Righteousness by Imputation
Justification is the imputation of righteousness to those whose faith is in God. The imputation of righteousness is not an infusion of righteousness, whereby, the sinner is changed into a righteous person. Rather it is the crediting of the righteousness of Christ to the account of the sinner.
The believing sinner is considered and treated as if he were righteous. God treats us as if we had lived the righteous life of Jesus. Our righteous standing before God is positional not practical. In justification, righteousness is not worked in us (that’s sanctification) it is credited to us. It is an alien righteousness; a foreign righteousness. It is a righteousness that does not have its origin in us. It is not the result of anything we have or can do. It is ours by imputation.
Our sin was imputed to Christ on the cross. Jesus was not infused with sin. He did not become a sinner. But God considered and treated Jesus as if He were a sinner. God treated Jesus as if He had lived our sinful life.
The righteousness of God (that is the righteous merits of the life of Jesus Christ) is imputed to believing sinners. The righteousness that is imputed to believers is the obedience of Jesus.
The obedience of Jesus was both active and passive. During His life, Christ actively obeyed the Father by keeping the law of God perfectly. In His death, Christ passively obeyed the Father by enduing the penalty for the violation of God’s law. The death of Jesus was complete payment of the penalty for the violation of God’s law that we by our sin incurred. The perfectly righteous life that Jesus lived is the source of the righteousness received by faith in justification.
In the law there is both precept and penalty. The precepts say “you shall do” or “you shall not do.” The penalty says, “if you violate the precept you incur this punishment.” Jesus lived perfectly. He actively did everything the law said do and He actively avoided everything the law said not to do. We actively violated the law. We didn’t do what the law said to do and we did what the law said not to do.
God imputed to Jesus the lawbreaking of the world and sentenced Jesus to be punished according to the law. Jesus passively endured the penalty prescribed in the law, thus satisfying the wrath of the just and holy God. With his sin paid for by Jesus, the believing sinner passively receives God’s imputation of the righteous merits of the perfect life of Christ.
Because of the imputation of righteousness the believing sinner is declared by God to be righteous. How righteous? Perfectly righteous; as righteous as Jesus Christ. Because our righteousness before God is the righteous merits of Jesus Christ.
Now tell me, doth this offend you?
The believing sinner is considered and treated as if he were righteous. God treats us as if we had lived the righteous life of Jesus. Our righteous standing before God is positional not practical. In justification, righteousness is not worked in us (that’s sanctification) it is credited to us. It is an alien righteousness; a foreign righteousness. It is a righteousness that does not have its origin in us. It is not the result of anything we have or can do. It is ours by imputation.
Our sin was imputed to Christ on the cross. Jesus was not infused with sin. He did not become a sinner. But God considered and treated Jesus as if He were a sinner. God treated Jesus as if He had lived our sinful life.
17 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.(Second Corinthians 5:21 ESV)
The righteousness of God (that is the righteous merits of the life of Jesus Christ) is imputed to believing sinners. The righteousness that is imputed to believers is the obedience of Jesus.
The obedience of Jesus was both active and passive. During His life, Christ actively obeyed the Father by keeping the law of God perfectly. In His death, Christ passively obeyed the Father by enduing the penalty for the violation of God’s law. The death of Jesus was complete payment of the penalty for the violation of God’s law that we by our sin incurred. The perfectly righteous life that Jesus lived is the source of the righteousness received by faith in justification.
In the law there is both precept and penalty. The precepts say “you shall do” or “you shall not do.” The penalty says, “if you violate the precept you incur this punishment.” Jesus lived perfectly. He actively did everything the law said do and He actively avoided everything the law said not to do. We actively violated the law. We didn’t do what the law said to do and we did what the law said not to do.
God imputed to Jesus the lawbreaking of the world and sentenced Jesus to be punished according to the law. Jesus passively endured the penalty prescribed in the law, thus satisfying the wrath of the just and holy God. With his sin paid for by Jesus, the believing sinner passively receives God’s imputation of the righteous merits of the perfect life of Christ.
Because of the imputation of righteousness the believing sinner is declared by God to be righteous. How righteous? Perfectly righteous; as righteous as Jesus Christ. Because our righteousness before God is the righteous merits of Jesus Christ.
Now tell me, doth this offend you?
Labels: Faith, Gospel, Jesus, Justification
posted by takin | 4:00 PM
2 Comments:
Craig,
Great post! The active righteousness of Christ credited to the believing sinner is something we hear far too little of in our pulpits. However, it is our only hope of standing accepted before our holy God on Judgment Day.
Thanks for your clear and accurate teaching on this important subject. -- Brian Anderson
Takin;
Excellent post on justification!
Also, I'm glad that you have cleared up the misconception that most people have, that imputation equals infusion.
Regards Paul
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