Faith Testifies to Christ: I was reading a message this morning in which the speaker acknowledged that he possessed no wisdom or righteousness of his own. Philippians 3:9. He described himself as continually dependent upon the wisdom and righteousness of God, both of which he understood to be obtained through faith in Christ.
I understood what was being said, and much of it sounded familiar. Man has no wisdom in himself. I Corinthians 3:19. He has no righteousness of his own. Everything necessary for salvation must be found in Christ. Colossians 2:9-10. Yet one part of the statement stood out to me: the idea that wisdom and righteousness are obtained through faith in Christ.
Is that how the gospel speaks? I do not believe faith obtains wisdom or righteousness for us. Christ Himself is our wisdom. Christ Himself is our righteousness. Faith does not bring these blessings into existence, nor does it make them ours. II Corinthians 1:20. Faith receives, believes, and confesses the testimony of what God has already made Christ to be unto His people. I John 5:10.
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” I Corinthians 1:30. Notice where Paul begins: “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus.” He does not begin with faith obtaining something from Christ. He begins with God and with His people already in Christ, who is made unto them everything they need.
The difference may appear small, but it changes the whole direction of the gospel. One view leaves the sinner looking to faith as the means by which Christ and His benefits become his. The other leaves him looking entirely to Christ, while faith believes and confesses what is already true in Him. Hebrews 12:2. We do not obtain anything. Christ is our wisdom. Christ is our righteousness. Faith testifies to that. MPJ