Their own righteousness

21. Perhaps the well observing this may give light to some other scriptures, which we have not always so clearly understood. St. Paul, speaking in his epistle to the Romans, concerning the unbelieving Jews, saith, They being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and, going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. I believe this may be one sense of the words. They were ignorant of God’s righteousness, not only of the righteousness of Christ, imputed to every believer, whereby all his sins are blotted out, and he is reconciled to the favour of God: but (which seems here to be more immediately understood) they were ignorant of that inward righteousness, of that holiness of heart, which is with the utmost propriety termed God’s righteousness, as being both his own free gift through Christ, and his own work, by his almighty Spirit. And because they were ignorant of this, they went about to establish their own righteousness. They laboured to establish that outside righteousness, which might very properly be termed their own. For neither was it wrought by the Spirit of God, nor was it owned or accepted of him. They might work this themselves, by their own natural strength: and when they had done, it was a stink in his nostrils. And yet trusting in this, they would not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God. Yea, they hardened themselves against that faith, whereby alone it was possible to attain it. For Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to every one that believeth. Christ, when he said, It is finished, put an end to that law, to the law of external rites and ceremonies, that he might bring in a better righteousness, through his blood, by that one oblation of himself once offered, even the image of God, into the inmost soul of every one that believeth.