter of love or of grace, but also a judicial matter of God's righteousness. Our salvation has been sealed and confirmed by God's righteousness. Now not even God Himself can change our salvation.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Matthew, pp. 819. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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