INCARNATION

INCARNATION MANIFESTATION

Now at last the image of the invisible God was made manifest by coming incarnate in human flesh. Paul makes reference to this event in writing to Timothy. "And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness; He who manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, received up in glory" (1 Tim. 3:16 ASV). Some have referred to this series of clauses as one of the first creedal statements of the Church that finally was arranged in the form of a Christian hymn. Inasmuch as Asia Minor, and especially the region about Ephesus, seems to be the place where hymnology abounded, this could be true (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). On the other hand there are those who feel strongly that this arrangement of ideas, so amazingly gathering up the heart of the Christian faith, came pouring out of the great mind and heart of the Apostle Paul himself.

1. In an opening statement the apostle makes an evaluation of the central feature of the Christian faith. "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness." Even though the adjective is in the positive degree it carries the superlative sense, meaning, there is nothing greater than this. The mystery, once secret but now disclosed to the right kind of people, the secret of godliness is now revealed. Godliness is religious piety shown in relation to God. Because of the difference in language, the nearest expression to this in the Old Testament is the phrase, "the fear of the Lord" (Prov. 1:7; Isa. 11:2). The law of God was the meaning and measure of this piety, a piety almost wholly traced to the source of external compulsion. And it failed, miserably, for here was something "the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh" (Rom. 8:3).

But now at last the real secret of godliness is unveiled (Col. 1:26-27). Its source is the imparted life of God in the person of His Son (2 Pet. 1:3). It displays itself in outward conduct but it draws its life from the inner resources of Him who is godliness, like God in every respect because He is God (Col. 2:2). In an earlier epistle Paul places this secret in bold contrast with the godliness of the Old Testament. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20 ASV). This secret now made known to men is the greatest fact of the Christian faith.

2. Having evaluated this feature, Paul now makes a declaration of the central fact of the Christian faith. "He who was manifested in the flesh" of the ASV is equivalent to the words of the KJV, "God was manifest in the flesh." The incarnation bridged the gap between the natural and the supernatural, the human and the divine, the seen with the unseen. The second person of the Godhead was clothed with flesh, so that now the image of the invisible God comes within the grasp of men. He was manifested, that is, that which previously existed but was not known is now brought out into the open and made clear and plain. And this was accomplished in flesh. Almost every expression like this in the New Testa­ment was intended to convey the impression that Christ was no mere apparition, mere semblance of humanity, who in reality deceived men. He was altogether man, the word "flesh" gathering up in its significance all that goes to make up true humanity, namely, spirit, soul, body. Christ changed the condition of His existence. Up until His incarnation He existed only in the form of God, but now He takes on humanity and exists as God-man.

Herein is the secret of godliness. By means of the incarnation Christ established a base of operations. Rut this was only the beginning. His movement and ministry from this point on was to provide a way by which He could share His life with all men who were willing to bow the knee to Him and accept His provision. In this way there could be a godliness, a godlikeness provided, the dynamic and display of which could be traced to the inner resources of the indwelling Spirit of God (Rom. 8:1b, 4a, 5, 9-10, 14). The secret is out, and it took just four words in the original language to declare it. Every other detail in the marvelous and majestic life of Christ and His Church flows from this one central fact.

3. The delineation of this central figure of the Christian faith in His march toward complete fulfillment of His purpose is drawn in five swift strokes of the pen. They mark out the path of this pioneer as He blazes the way forward to lead many sons into glory (Heb. 2:10).

(1)     He experiences vindication in spirit by His resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4), not only for Himself, but also for those who embrace Him as Savior (Rom. 4:25).

(2)     Attestation of the validity and veracity of His person and work derive not merely from men, but from angelic beings (Matt. 1:20; 2:13, 19: Luke 1:26f; 2:9-14; Matt. 4:11; Luke 22:43; Matt. 28:2f; Eph. 1:21).

(3)     Proclamation of this great fact centering in Christ was made among the nations within a few short years, witnessing to the value of this message (Col.  1:23).

(4)   An answering response of appropriation was made within the world of lost men, giving further evidence to the fact that the secret for which they had been searching had at last reached them (Acts 8:26-39).

(5)   The exaltation of Christ experienced at His ascension in a cloud of glory was the crowning mark of approval for His work and the final detail in making the secret of godliness available to men who believe on Him (Acts 2:33-36).

NOT KNOWN BY GNOTICISM

NOT KNOWN BY GNOTICISM

 

 

From all eternity there existed the image of the invisible God in the second person of the Godhead. That is the sense of the words to the Colossians, "Who is the image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). This was Paul's attempt to offset the subtle inroads of Gnosticism which were threatening to catapult the Church right back into the pagan darkness from which they had been rescued by the preaching of the gospel.

1.     The purpose of Gnosticizing was to demean and depreciate the person of Christ. The word Gnosticism means knowledge and those who endorsed it were the knowers. They purported to be on the inside in possession of the deeper truths. By means of combining a species of oriental mysticism, Old Testament legalism, and paganism with the Christian faith, they demoted Christ to the level of a mere creature and exalted angelic creatures above Him. Worship was then directed to angels (Col. 2:18), and the performance of works became the way of salvation (Col. 2:16-17), and as a result men were cut off from Christ the head (Col. 2:19). So the apostle strikes at the heart of the matter, declaring that Christ is the image of the invisible God, is higher in position than any creature, and is Himself the Creator (Col. 1:15-17).

2.     In the person of Christ is the image of the invisible God. He is the second person of the triune God and in Him dwells all fullness (Col. 1:19). Every attribute in the Father is also in the Son, both quantitatively and qualitatively. For He is "the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person" (Heb. 1:3), brightness referring to the quantitative breadth of attributes, and express image defining the qualitative value of each attribute. He is therefore the exact image of the Father. This fact makes it perfectly clear that there would be no value in knowing the Father as over against the Son, for they are coextensive and coequal. But it also makes clear that in the event that men con­front the Son, it would be unwise to bypass Him in order to get to the Father.

3.       In function, Christ is the appointed medium of revelation of God to all created intelligences. That is the sense of the words, "the image of the invisible God." "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him" (Matt. 11:27). As the exact image of God, the Son has been that person of the Godhead through whom God always works in revelation. In His pre-incarnate state God always revealed Himself through Him. It was Christ who spoke to Moses out of the burning bush (Exod. 3:6, 13; John 8:58). The angel of Jehovah who appeared to Hagar (Gen. 21:17), to the parents of Sam­son (Judges 13:2-3), and watched over the people of Israel (Isa. 63:9) was none other than Christ (cf. Judges 13:15-18 and Isa. 9:6; name Wonderful for both). He is that messenger (angel) of the covenant who will eventually in the plan of God take upon Him humanity to make full revelation of God (Mal. 3:1).

4.       The climax in the unfolding of God's plan to make full revelation of Himself to men was to bring this image within the grasp of men. This is alluded to in the statement which follows in Col. 1:15. Christ is not only "the image of the invisible God," but He is also "the firstborn of every creature." By incarna­tion He was joined to the creation of which He is the Creator. He became man. He did not cease to be all that He was as God, namely, "the image of the invisible God," but in addition He has now taken on human flesh, and is in every respect also a true man. But His relationship to creation stands in a class all by itself. He is the "firstborn." While this word carried an original significance of priority in time, its very usage has changed and it has come to mean priority in position (2 Chron. 26:10; Psa. 89:27). Though united to creation by incarnation, yet He is higher in position than any creation, and the two verses which follow support this explanation (Col. 1:17, 19). This means that the image of the invisible God is now within the grasp of men, and yet at the same time retains every element and value as a revelation of God.

SEEN THRU FAITH

ACCESS BY FAITH

 

God in pure essence is spirit and is therefore almost completely inaccessible to mankind. "Nevertheless he left not himself without witness" (Acts 14:17). God had ways of discovering Himself to men so that they could reach after Him in faith (Heb. 11:6, 27).

1.     However, God is invisible (Col. 1:15; Heb. 11:27), being spirit, and is therefore inaccessible to sense perception. By no operation of the senses, see­ing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, was it possible for men to apprehend God. So the Scriptures make an absolute statement. "No man hath seen God at any time" (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12). Exploration by means of the senses was impossible (Luke 24:39; 1 Cor. 2:10-12).

2.     This meant that men were left without any material conception of God. Since God is spirit and separate and apart from His creation, there was nothing in creation that could possibly represent God. All the ideas men held concerning God were in reality mere abstractions. The readers of these lines may take all the material in the preceding pages, and however well you may comprehend them, you cannot fashion them into a substantial conception of God. You are forced to apprehend them by faith and live in the light of that persuasion.

3.     But men have always wanted to see in some substantial form something that represents the God whom they worship. This explains the plaintive cry of Job in the midst of his anguish. "Lo, He goes by me, and I see Him not: He passes on also, but I perceive Him not... For He is not a man, as I am, that I should answer Him, and we should come together in judgment...Oh that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat" (Job 9:11,32; 23:3). It was this same earnest longing that moved Philip to address Christ: "Lord show us the Father, and it sufficeth us" (John 14:8). Nor is this surprising to God, for He made man with this insistent longing and had already planned to satisfy it in the right way. But to guard against a false method of satisfying this longing, the Lord warned Israel, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me" (Exod. 20:4-5).

4. But already mankind had fallen into idolatry, and Israel soon followed in the same path. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to four-footed beasts, and creeping things...who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen" (Rom. 1:22-23, 25); having turned away in their hearts from a God who is totally separate from and different from creation, they then fashioned God over the various aspects of creation with ever diminishing level. To false deities they gave devotion along with degenerating morals until God gave them up (Rom. 1:24-28). All this teaches us that the level of morality is always commensurate with the level of man's conception of God. To rescue men from this quagmire of human depravity, the revelation of God in Christ broke through the clouds of spiritual darkness.

CHRIST-LIKENESS

THE CHRIST-LIKENESS OF GOD

 

At this point another feature is being added to the discussion of the attributes of God. In some sense this is the most important feature in the entire discussion, or perhaps it might be wise to refer to it as the crowning feature of the discussion. This is an effort to express what God did when He sought to teach men what God is like. This was accomplished perfectly, completely, and finally in the incarnation of Christ. God is like Christ. You have only to look at Christ to know what God is like.

To avoid any misunderstanding, it needs to be stated here that Christ is God. The Scriptures are replete with affirmations of His deity. The prophecy of His coming birth stated that His name shall be called Immanuel, meaning God with us (Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23). In further delineation of His name, Isaiah calls him "The mighty God" (Isa. 9:6). John the Baptist was to prepare the way of the Lord and make straight in the desert a highway for our God (Isa. 40:3; Matt. 3:3). John insisted that "the Word was God" (John 1:1). Christ did not hesitate to make claim that He was God (John 8:58).

But in this study it is not the purpose to set forth the doctrine of Christ, though it will be necessary to draw heavily upon the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ. The real purpose is to bring into focus all that has been set forth up to this point on the doctrine of God. This can be crystalized in Christ, inasmuch as God is like Christ. What has hitherto been a discussion in the realm of the ab­stract will now take shape in the concrete likeness of Christ.

MERCIFULNESS

GOD'S TRAIT OF MERCIFULNESS

 

The third attribute of God in the expression of His character is that of MERCIFULNESS, a quality which issues from the love of God. By mercy is meant the movement of God's love "in its twofold relation to the disobedient and to the obedient portions of his creatures."

1. The Biblical basis for the doctrine of God's mercy is inherent in the original words of Scripture and the affirmations made by the Scripture. The term "mercy" is applied to both God and man (Exod. 20:6; Psa. 37:21), in the Scriptures, though the references deal overwhelmingly with the mercy of God. The writers of Scripture almost exhaust human language in the effort to describe the mercy of God. They refer to it as great (Num. 14:18), plenteous (Psa. 86:5), rich (Eph.2:4), abundant (1 Pet. 1:3), good (Psa. 109:21), as enduring forever (1 Chron. 16:34), in the heavens (Psa. 36:5), great unto the heavens (Psa. 57:10), great above the heavens (Psa. 108:4), as filling the earth (Psa. 119:64), everlasting (Psa. 100:5), from everlasting to everlasting (Psa. 103:17), and as being built up forever (Psa. 89:2).

God's mercy is so great that it forms a multitude of mercies (Psa. 69:13; 106:7, 45). These are great (2 Sam. 24:14), manifold (Neh. 9:19, 27), tender (Psa. 25:6), sure (Isa. 55:3; Acts 13:34), and traced to One who is the "Father of mercies" (2 Cor. 1:3). This One is the "merciful God" (Deut. 4:31), the One who "delights in mercy" (Mic. 7:18), who is "merciful and gracious" (Exod.34:6) and deserves to be praised "For his merciful kindness...toward us" (Psa. 117:2).

The words employed in the original languages of the Bible are especially descriptive of this attribute of God. One Hebrew word appears in the plural and intensifies the idea of mercy, tender mercy, compassion. Quite literally, it is the word "bowels" and lays emphasis upon the seat of emotions (Psa. 111:4; 103:8), where it is translated by the expression "full of compassion," and "plenteous in mercy." Another Hebrew word lays emphasis upon kindness, with such other renderings as lovingkindness, goodness, and pity. It suggests the idea of wanting to bestow good upon the recipient (Psa. 36:5, 7; 117:2). Both of these appear in Psalm 103:4, “Who crowns thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies roles." Two Greek terms are also used in the New Testament. One is most often translated by the word mercy (James 5:11), while the other refers to the bestowal of prayer and is rendered by the words pity and compassion (1 Pet. 1:3).

2. A very necessary distinction exists between love and mercy. Love describes God's character, what God is; while mercy points to God's actions, what God does. This distinction is rather clearly set forth in Eph. 2:4-6. In this passage a series of benefits are described. These benefits are God's mercies to believers, a bestowal by "God, who is rich in mercy" (vs. 4). Believers have been quickened with Christ, raised with Christ, and made to sit in heavenly places in Christ (vs. 5-6). This generous enrichment of mercy is declared to be "for his great love wherewith he loved us" (vs. 4). The word "for" renders the Greek preposition which means because or on account of. So it is clear that God's love is the cause for the bestowal of mercy.

It will be seen by examination of the various passages of the Bible where God's mercy is being declared, that it is also demonstrated by seeking the temporal good and eternal salvation of men. He shows mercy to thousands (Deut. 5:10), refused to take away His mercy from Solomon (1 Chron. 17:13), granted mercy to Nehemiah (Neh. 1:11), works in such a way as to have mercy upon all (Rom. 11:32), but through the unbelief of Israel, Gentiles obtained mercy (Rom. 11:30), and now "as we have received mercy" (2 Cor. 4:1), Christians have a ministry. As measured by His mercy, believers have been born into the family of God to enjoy all the benefits that come with vital relationship to the "Father of mercies" (1 Pet. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:3).

3.     The essential greatness of God's mercy must be measured by the terms of God Himself. It is an attribute of God, and therefore shares in all the attributes of God. It is perfect, infinite, and eternal. The sacred writers admit that God's mercies are "very great" (1 Chron. 21:13), indeed, "plenteous" (Psa. 86:5). In fact, "the earth is full of God's mercy" (Psa. 119:64). His mercy is so great that it reaches "unto the heavens" (Psa. 57:10), even "above the heavens" (Psa. 108:4), and will endure forever (Psa. 136:1-26). Like a skyscraper, with floor upon floor, "God's mercy shall be built up forever" (Psa. 89:2). This mercy is so rich and full, it is "toward all" (Psa. 145:9, 15-16). It reaches out to help the undeserving (Neh. 9:17-21, 27-32). And it makes its supreme manifestation on through Christ (Eph. 2:4-8).

4.     Some very important practical values issue from this attribute of God. Inasmuch as the heavenly Father is merciful, this calls for an answering response of mercy in the child (Luke 6:36). Christians are appealed to on the basis of the mercies of God to present their bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). The mercies of God are sufficient grounds for inspiring the motive of unity and self-forgetfulness (Phil. 2:1). God's mercy is a guarantee that the enemies of good people will eventually be cut off (Psa. 143:12). The mercy of God provides assurance that the saints will be protected from hazard (Psa. 94:18), and life will be preserved (Psa. 52:8). The ground upon which the child of God may appeal for blessing from the heavenly Father is His "great mercies" (Dan. 9:18).

FAITHFULNESS

GOD'S ATTRIBUTE OF FAITHFULNESS

The second attribute in the expression of character is that of FAITHFULNESS arising out of the truth of God. This is the manifestation of the trueness of God in relation to His creatures in general and to His redeemed people in parti­cular. The inward reality of God always corresponds exactly with the outer ex­pression.

1. The divine announcement as expressed in the Biblical passages must have produced astonishment in the midst of a pagan world. Men had come to think that God "was altogether such a one" as themselves (Psa. 50:21). They thought of God as fickle, vain, unstable, turning in one direction or another under the pressures of circumstance. Then through the mouth of His prophets, God declared that He was faithful.

God declares of Himself that He is the "God of truth" (Isa. 65:16). In this passage the word for truth is "Amen," meaning firm, stable, unyielding, absolute. And out of this Hebrew word comes the word translated faithful. This expresses the fact that God acts in accordance with His nature. This faithfulness abides forever, and inasmuch as He is self-affirming, He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). Therefore His faithfulness will extend to all the generations of existence (Psa. 119:90). This faithfulness is so great that human sins, however mountainous, cannot cause God to forsake His promises (Lam. 3:23). This faithfulness is universal in its sweep of the created order, and reaches to the illimit­able heights of heaven and to the stars that are without number (Psa. 89:37). And it will never fail (Psa. 89:33).

In all His performance, God is faithful. He is a faithful creator

(1 Pet. 4:19) preserving and maintaining the universe. There are no limits to which it does not reach, ascending to the skies (Psa. 36:5), and assuring us that the sun will rise each morning (Psa. 89:2), that the planets will keep on schedule in their courses (Psa. 89:37), and that seed time and harvest will continue without variation (Gen. 8:22; Psa. 119:90).

This faithfulness provides for and undergirds the salvation in Christ. Christ is faithful in His entire ministry (Isa. 11:5 ASV; Heb. 3:2). As the faith­ful One, He initiates us into participation with Him (1 Cor. 1:9; 12:13), serves as High Priest in our behalf (Heb. 2:17), pleads our cause as Advocate (1 John 1:9; 2:1), and assures us that every promise will be fulfilled (Heb. 10:23; 11:11). With absolute faithfulness He establishes our goings and preserves us from the evil one (2 Thess. 3:3 ASV). In times of deep trial and testing He gives us victory (1 Cor. 10:13), encouraging us in the midst of opposition and warning us of the perils in the way (2 Tim. 2:13; Heb. 10:23). With an imperceptible gentleness He brings our stubborn wills into submission to His own holy will (Psa. 119:75), and through every changing circumstance of life preserves us completely for Himself (1 Thess. 5:23-24).

2. The essential meaning of faithfulness as resident in and displayed by God can be discovered only by resort to the Hebrew and Greek terms. The root word out of which the Hebrew word faithful comes means that which is firm. Hence the word faithful comes to mean reliable, steadfast, dependable, and trust­worthy. By examining the context of Deut. 7:9 where God is described as "faith­ful," the description is of One who keeps His covenant with His people with all its stipulations (cf. vs. 8-10). God made promise to Abraham to protect and preserve His people who owned Him as their God. He therefore brought them out of Egypt and through the wilderness. To those who rejected claim to God and repudiated the covenant with its warnings, upon them fell judgment.

In the New Testament, if we include the references to Christ, the asser­tion that God is faithful occurs 15 times. The Greek term is a form made on the stem of the word for faith. The word faith means persuasion of will. Therefore, the word faithful means performance over the pattern of persuasion, or persuasion issuing in performance. God is described in His activity as a faithful creator (1 Pet. 4:19); faithful in calling (1 Cor. 1:9), cleansing (1 John 1:9), reconciling (Heb. 2:17), promise (Heb. 10:23; 11:11), preserving (1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; 2 Thess. 3:3), in person (2 Tim. 2:13; Rev. 19:11), and in witness (2 Cor. 1:18; Heb. 3:2; Rev. 1:5; 3:14).

3. The divine evaluations of faithfulness in men are measured over the pattern of Himself. God exalts the faithful and holds them in high esteem. Such men as Abraham, Moses, Nehemiah, and Daniel stood high in His estimation (Neh. 9:8; Gal. 3:9; Heb. 3:5 Num. 12:7; Dan. 6:4). God's response toward faith­fulness in men gives some idea of the worth with which He regards this quality. He preserves the faithful (Psa. 31:23), and His eyes of blessing follow the faithful (Psa. 101:6). All of God's children will come some day before a throne for evalua­tion of their service, and a special recognition of "well done" will be given to the faithful servant (Matt. 24:46 T5:21,23). God is especially concerned that faithful men be inducted into the ministry (2 Tim. 2:2), and to those who are faithful unto death there will be a crown of life (Rev. 2:10).

There is one supreme and indispensable quality for stewards. That is faithfulness (1 Cor. 4:2). This quality begins with faithfulness to God (Luke 16:11), and is itself a fruit of the indwelling Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23 ASV). Where this quality is demonstrated toward God, it is assured that in all minor details of responsibility there will likewise be exhibited the quality of faithfulness. In the courage of this conviction, therefore, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope firm without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Heb. 10:23 NASB).

In God's faithfulness we have the guarantee that our faculties in their normal exercise do not deceive us; that laws of thought are also laws of things; that the external world, and second causes in it, have objective existence; that the same causes will always produce the same effects; that the threats of the moral nature will be executed upon the unrepentant transgressor; that man's moral nature is made in the image of God; and that we may draw just conclusions from what con­science is in us to what holiness is in Him. We may therefore expect that all past revelation, whether in nature or in His word, will not only not be contradicted by our future knowledge, but will rather prove to have in them more of truth than we ever dreamed. Man's word may pass away, but God's word abides forever (Isa. 40:8; Matt. 5:18). God's word is a "faithful word" (Titus 1:9; 3:8; 1 Tim. 1:15; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2: 11).

RIGHTEOUSNESS

ATTRIBUTE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN GOD

 

 

 

The first attribute in the expression of character is that of RIGHTEOUSNESS proceeding out of the holiness of God. Because God is holy, "God eternally wills and maintains His own moral excellence." With this as a foundation God maintains a straight course in disposition and action toward His creatures. This is referred to as the attribute of righteousness in God. On the one hand there is the distinction of disposition in God which is non-transferable; but on the other there is that deposition by declaration which can be transferred to men. These aspects of righteousness          emerge as the doctrine unfolds.

1. The Biblical doctrine of righteousness centers in terminology largely set forth in five English words in the King James Version of the Bible: just, justice, right, righteous, and righteousness. The American Standard Version has changed the word just to righteous. The verb form is usually the word justify. In general these words uniformly translate the same words from the Hebrew and Greek original.

The Biblical passages cover a variety of ideas pertaining to God's righteousness. It is affirmed that the Lord Himself is righteous (Psa. 11:7; Ezra 9:15; Rom. 3:25-26). That expression of Himself set forth in His laws is declared righteous (Psa. 19:8). God is righteous in all His ways (Psa. 145:17), and so all His acts are righteous (Judges 5:11), also His judgments (Psa. 119:137). He ad­ministrates a scepter of righteousness (Psa. 45:6) from a throne whose foundation is righteousness and justice (Psa. 89:14 ASV). The One who sits on the throne and exercises righteousness is Himself the habitation of righteousness (Jer. 50:7 ASV).

An examination of all the passages in the Bible reveals the fact that there are two kinds of righteousness in God. These are clearly distinguished. There is that aspect of the righteousness of God which is purely personal, a quality of His essence, a distinction of disposition to respond toward His creatures in a straight, undeviating course. There is another aspect of righteousness resulting from this disposition which makes available a deposition by declaration. The first is non-transferable. The second is available to men by faith. The first is set forth in the phrase, "a righteous Branch" (Jer. 23:5). The second is re­corded in the phrase, "The Lord our Righteousness" (Jer. 23:6). The New Testa­ment witnesses to the same twofold sense of God's righteousness. In Rom. 3:25-26 Paul points to the non-transferable righteousness of God, that is, His disposition to act in a certain way. In Rom. 3:21-22, Paul points to the right­eousness of God wrought at Calvary by the death of Christ, righteousness which can be transferred to men and which may be appropriated by faith.

2. The essential nature of God's righteousness can be described by the word straightness. The root idea of the Hebrew and Greek words is straightness, or conforming to a standard. That standard is what God is in Himself, absolute holiness. God is therefore absolutely free from any mixture of unrighteousness. "There is no unrighteousness in him" (Psa. 92:15). The justice and righteousness of God "are not mere manifestations of benevolence, or of God's disposition to secure the highest happiness of His creatures, nor are they grounded in the nature of things as something apart from or above God.” The righteousness of God in nature and action conform to the absolute standard of Himself.

The righteousness of God is wholly above and distinct from any righteousness that is declared of man. Concerning lost men it is affirmed that "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10). Even though Lot is referred to in 2 Peter 2:8 as "that righteous man," this description is used in a relative sense. In comparison with the rank and file of those who lived in the area of Sodom, Lot could justly be described as a righteous man. But when measured by the spotless righteousness of God, he was as filthy rags, Peter clearly supporting this evaluation. God's righteousness is absolute.

The above affirmations about the righteousness of God make it perfectly clear that His righteousness is wholly inconceivable to man, apart From divine revelation. In that sacred moment of intercourse with the Father, Christ exclaimed, "O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee" (John 17:25). Though there is infinite breadth to that which is not known about God, it certainly includes the fact that God is righteous. The manifestation of this righteousness in Christ and its revelation by the Spirit was necessary in order that men might experience recognition and realization of absolute righteousness (John 16:7-11).

3. The divine manifestation of God's righteousness is displayed in a number of ways. God's law laid down requirements of perfect righteousness for men. "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am Jehovah your God" (Lev. 19:35-36 ASV). When God finally pours out His wrath upon the world of unrighteous men, the angels proclaim, "true and righteous are Thy judgments" (Rev. 16:4-7). In spite of the sins of Israel, God in righteousness kept His covenant with this people (Ezra 9:15; Jer. 50:5-6). However, God also demonstrated His righteousness by chastening His people (Dan. 9:14). In supreme and lonely splendor stand the cross, bring­ing out into the open and making clear and plain that which hitherto existed but was not known, namely, the infinite righteousness of God (Rom, 3:25). Those who come to know the personal righteousness of God and appropriate by faith that righteousness made available by faith, to them there is further manifestation of God's righteousness in the forgiving of their sins (1 John 1:9).

4.     Practical values accrue from the truth of God's righteousness. This attribute in God is one of the qualities that guarantee the righteous character of the millennial kingdom (Psa. 45:6; Heb. 1:8). To the philosophers of Athens, Paul made proclamation that the final judgment of the world would be characterized by righteousness because God Himself is righteous (Acts 17:31). Appealing to God on the basis of the fact that He is a righteous Father, there is no question about the eternal safety of those who come to God through Christ (John 17:24-25a). And think of the assurance ministered to the saints in the fact that "God is not unright­eous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Heb. 6:10) . Men may undervalue or even forget, but the Lord will never forget.

5.     There are real problems associated with the doctrine of God's righteousness, but they are not insurmountable. These problems center largely in the effort to reconcile the doctrine of a righteous God with the existence of an evil world. As good men confront the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, they cry out like Jeremiah of old, "Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with Thee; yet would I reason the cause with Thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?" (Jer. 12:1 ASV). Or, as expressed by Malachi, "Where is the God of justice?" (Mal. 2:17 ASV). The answer is threefold. (1) God did deal with this problem so far as His own righteousness is concerned. He did it com­pletely, perfectly, and once-for-all at the Cross of Christ (Rom. 3:25). There He established His own righteousness by paying the price of an infinite penalty in His Son. For those who will accept this, the matter has been settled. (2) But there are many who refuse to accept this transaction at Calvary, so for them there is future judgment. It just so happens that God's time schedule for such people is not the same as ours (Mal. 3:1-5). (3) However, the delay in execut­ing sentence upon the wicked can be explained by the fact that God is holding back His wrath so that many more will have opportunity to enter into the benefits pro­vided at Calvary (2 Pet. 3:9, 15).