Are You Righteous Before God by Your Own Works? Or by the Righteousness that Comes by Faith in Jesus Christ's Death, Burial, and Resurrection?! Ponder That . . .

Two Kinds of Righteousness[1]

A Devotional thought for June 18, 2026

From the pen of John Bunyan author of The Pilgrim's Progress

Early English Baptist Puritan

Two Kinds of Righteousness[1]

“But now the righteousness of God have been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—”

Romans 3 21.

This text utterly excludes the law—what law? The law of works, the moral law, (Romans 3: 27)—and makes mention of another righteousness—even a righteousness of God. For the righteousness of the law is the righteousness of men, men’s “own righteousness” (Philippians 3: 9). Now, if the law, as to a justifying righteousness, is rejected; then the very matter upon and by which man should work is rejected. And if so, then he must be justified by the righteousness of God—or not at all[!] For he must be justified by a righteousness that is without the law—to wit, the righteousness of God. Now, this righteousness of God, whatever it is, to be sure it is not a righteousness that flows from men. For that, as I said, is rejected, and the righteousness of God opposed unto it, being called a righteousness that is without the law, without our personal obedience to it. The righteousness of God, or a righteousness of God’s completing, a righteousness of God’s bestowing, a righteousness that God also gives unto, and puts upon all them that believe (Romans 3: 22). [It is] . . . a righteousness that stands in the works of Christ, and that is imputed both by the grace and justice of God (v. 24-26). Where, now, is room for man’s righteousness, either in the whole, or as to any part thereof? I say, where, as to justification with God?

[1] Theological note: There is a theological conundrum here. One can be made righteousness by keeping the Law of God. But it must be kept impeccably both internally and externally and that perfectly which individuals cannot do and stand before Holy before God. The other “Law” or Righteousness is the Law of Faith. Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness. Genesis 15: 6.