John Calvin Commentary Romans 1:17

"For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith." — Romans 1:17 (ASV)

For the righteousness of God, etc. This is an explanation and a confirmation of the preceding clause—that the gospel is the power of God for salvation. For if we seek salvation, that is, life with God, righteousness must first be sought. By this righteousness, being reconciled to Him, we may, through Him being favorable to us, obtain that life which consists only in His favor. For, to be loved by God, we must first become righteous, since He regards unrighteousness with hatred. He therefore intimates that we cannot obtain salvation otherwise than from the gospel, since nowhere else does God reveal to us His righteousness, which alone delivers us from perdition. Now this righteousness, which is the foundation of our salvation, is revealed in the gospel; hence the gospel is said to be the power of God for salvation. Thus he reasons from the cause to the effect.

Notice further what an extraordinary and valuable treasure God bestows on us through the gospel: even the communication of His own righteousness. I take the righteousness of God to mean that which is approved before His tribunal; as that, on the contrary, is usually called the righteousness of men, which is counted and supposed by men to be righteousness, though it is only vapor. Paul, however, I do not doubt, alludes to the many prophecies in which the Spirit makes known everywhere the righteousness of God in the future kingdom of Christ.

Some explain it as the righteousness which is freely given to us by God, and I indeed confess that the words can bear this sense; for God justifies us by the gospel, and thus saves us. Yet the former view seems to me more suitable, though it is not something I emphasize greatly. Of greater importance is what some think: that this righteousness does not only consist in the free remission of sins, but also, in part, includes the grace of regeneration. But I consider that we are restored to life because God freely reconciles us to Himself, as we shall later show in its proper place.

But instead of the expression he used before, to every one who believeth, he says now, from faith; for righteousness is offered by the gospel and is received by faith. And he adds, to faith; for as our faith makes progress and advances in knowledge, the righteousness of God increases in us at the same time, and the possession of it is, in a way, confirmed. When we first taste the gospel, we indeed see God’s smiling countenance turned towards us, but at a distance; the more the knowledge of true religion grows in us, by coming, as it were, nearer, we behold God’s favor more clearly and more familiarly. What some think—that there is here an implied comparison between the Old and New Testament—is more refined than well-founded; for Paul does not here compare the fathers who lived under the law with us, but points out the daily progress that is made by every one of the faithful.

As it is written, etc. By the authority of the Prophet Habakkuk, he proves the righteousness of faith. For Habakkuk, predicting the overthrow of the proud, adds this: that the life of the righteous consists in faith.

Now, we do not live before God except through righteousness; it then follows that our righteousness is obtained by faith. The verb being future designates the real perpetuity of that life of which he speaks, as though he had said that it would not be momentary but continue forever.

For even the ungodly swell with the false notion of having life; but when they say, Peace and safety, a sudden destruction comes upon them (1 Thessalonians 5:3). It is therefore a shadow which endures only for a moment. Faith alone is that which secures the perpetuity of life.

And why is this, except that it leads us to God and makes our life depend on Him? For Paul would not have aptly quoted this testimony if the Prophet’s meaning had not been that we only stand firm when by faith we rest on God. And the Prophet has ascribed life to the faith of the godly only insofar as they, having renounced the arrogance of the world, resign themselves to the protection of God alone.

He does not, indeed, explicitly handle this subject, and hence he makes no mention of gratuitous justification. But it is sufficiently evident from the nature of faith that this testimony is rightly applied to the present subject. Besides, we necessarily gather from his reasoning that there is a mutual connection between faith and the gospel; for as the just is said to live by faith, he concludes that this life is received by the gospel.

We have now the principal point or the main hinge of the first part of this Epistle: that we are justified by faith through the mercy of God alone. We do not have this, indeed, as yet distinctly expressed by Paul; but from his own words it will later be made very clear that the righteousness which is grounded on faith depends entirely on the mercy of God.