The Importance Of Imputed Righteousness

[WebersHome]

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If you think about it for a moment or two I think you'll agree that in reality, the only plan of salvation that can have even the slightest possibility of succeeding is one wherein one's performance is not a factor; and that, at it's core, is the primo benefit of imputed righteousness

One of Webster's definitions of "impute" is: to credit to a person or a cause.

A classic example of imputed righteousness is on exhibit in the very first book of the Bible wherein God credited Abraham with righteousness as per Gen 15:5-6 for doing nothing more than believing a divine promise made to him concerning his future progeny.

I suspect that Abraham was also credited with righteousness related to his offering of Isaac in the 22nd chapter, but curiously; there's no mention of it in the book of Genesis just as there is no mention of Melchizedek's genealogy although he certainly must have had a mommy and a daddy. But on the pages of Old Testament scripture, Mel had no mommy and daddy just as on the pages of Old Testament scripture, Abraham is not credited with righteousness for offering his son Isaac; and that's because both Mel and Abraham became representations of important concepts to be expounded later on in the New Testament.

Paul totally ignored the Akeda and instead focused on Gen 15:5-6 in order to show that it's possible to obtain righteousness apart from meritorious deeds (Rom 4:1-8).

The righteousness that Abraham obtained via his belief was nondescript; while the righteousness obtained via people's belief related to Christ's crucifixion is the righteousness of God.

The righteousness of God is humanly impossible to duplicate, which is no doubt why it has to be made available via belief rather than by meritorious deeds. In other words: the righteousness of God is an endowment; viz: it's a gift free of charge with no strings attached.

â—� Rom 3:21-24 . . But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, though testified to by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus

That paragraph is loaded with goodies. First off it speaks of a righteousness that's available to all who believe, and then it speaks of a gracious justification; which is translated from the Greek word dikaioo (dik-ah-yo'-o) which means to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent.

Both those benefits-- the righteousness of God, and the innocence --are said to be made available via belief by the redemption in Christ Jesus.

Redemption is translated from the Greek word apolutrosis (ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis) which means: to ransom in full.

Paul then goes on to say that that Christ Jesus is an expiation (vs 25) which is translated from the Greek word hilasterion (hil-as-tay'-ree-on) which means: an expiatory (place or thing). Webster's defines expiatory as something that serves to expiate; which is defined as: to extinguish incurred guilt and/or to make amends.

All those amazing benefits are unearned and unmerited. They are acts of charity; bestowed upon believers by the kindness and generosity of God.

Well; all I can say to that is: if the righteousness of God, and the ransom, and the innocence, and the expiation aren't enough to get people into heaven, then I honestly cannot imagine what else would.

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[OnceConvinced]

The bible actually teaches that works are the most important thing of all. Without it, any kind of faith is useless.

James 2: 18-25
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.� Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,� and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

1 John 2:6
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Most Christians believe that works alone will not get you into heaven. But here Paul states quite clearly that faith alone is not good enough either. Faith and works go hand in hand. If your faith is useless without works, what good is it to you at all? How do you expect to be considered a true Christain with a worthless faith?

Matthew 16:2:
For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

2 Corinthians 5:10:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

These words are talking about Judgement Day. The criteria for salvation here are simply the good and bad you have done to others!

Mat 25:41-43 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'