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NASB | Romans 4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 4:6 And in this same way David speaks of the blessing on the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: |
Subject: Imputed Righteousness |
Bible Note: Joe, Romans 6:23 says that eternal life is a gift of God. It does not say that we are made righteous. Actually it does, my friend. When did you become a sinner? When you sinned? Not according to scripture. You were born into this world a sinner because you were born "in Adam." So when do you become righteous? As soon as you are born again "in Christ." Paul writes in Eph 4:24 that this new self, the new man is in the likeness of God, has been (past tense) created, and is righteous and holy. Notice the verb tenses in Romans 5:19. Many were made sinners (past) because of Adam's transgression. Many WILL BE made righteous (future) because of Christ's obedience. This supports my point, Joe. You did not become a sinner when you sinned. You were born that way. You do not because righteous when you do more and more righteous things. Then it would not be a gift. It would be earned. Your spirit is created in righteousness and holiness. Our becoming righteous in nature is still a future event. Not so, my friend. The death of your physical body has nothing to do with your spiritual state. When did Adam become a sinner? When his body died? No, his body died because he was a sinner. I think that you would agree that if you died at this moment, you would be present with the Lord, wouldn't you. Without His righteousness in you, Joe, you won't see Him. He does not give you the gift of righteousness when you die. He gives it to you when you are born again. Think about what you are saying for a moment. Synonyms for righteous include "holy" and "perfect." You can't be saying that those who have trusted Christ have now been made perfect in character? You're right, I am not saying that we always think or act righteously. But Heb 10:14 says that Christ's offering on the cross has perfected (past tense) for all time (not just when we die) those who are sanctified. It is not your physical death, brother, that makes you holy and righteous. That would be the teachings of the gnostics - that you can't be righteous UNTIL you have escaped the physical body. You are the one infering that we are not righteous until we die. I ask you again, what does the condition of your physical body, your tent, have to do with your spiritual state. None of the verses that speak of our righteousness mention that it is contigent upon our death or our deeds. What you are putting forward is the Roman Catholic view of "infused" righteousness, in which God MAKES us righteous No. What I am putting forward is exactly what Eph 4:24 says - the new self (your spirit, your identity) HAS BEEN created (something new) in God's likeness - righteous and holy. Paul calls this a new creation - 2 Cor 5:17. God classifies mankind according to this new creation - Gal 6:15. Jesus said that the Spirit gives birth to a new spirit in us - John 3:6. Joe, if you wait until you die to be born again of the Spirit of God, you've waited to long. If you wait until you die to become righteous, you won't make it. You don't go to heaven to get righteous, bro, you go to heaven because you ALREADY are righteous. 1 Cor 6:17 says that the Lord joins His Holy Spirit to our spirit. There is no way that God is going to join Himself to an unrighteous, unholy thing. End of Part 1 - see Part 2 |