Notes: Chapter Ii. Of The Law Of Faith, Or Covenant Of Grace.
Notes: CHAPTER II. OF THE LAW OF FAITH, OR COVENANT OF GRACE.
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2 Tim. 1.9, “Who has saved us according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.’ —Eph. 3.11, “According to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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Rom. 1.1, 2, “The gospel of God, which he had promised before by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.”
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Gal. 4.4, 5, “But when the fulness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.”
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These are the good tidings, this is the Law of Faith, i.e. the law to be believed for salvation, which the apostle plainly teaches. Rom. 1.16, “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes;” and, verse 17, “For in this, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” In this last text, clouded with a great variety of interpretations, I think there is a transposition of words to be admitted, and I would read the whole verse thus: “For in this is revealed the righteousness of God by faith unto faith; as it is written, But the just shall live by faith.” The key to this construction and reading of the words in the former part of the verse, is the testimony adduced by the apostle in the latter part of it, from Hab. 2.4, where the original text appears to me to determine the version of that testimony as offered here. The sense is the righteousness which is had by faith, namely, the righteousness of Christ, the only righteousness in which a sinner can stand before God is in the gospel revealed to faith, i.e. to be believed. See a like phrase in 1Tim. 4.3, which is translated in this manner, [who believe and know the truth].