The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-10

reason for calling Gods Word righ hteOusuess,
because it is all holy, just, and good. and the
rule and standard of righteousness" Pool
thinks it is SO called "as exactly agreeable 70
Gods Tigh teOus nature and will :" 1, Barnes,
"the laws or statutes which God. "a q righteous
or Just God, appoints TO be the rule Of conduct
TO his creatures" The Hebrew for righteous
ness is from a root which means TO be- straight.
So it comes 10 mean right, true, sincere the
opposite OF crooked Gods Word sets forth
Christ who is our righteousness. The Bible
teaches Us to be righteous. Our word righteous
is from the Saxon (rihtwisel rightwise It isev-
idence Of good Judgment TO be right 90 love 90
be right, to seek the society Of those who are
right, TO right the wrong, % straighten the
crooked, To favor instice, 30 seek righteousness
first TO cultivate riRhtmi ndedness. 20 study the
literature Of righteousness to wit, IN special the
Bible, one Of the names Sf which is righteous
ness He may in a certain sense be wse but
he is wrongwise who ignores the Holy Scrip
ture7.
Why is the Bible called the STATUTES" Of
God The word statutes il found az an equiVa-
lent for the Scriptures % times in rs. 49,
See verses ;. :, ~ rs, % 26. 81 f9, -. 60, g.
II, 20, So III, III, 49, Ia l3j, lij LOO l71.)
We find the word in the plural number in every
case The Hebrew word lchOkel is from a
root which means to cnt, hew, hack. and so gets
the idea Of craving, writing. That which is
thus recorded is decree, law, something or
dained, appointed We must not get from the
word statutes any such definite signifcation as
We attach 10 said word when now used in
strictly legislative and legal sense, in which
case il is the reverse Of the common law, points
Z TO acts affecting the people IN general, and not
simply the individual or corporation. var-
ETY. Of words used in rs. ll9 for the Scrip
lures more seemingly for rhetoric effect than
l for the purpose Of drawing nice distinctions.
Statutes NAY be taken in Psalm 10 in the sense
Of commandments. Alexander renders def
/ mite and permanent enaGtmeuts"; /; Barnes,
\ commands. laws; DR.. Clarke, statutes,
\ from a word signifyiug 10 mark. trace out, de-
\ scribe, Ordain, because they mark out our way,
/ describe the line Of conduct we are to pursue,
/ and order or Ordain what we are % observe" !;
| Dickson, The word statutes signifies that this
revealed will Of God containeth the duties
+ which God hath appointed and prescribed for
/ our rule .; Henry, They are called his stat
/ utes because they ara fixed, and determined,
\ and Of perpetual obligation; Jebb, The verb
from which this word is formed, means to en-
grave or inscribe, the word means definite,
prescribed, written law"
Suggestions
/ We have a guide to righteousness. OblI-
CATION 70 be righteous is forced on us. We
are 70 20 straight. We are TO practice no
crookedness. We must be right-wise. We are
| not obliged to be IN the mist as having TO con-
strue conduct from abstract principles, but
have advantage Of a luminous example OF right
eOusness, COncTeted into a daily life. ChrisFs
humanity is a clear commentary on the Bible
az a text-b book Of righteousness. SO the Incar-
mated Jesus is styled our Righteousness.
2. But emphasis must be put also on the
Word the written, the definite prescription Of
| righteousness as elucdated in the Holy Scrip
lures, which are statutes, deCrees statements
of appointed courses Of life.
3. Notice how anxious God was to learn the
statutes Of God; how be prayed to be taught
them; how sOlicitous be was to keep them
how he delighted in them; how he meditated
in them how he wanted bis heart to be sound
in them how concerned not to forget them
how no sung Of them in the pilgrimage Of life.