“Life Because Of Righteousness”

One of the issues that I have studied extensively over the years is the ordo salutis, particularly as it relates to the logical and chronological order of

1) regeneration (or rebirth) to faith (and conversion) and of
2) regeneration to justification (or imputation of righteousness).

I have fought hard to convince others of the error of putting rebirth before conversion and of the error of putting regeneration before justification.

There are many reasons why justification must precede regeneration, but there are two verses that to my view clearly affirm this proposition. They are both in Romans.

Romans 5: 18 speaks of "justification of life" (kjv), or better translated, "justification that brings life." Thus, justification or imputation, at the point of faith and union with Christ, precedes regeneration (giving of life).

The other passage is in Romans 8:10.

"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness."

Hendriksen said: “But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of your justification.”

This says life (or regeneration) is because of, or follows, justification.

Wuest translates as follows: "But, assuming that Christ is in you, on the one hand the body is dead on account of sin, but on the other hand the [human] spirit is alive on account of righteousness."

Again, alive spiritually in regeneration "on account of" having been made righteous, or justified.

NLT translates: "Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive because you have been made right with God."

Those who teach that justification comes after regeneration would have to change the text to say "you are right with God because your spirit is alive."

Meyer's NT Commentary says these truthful things on this text:

"He is eternally alive, and that διὰ δικαιοσύνην, on account of righteousness; for the eternal ζωή (life) is based on the justification that has taken place for Christ’s sake and is appropriated by faith.

It is moreover to be noted, that as ΔΙʼ ἉΜΑΡΤ. does not refer to one’s own individual sin (on the contrary, see on ἘΦʼ ᾯ ΠΆΝΤΕς ἭΜΑΡΤΟΝ, Romans 5:12), so neither does ΔΙᾺ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΎΝΗΝ refer to one’s own righteousness."

If, however, διὰ δικαιοσύνην be rendered: for the sake of righteousness, “in order that the latter may continue and rule” (Ewald, comp. van Hengel), it would yield no contrast answering to the correct interpretation of νεκρὸν διʼ ἁμ. It is moreover to be noted, that as διʼ ἁ΄αρτ. does not refer to one’s own individual sin (on the contrary, see on ἐφʼ ᾧ πάντες ἥ΄αρτον, Romans 5:12), so neither does διὰ δικαιοσύνην refer to one’s own righteousness."

This is an important issue for all to study and come to understand, especially ministers of the gospel.