LOVE MASTERED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS

LOVE MASTERED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS 

"Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness" Matt. 3:15

"Thus." How? What is the real significance of this first recorded word of our Lord as He approached His public ministry? The answer is to be found in a consideration of the reason for the protest of John, to which it was a reply. John's baptism was to repentance and remission of sins. As he looked at Jesus, he knew that He had nothing of which to repent; no sins to be paid. Why then should He submit to this baptism? The answer to that question our Lord gave. The reason for His baptism was that through all which it symbolized He would FULFILL RIGHTEOUSNESS; and only through such action could He do this. In baptism He confessed, as His own, sins which He had not committed, and REPENTED OF THEM BEFORE GOD. He was numbered with transgressors (Mark 15:28) and bore the sins of many (Heb. 9:28). It was at once the prophecy and interpretation of His coming passion-baptism.

The most arresting fact here is that in this word we have the revelation of A NEW ELEMENT IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD—new that is, in the sense that it had not previously been revealed. Included in the Divine righteousness is the determination to make it possible, by the way of vicarious suffering. Thus LOVE IS SEEN, MASTERED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND SUFFERING, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE UNRIGHTEOUS RIGHTEOUS. Thus RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SEEN, ACTING IN LOVE, THAT MAN MAY BE BROUGHT INTO THE PLACE WHERE LOVE CAN BESTOW ALL ITS GIFTS. That is the righteousness unveiled in the Gospel. That is the righteousness which exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 5:20). How far have we entered into the personal experience of it?