Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Righteousness Is Only Found in Believing Christ

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.  (Rom 10:4)

See the judgment of Paul.… He shows that there is but one righteousness, and that has its full issue in this.  And he that has taken to himself this, the one by faith, has fulfilled that also.  But he that rejects this, falls short as well of that also.  For if Christ is "the end of the Law," he who has not Christ, even if he seems to have that righteousness, has it not.  But he who has Christ, even though he has not fulfilled the Law correctly, has received the whole.…  For what was the object of the Law?  To make man righteous.  But it had not the power, for no one fulfilled it.  This then was the end of the Law and to this it looked throughout, and for this all its parts were made—its feasts, and commandments, and sacrifices, and all besides—that man might be justified.  But this end Christ gave a fuller accomplishment of through faith.  Be not then afraid, he says, as if transgressing the Law in having come over to the faith.  For you do transgress it then, when for it you do not believe Christ.  If you believe in Him, then you have fulfilled it also, and much more than it commanded.  For you have received a much greater righteousness.

John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 10

No comments: