#68 Truth and Righteousness

Ps 85:11. Truth has sprung up from the earth, and righteousness has looked down from heaven. ….. Therefore Christ came to earth that He might lift us up to heaven. He came to us where we are that He might lead us to Himself where He is. But it is the promise that was responsible for His coming to us. Therefore truth springs up from the earth, for it had been promised that He would come to us. And so truth has been fulfilled. But it is His righteousness, which is in heaven, that is responsible for our coming to Him. And thus through truth He comes to us, and through righteousness we come to Him. Hence there is a marvelous mixture. Therefore those who did not want to be in heaven were not justified. For righteousness did not spring up from the earth, but it stays in heaven and looks down from heaven, choosing and imparting itself only to the elect. [Righteousness looks down to see if there is anyone to receive the truth (cf. Ps. 53:2) and ask for it. Truth has been set forth on earth. But they are not justified by it except those who receive it and seek it…. Therefore righteousness looks down from heaven to see if anyone might receive the truth offered, so that … righteousness itself might also receive him who received the truth. Thus truth comes to us so that we might be righteous … and come to life.]  (Luther’s Works, v.11, p.169)

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