This righteousness, although ideal and primi tive in man, was lost by the first transgression on the part of Adam. Sin thus entered into the world and prevailed in the human race, so that both Jews and Gentiles as descendants of the same common ancestor are tinder the power of sin. They can expect nothing but the natural conse quences of this evil principle ; that is to say, dis tress and alienation from God, and finally death.
The Old Testament brought sin to light through the Mosaic law, which was meant to be, not a means of salvation or righteousness, but a means of preparing the way for it. The Old Testament did, however, provide a way of righteousness through the promise given to Abraham. The promise was before the law, and called forth faith, and faith was accepted as a ground of jus tification. Thus righteousness was imputed to Abraham and others on the ground of faith.
But the promise which saved the believer in the Old Testament was realized in the new dispensa tion in Jesus Christ and his work. Christ thus occupies the central place in Paul's system of thought, and constitutes an object of affectionate devotion and allegiance.
(b) Of Christ. Paul teaches that he was son of David, the son of a woman, therefore a true man, and yet the Son of God. He existed before his birth as Man with God, sharing in the work of the creation of the ssorld and entitled to equality with the Father. In the incarnation he took on himself human nature, suffered and died, and rose again from the dead, and thus sealed and com pleted his work.
(e) The most significant part of the work of Christ is his death. This death was vicarious and sacrificial, and its efficacy consists in perfect and satisfactory obedience to the Father in behalf of men and the consequent removal of sin. Since Christ died, then, those who believe arc united to him, constituting a new humanity. of which he is the Head. As the first Adam was the head of the sinful race, Christ thus becomes the second Adam, the head of the redeemed race.
(d) God the Father stands in this scheme of thought as the Sovereign and Efficient Cause of all its parts. It is his free grace that has fore seen and foreordained the minutest particulars of the plan in such a way that all creature merit is excluded by it. The redeemed has no occasion of boasting, nor ground for claim in himself, but only occasion for gratitude to him, whose love has provided this way of righteousness. God has an
absolute right to deal with his creatures as it may appear best to him, but the impossible supposi tion that God can or will choose to act in any other way than rightly toward his creatures does nut enter into Paul's thought. Accordingly, God calls whom he has chosen out of his free grace to be made partakers in the new humanity of which Christ is the head. He further justifies these, pardoning their sins, and sends his spirit into their hearts to work out a new life of holi ness in them.
(e) The new life is begun by the Holy Spirit, and continued into complete sanctification, the same Spirit enlightening, leading, moving, and actuating him in whom it has been begun through out his whole course.
The new life, though wrought out in individ uals, is given them as sharers in the redeemed humanity of which Christ is the head ; hence it has its social aspects. This is recognized in the organized Church, with its principles of polity and discipline and its ordinances of worship, es pecially the two sacraments instituted by Christ. Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
As the starting point of religion and principal question in the Pauline system was the securing of righteousness or normal standing before God. so in the Johannine system it is the restoration of onion or fellowship between man and God.
(3) Teaching of St. John. (a) The actual relation between man and God is that of aliena tion. This appears in the natural condition of the world. The world conceived of as the sum total of the social activity of the human race is in darkness, and prefers to remain in darkness, even thought the light may shine in it. It hates God. It is to be judged and condemned unless it accepts God's offer of mercy. Viewed as a spirit of force constituted by human activity. it is an enemy to b. overcome. It is subject to Satan and pervaded by the thought of Satan.
This condition of the world is silt. It is a con dition of lawlessness; the law of God is disre garded in it. The root of sin lies in disbelief of :,oil incited by the devil, and its consequences have the displeasure of God, the slavery of the higher to the lower nature of man, and death.