Imputed righteousness?

Esaias · #1 05-04-2016, 05:45 PM

I've heard some say that Christ's righteousness - HIS actual, personal righteousness - is imputed to the believer. So "God doesn't see me when I sin, He sees Jesus instead." So "He kept the law of God so I don't have to in order to go to heaven." So HIS obedient life is what God sees when He looks at the believer.

But, I thought the Bible taught that our faith in Christ is imputed as righteousness to us? That God sees our FAITH, and considers THAT as righteousness. That imputed righteousness means God declares us righteous because of our faith. That Christ is our righteousness, not that Christ's righteousness is credited to our account.

So where does the Bible say "Christ's righteousness is imputed" to the believer?

thephnxman · #2 05-04-2016, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esaias

I've heard some say that Christ's righteousness - HIS actual, personal righteousness - is imputed to the believer. So "God doesn't see me when I sin, He sees Jesus instead." So "He kept the law of God so I don't have to in order to go to heaven." So HIS obedient life is what God sees when He looks at the believer.
But, I thought the Bible taught that our faith in Christ is imputed as righteousness to us? That God sees our FAITH, and considers THAT as righteousness. That imputed righteousness means God declares us righteous because of our faith. That Christ is our righteousness, not that Christ's righteousness is credited to our account.
So where does the Bible say "Christ's righteousness is imputed" to the believer?

The first paragraph seems to be presented by those who
believe in a "partial" gospel.

Now "faith in Christ" to me implies the "...death...burial, and the
resurrection, according to the scriptures." As for righteousness,
being imputed, "...Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto
him for righteousness...". (Jas 2:23) So, you see, righteousness was
NOT imputed to Abraham because he believed in God, but because
he believed God!

The proof of a believer's faith (righteousness) is his walk in the ways
of God; while the proof of God's imputation of righteousness is filling
the believer with the Holy Spirit. Make no mistake: BOTH must be
present in the believer!

That's the way I read it.

mfblume · #3 05-04-2016, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esaias

I've heard some say that Christ's righteousness - HIS actual, personal righteousness - is imputed to the believer. So "God doesn't see me when I sin, He sees Jesus instead." So "He kept the law of God so I don't have to in order to go to heaven." So HIS obedient life is what God sees when He looks at the believer.

But, I thought the Bible taught that our faith in Christ is imputed as righteousness to us? That God sees our FAITH, and considers THAT as righteousness. That imputed righteousness means God declares us righteous because of our faith. That Christ is our righteousness, not that Christ's righteousness is credited to our account.

So where does the Bible say "Christ's righteousness is imputed" to the believer?

Romans 4:22 KJV And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Romans 4:11 KJV And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

It can only be talking about Christ's righteousness, because we read ...

Romans 5:17 KJV For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Esaias · #4 05-04-2016, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfblume

Romans 4:22 KJV And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

This says his faith was credited to him as righteousness, does it not?

Quote:

Romans 4:11 KJV And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

Is this not saying that since his faith is credited as righteousness, ours will be also? That righteousness is credited to us apart from circumcision, because we follow in the faith of Abraham?

Quote:

It can only be talking about Christ's righteousness, because we read ...

Romans 5:17 KJV For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

That doesn't say Christ's personal righteousness is credited to our account, though. It says those who receive grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life via Christ.

mfblume · #5 05-04-2016, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esaias

This says his faith was credited to him as righteousness, does it not?

Is this not saying that since his faith is credited as righteousness, ours will be also? That righteousness is credited to us apart from circumcision, because we follow in the faith of Abraham?

That doesn't say Christ's personal righteousness is credited to our account, though. It says those who receive grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life via Christ.

We read righteousness is imputed in Romans 4:11. That's as plain as it gets.

And a gift of righteousness means righteousness was given to us without works. And We read we are the righteousness of God when we are in Christ, after Christ became sin for us, 2 Cor 5:21. The great trade-off. Also, we seek God's righteousness in Matt 6:33.

We are told we can have God's righteousness in Phil 3.

Philippians 3:9 KJV And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Esaias · #6 05-05-2016, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfblume

We read righteousness is imputed in Romans 4:11. That's as plain as it gets.

Yes righteousness is imputed to us. But it doesn't say Christ's personal righteousness is imputed to us. And Romans 4:9 says faith was reckoned to him for righteousness, meaning his faith was counted as righteousness. So God said Abraham is righteous, because of his faith. And the same righteousness is imputed to us who believe, meaning our faith is reckoned as righteousness just like his was, correct?

Quote:

And a gift of righteousness means righteousness was given to us without works. And We read we are the righteousness of God when we are in Christ, after Christ became sin for us, 2 Cor 5:21. The great trade-off. Also, we seek God's righteousness in Matt 6:33.

We are told we can have God's righteousness in Phil 3.

Philippians 3:9 KJV And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Imputed righteousness by definition rules out earned or merited righteousness, of course.

We are the righteousness of God, meaning we have righteousness by God's sovereign declaration and not by earning it via works. We seek that righteousness, the righteousness God imputes to those who believe, because he reckons their faith as righteousness.

I still do not see where CHRIST'S INDIVIDUAL RIGHTEOUSNESS is imputed as our own, in place of our own.

Perhaps I am not clear in what I am trying to say. I will think about it and see if I can clarify.

houston · #7 05-05-2016, 02:01 AM

Romans 3:21-25

mfblume · #8 05-05-2016, 04:16 PM

Matthew 6:33. Seek God's righteousness. it's his. Personally. I It's like being clothed in what is inherently Christ's personal righteousness. Like the hide of the animals wherewith Adam was clothed. removed from it by sacrifice and now clothing is.

Michael The Disciple · #9 05-05-2016, 04:51 PM

Imputed righteousness has to do with our INITIAL SALVATION. We bring nothing to the table, we accept him for our Savior. THEN.....after putting on Christ and being filled with the Spirit he works in us both to will and do his good pleasure.

Our part is to deny self and live by faith. The modern doctrine of imputed righteousness as in.....God does not see my sins he only sees Christ is horrific and is the main cause of sin among Christians.

mfblume · #10 05-06-2016, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Imputed righteousness has to do with our INITIAL SALVATION. We bring nothing to the table, we accept him for our Savior. THEN.....after putting on Christ and being filled with the Spirit he works in us both to will and do his good pleasure.

Our part is to deny self and live by faith. The modern doctrine of imputed righteousness as in.....God does not see my sins he only sees Christ is horrific and is the main cause of sin among Christians.

Amen. God does see our sin after salvation. that's the reason Paul said if we offend a brother we sin against christ. it would not say we sin if God does not see our sin.