"For we are the circumcision, who
worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no
confidence in the flesh: though I myself might have confidence even
in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the
flesh, I yet more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of
Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews." That is, he
commands the highest honor a Jew can boast. "As touching the law," he
goes on, "a Pharisee; as touching zeal, persecuting the Church; as
touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for
Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I
may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of
mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith."

6. "Behold, this is the picture or pattern," he would say, "which we
hold up for you to follow, that remembering how you obtained
righteousness you may hold to it--a righteousness not of the Law." So
far as the righteousness of the Law is concerned, Paul dares to say
he regards it as filth and refuse (that proceeds from the human
body); notwithstanding in its beautiful and blameless form it may be
unsurpassed by anything in the world--such righteousness as was
manifest in sincere Jews, and in Paul himself before his conversion;
for these in their great holiness, regarded Christians as knaves and
meriting damnation, and consequently took delight in being party to
the persecution and murder of Christians.

7. "Yet," Paul would say, "I who am a Jew by birth have counted all
this merit as simply loss that I might be found in 'the righteousness
which is from God by faith'." Only the righteousness of faith teaches
us how to apprehend God--how to confidently console ourselves with
his grace and await a future life, expecting to approach Christ in
the resurrection. By "approaching" him we mean to meet him in death
and at the judgment day without terror, not fleeing but gladly
drawing near and hailing him with joy as one waited for with intense
longing.

Now, the righteousness of the Law cannot effect such confidence of
mind. Hence, for me it avails nothing before God; rather it is a
detriment. What does avail i