The Righteousness of God

To what was Paul referring in Romans 1: 17 when he wrote of the "righteousness of God" being in the gospel? What did he mean in Romans 10: 3 with "God's righteousness"? It means the same both places. It does not refer to a virtuous attribute of God. We learn of that even from the Old Testament.

David wrote, Psalms 119: 172, "...for all thy commandments are righteousness." The phrase refers to the commandments of God given to men whereby God provides the way of forgiveness and makes man righteous and justified before Him. The gospel teaches that way. The Jews sought their own way, the way of the law of Moses, rather than the way God delivered through Christ.

To know of God's plan of salvation, His scheme of redemption, we read from the gospel. When believed and obeyed, we stand justified before God because of what He has done first on our behalf.