The Righteousness of God

In this devotional, John Wesley describes how God’s righteousness can not be earned through human works.

“Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 9:33

Simple faith is to “hard” for many people They make this objection: “If a person cannot be saved be all he or she can do, it will drive them to despair.”

True, to despair of being saved by their own works, their own merits, or righteousness. And so it ought, for none can trust in the merits of Christ till he has utterly renounced his own.

The one who goes about to establish his own righteousness—his own methods of acceptance with God—cannot receive the righteousness of God, which is the way of justification that He has fixed.

The design of the law was to bring men and women to believe in Christ for justification and salvation. The righteousness which is of faith cannot be given a person while he is trusting in that which is of the law: namely, his own works.

It is sometimes called the righteousness of God—the whole benefit of God through Christ for the salvation of a sinner—and it is called this because God planned and prepared, reveals and gives, approves and crowns it; and it is shown to us only by God.