THE JUSTICE THAT SAVES US

It is obvious that this phrase – "the righteousness that saves us" – has no meaning for the one who does not fear God. "Save from what?" he would say, the wicked. He lives as if he were eternal and as if there were no God. However, from the height of his arrogance, thinking he is someone and being nothing, he does not know his origin, his destiny and the reason for his existence in the world. He doesn't even know if he will be alive tomorrow, but he lives as if he were the master of his life. All this contempt for spiritual things, however, does not cancel out the fact that he is condemned to eternal death because of original sin.

Yes. Humanity is condemned to eternal death, that is, an existence devoid of the glory with which it was created and of the presence of its Creator. This statement is based on the entire extension of sacred Scripture and, in particular, on the statement of the Apostle Paul that man has turned away from God. Look at what he wrote: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one" (Romans 3:10-12).

"There is no one who understands," but today, mankind knows of their debt to God, whether they believe it or not, because He has revealed Himself to the fallen world. In fact, after the first sin, man died spiritually and, turning away from God, had no way of knowing about his existence and his love for humanity. However, God revealed Himself to man and set in motion a plan to save him from this condition of sin that had been established in his being and to deliver him from eternal death, that is, a life in a state of corruption and eternal separation from his Creator.

In the context of this plan, God gave man his Law. It shows the standard of life that He requires of human beings. In fact, the Law is nothing more than the lifestyle in which man lived before original sin. However, after the Fall, with the entry of sin into man's being, he can no longer live as before. That is why the Apostle Paul states that "no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin" (Romans 3:20). How to understand this, then? The Law is the standard by which we are to live, yet will no one be held righteous before God by obedience to it?

Yes. The Law cannot be used as a means of salvation, a form of righteousness, because of the entrance of sin into the heart of man at the time of the Fall. Human nature has been corrupted and he simply cannot live as he did before original sin. He may even fulfill several aspects of the Law, but he will always fall into one or the other and, thus, become guilty of the entire Law. James, in his letter, talks about this: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10). How, then, can man get rid of eternal death? What will justify you before God? And the Law, what is its use, then?

"The Law is holy" (Romans 7:12) and, as long as this world exists, it will be in force and will not be revoked, Jesus said (Matthew 5:18). While it reveals a little of God’s being, it shows that man is in sin before him. It is as Paul said: "through the law we become conscious of our sin" Thus it shows that man cannot be saved by self-righteousness, by a personal effort to fulfill it. And since only by living according to divine standards can man be saved, it shows that man must accept the righteousness that comes from God. And here the great love of the Creator for man is revealed. He Himself has provided a means of salvation, a form of righteousness, for man.

This righteousness is faith in the sacrifice of his Son, who came into the world, as a man of flesh and blood, fulfilled the Law and yet received, in the place of humanity, the condemnation that was upon it and died on a cross. But on the third day, He rose again and returned to the Father. Thus, with his death and resurrection, Jesus Christ opened a way for man to return to God. This is "the righteousness that comes through faith," says the Apostle Paul. In his letter to the Romans he speaks of two righteousnesses: "the righteousness that comes from the Law" and the "righteousness that comes from faith" (Romans 10:5-11). It has already been shown that the justice that is sought by complying with the Law is flawed, because the human being cannot fulfill it. The man Jesus Christ, however, fulfilled the entire Law and this made him worthy, before God, to validate his vicarious sacrifice (life for life).

For this reason, the Apostle Paul is emphatic in showing the nothingness of "the righteousness that comes from the Law" and God's love for man in giving his own Son in favor of humanity (the righteousness that comes from faith). He states: "... a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified" (Galatians 2:16). It is clear, therefore, that man is not saved from eternal death by being a good person, doing good, doing works of charity, trying to fulfill the Law of God. But he is saved only through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus so that no one will boast before God (Ephesians 2:8-10).

And it is extremely relevant to highlight this point: "so that no one can boast before God". It was an autonomous life that Adam sought when he decided not to comply with God's recommendation not to eat from "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." Fallen man wants to be in control, even of spiritual things. Either he despises God, or he wants to save himself in his own way. What did the rich young ruler say to Jesus? "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He wanted to do something, because that way then he would be in control of the situation. He thought he could do something to solve his spiritual problem. Jesus then told him what he should do. But then he left sad, because what Jesus told him to do, he would not be able to do. Man has no competence to solve the problem of sin in his heart.

And at this point God's great love for human beings stands out. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus, the man who surrenders to God, recognizes his condition as a sinner, and receives Jesus as his Lord and savior gains the benefits of the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. And for him the words that say "... there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death" are valid. Jesus' death and resurrection nullified the power of sin in those who believe, for the "righteous demands of the law" were fully satisfied in Christ's sacrifice (Romans 8:1-4).

Antônio Maia – Ph.B., M.Div.

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