Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 63:2 (Jun 2020)
Article: Righteousness And The Created Order: Appreciation And Critique Of A Novel Idea
Author: Jeffrey J. Niehaus

JETS 63:2 (June 2020) p. 233

Righteousness And The Created Order:
Appreciation And Critique Of A Novel Idea

Jeffrey J. Niehaus

Jeffrey J. Niehaus is Senior Professor of OT at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 130 Essex St., South Hamilton, MA 01982. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Abstract: This article explores and critiques the idea that biblical righteousness equates to the “world (created) order” or conformity to it, a relative newcomer in studies of biblical righteousness. Arguments will be examined with regard to biblical data and also in light of a proposed alternative. The proposed alternative will, finally, be offered as a better foundation for understanding biblical righteousness.

Key words: righteousness, conformity to a standard, covenant faithfulness, created order, God’s righteousness, God’s Being and doing, human righteousness, law/justice, wisdom, kingship, war/victory over enemies, act and consequence, covenant, covenant lawsuit, judgment, higher criticism

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:16–17, ESV)

The purpose of this article is to explore and evaluate the idea that biblical righteousness equates to the created order, or “world order” (Weltordnung), or conformity to it—a novel idea in righteousness studies, advanced by H. H. Schmid in several works and then taken up by others.1 Although some have adopted Schmid’s

JETS 63:2 (June 2020) p. 234

view, the present study must, out of considerations of space and justice to the original exposition of the view, limit itself to the trunk and not explore the branches, so to speak. In that regard, and because the concern of this article is with the right understanding of righteousness biblically, vis-à-vis Schmid’s original contribution, the discussion that follows will be devoted to Schmid’s thought, viewed in light of a proposed alternative.2

I. Definitions: A Proposed Alternative

A pertinent question to pose at the outset of this study is: what does Schmid mean by “world order”? Schmid answers that question by making a useful distinction between “world order,” in the sense of “created order,” and the world as it has existed and developed since it was created....