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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: |
Bible Question:
Properly, what is the doctrine of imputed righteousness? I've read: a) It is counting Christ's righteousness to me when I believe; and b) It is counting my faith as righteousness on the basis of Christ's finished worked. These seem to be inclusive propositions, but they are being made mutually exclusive on another forum. Any help? Steve |
Bible Answer: Steve, Under the Old Covenant, righteousness was only credited. Generally speaking, people received forgiveness through the OT sacrificial system. But they were declared or credited righteousness by their faith in whatever God's Word to them was - Heb 11. But righteousness could only be credited, it could not be given as a gift becauses sins were not permanently dealt with until Christ's blood was shed on the cross. Under the New Covenant, we are made righteous through our union with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. The key verse for this in found in Roman 5:17,19 - "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of rigtheousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous." Fundamental to understanding this verse is the question "when"? So let's ask that question. When where all men made sinners? When Adam fell. Therefore, when we are born into this world, we are already sinners through our identification with Adam before we ever commit a sin. It is birth, not performance, that establishes identity. Now, when are the many made righteous? When they die? No. The death of your body does not affect your spiritual state. Spiritual identity is determined by birth, not death. We don't become spiritual dead when we physically die. Whatever our spiritual state is when these bodies die is what we will remain. We are sinners because we are born in Adam. So when to we become righteous? When we are born into Christ. When we are united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection, we become the righteousness of God in Him. It is then that we receive the gift of righteousness. Just like the abundance of grace, we receive the gift of righteousness here and now, in this life. It is not the death of our body that makes us righteous, it is the birth of our new spirit joined to the Spirit of Jesus Christ that makes us righteous in God's sight. This does not mean that we are sinless. We still live in a fallen body and a fallen world. We still occasionally give in to sin. But we are as righteous in God's eyes as His precious Son because we have been joined to Him forever - 1 Cor 6:17. He will never leave us or forsake us. When God sees me, He sees me clothed in Christ - Gal 3:27. He sees in me the righteousness of His Son, not because of my works, but because of my identity with Christ. I am no longer a sinner in Adam. I am a saint in Christ. I hope this helps. Righteous in Christ, ChristLifer2001 |