67. Christ is our Righteousness
Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Because of Christ there is righteousness for everyone who believes. Believers in Christ receive righteousness as a gift because of what Jesus has done. In the Gospel righteousness is revealed from faith to faith. Now the newly righteous live by faith. Faith gives life and builds this newly granted life on the foundation of freely given righteousness. This foundation is a fountain ever springing and overflowing with life and goodness.
Christ is the end of the law in two senses. In the first place, “end” means the same as goal or purpose. The purpose of the law was to produce rightness and goodness and make it the central guiding light in human affairs. Christ fulfilled the Law by keeping it perfectly; in this way the purpose of the law, producing righteousness, has been accomplished by Jesus’ life on earth. One human being has finally reached righteousness; and, being also God, He is able to grant righteousness to all who believe in Him. Christ was not righteous just to make Himself acceptable to God, which He did; Christ was righteous to make us acceptable to God. The Moral Law of God has not been abolished: it has been fulfilled. The end of the law was to make life great; Jesus did that.
In the second place, “end” means something is finished or completed. The rule of Law over; it is superseded by the Gospel. The Law has no more power over us to condemn. The Gospel rules and proclaims “no condemnation.” The Law cannot, never could and never will, produce the righteousness it is designed to do. This is not the fault of the Law, for it is good, but it is the fault of human sin, which does not keep the Law. What the Law cannot do the Gospel does; the Gospel produces the righteousness the Law could not. Where the Law failed the Gospel succeeded. The Law is ended also as a motivational power to produce righteousness. The Law only has the power to increase sin and produce more evil. That power is ended.
The Law of God does still have to power to convict of sin and reveal to us the need for the Gospel; it leads us to repent and believe the Gospel. The Law is still necessary in that it leads us to believe and receive the Gospel. If the Gospel stands alone without the Law it is meaningless and speaks to nothing; with the Law the Gospel speaks volumes of grace. Nevertheless, the power of the Gospel ends the power of the Law. The Law always accuses; the Gospel always forgives, and it promises righteousness.