Joyful truth to miserable shiners. O that this passage were ever upon our minds, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." Isa. 55:8. Our thoughts are to make ourselves righteous by our own obedience; and our ways are, to be justified before God by our own righteousness: but the Lord calls us to forsake these unrighteous thoughts as well as wicked ways, and to submit by faith to his thoughts and his ways, to be made righteous by the obedience of One.
Consider, this negative is implied, no other obedience can make any sinner righteous. O sinner, for what art thou seeking? What art thou striving to be and to do? What is the end of thy praying, reading, hearing, and of thy striving against sin and to excel in obedience? Is it to make thyself righteous? Then it all proceeds from unbelief of the truth that "by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous," and by no other obedience whatever. "Then," say some, "there is an end to all good works." No: from the faith of this all good works begin. There is indeed an end to all the evil works of unbelief, which are done to supplant the one spotless obedience of Christ in making sinners righteous, and to establish the filthy rags of man's righteousness. Taught by the Spirit of truth, through faith, my soul abhors this. '"Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." Rom. 15:23. "Works which do not spring of faith in Jesus Christ, have the nature of sin. "(Church Article 13.) Hence, O my soul, no obedience of thine, before faith in Christ, can make thee righteous. Nor doth obedience after faith make thee righteous; for then thou art made righteous by the one obedience of Christ. Settle this matter well in thy conscience: the glory of thy God and the comfort of thy soul demand it. It is positively asserted, "By the obedience of one," or the one obedience of Christ, "shall many be made righteous." The faith of God's elect takes the comfort of this, and will love Christ, live upon his righteousness, and give him the glory of it.
But who are made righteous by Christ's one obedience? Many: The many sons whom Christ shall bring to glory. Heb. 2:10. Even all who see themselves miserable sinners, and believe in Christ for righteous ness unto justification of life. What a glorious way is this of making sinners righteous! It secures all the glory to Christ; it keeps the sinner humble before him, de pendent on him, and prevents all self-righteous boasting; while it gives the poor sinner "boldness and access with confidence" to God, and inspires warm love to Christ, and the cheerful obedience of faith.
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