Romans 1:17

Whose Righteousness Are We Wearing?

To understand the righteousness of God, it may be helpful to first recognize that not all righteousness is the same. Scripture describes two types of righteousness. 

The most common type of righteousness functions on tradition and religious activity– what we assume makes us righteous in the eyes of God. 

It isn't necessarily faithless, but it isn't grounded in true faith either.  It is simply rooted in the religious perception of what we think it means to be righteous or faithful. 

It is ordinary or common, perhaps because it is so prevalent among those of us who rely on, for example, temple ordinance work to save – simply because we don't understand that "all scriptures, (in context of biblical scripture) are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:15–17).

1) Common or ordinary righteousness is our own kind of righteousness. It is often how we perceive ourselves. It is our self-righteousness. 

We may boast of monthly temple attendance, annual tithes, missions, priesthood, callings and position, consecration, sacrifice or service. But our kind of righteousness is not God's kind. It: 

• Is not blood–bought.

• Is not grace–based.

• Cannot save.

Paul explains our kind of righteousness: "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:2-3). 

2) And then there is a super-extraordinary righteousness that transcends one's perceived personal righteousness. It is God’s uncommon, extraordinary righteousness revealed in Christ.  "For Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:4). 

To receive God's super-extraordinary righteousness, we must first separate the common and ordinary from the uncommon and extraordinary.

 In Zechariah we read of Joshua the high priest who stood before the angel of the LORD as "a brand plucked out of the fire" (Zechariah 3:2).  

"Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment" ((Isaiah 64:6 Zechariah 3:1-5). 

Two Threads in the Robe of Righteousness

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10). 

His righteousness includes two threads that weave together the doctrine of imputation. "Imputation refers to the accounting or crediting of righteousness to an individual by God. 

The New Testament presents the imputation of Christ's righteousness to believers as foundational to salvation. His righteousness is credited to those who have faith in Him. 

This divine exchange is the basis for justification, where believers 'being justified by faith, have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (Romans 5:1) not because of their own works, but because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to them." Excerpted from the Topical Encyclopedia, “Imputation” – biblehub.com

We find reflections of the doctrine of imputation in the Old Testament. For example, Paul records, "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3).

• Thread 1) God does not impute sin. "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Romans 4:8). "For he hath made  him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

• Thread 2) God does impute righteousness without works. "Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered" (Romans 4:6-7).

Why So Many Miss It

"What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone" (Romans 9:30-32). 

According to the scriptures, the Jews, which followed after the law of righteousness, did not attain to "the righteousness which is of faith."  They "stumbled because they sought it not by faith," but by works. The last to whom it was revealed: the Gentiles—received it by faith. 

The resurrected LORD called everyone both Jews and Gentiles to receive it by faith. The Apostle Paul explains, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16).

The Robe

The robe of his righteousness is hanging in the gospel's Lost and Found closet. We can't buy it. We can't earn it. We can't qualify for it. We can't improve it. 

But as believers, we can claim it, receive it and wear it. Will we put it on? Will we trust in Christ alone and put on his uncommon extra-ordinary righteousness? 

Isaiah  addresses our misconception of righteousness saying, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Conclusion

"The Robe of Righteousness signifies the believer's justification before God. It underscores the transformative power of the gospel, providing comfort and assurance of salvation. 

This metaphor highlights the grace and mercy of God, who, despite human sinfulness, offers a way to be reconciled to Him through Christ. 

It speaks to the heart of the believer's relationship with God, emphasizing the grace that clothes them in his righteousness and the call to live out that righteousness in daily life." Excerpted from the Topical Encyclopedia, “Robe of Righteousness” – biblehub.com