IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS
II Peter 1:3-4
Just as the
fallen, unrighteous nature of Adam was imparted to all men by natural birth,
the holy, righteous nature of Christ is imparted to all God's elect in the new
birth. The righteousness of Christ is imputed
to us for justification. And the righteousness of Christ is imparted to us in regeneration, by the
irresistible power and effectual grace of God the Holy Spirit (I Pet. 3:10-12;
I John 3:7-9).
I am not saying that the believer is without sin! He is not. Sin is what we are by nature. Sin is mixed with all we do.
Sin mars our best thoughts, blackens our best deeds, corrupts our best words,
and defiles our best aspirations. I am
not saying that the old nature is changed in regeneration; It is not. Flesh
is always flesh. It never improves. It never becomes spirit. It only corrupts,
rots and, thank God, in time dies. I am
not saying that the believer's works can ever be accepted before God upon their
own merit! They are not. We offer up our prayers and sacrifices to God,
which are accepted by him, only upon the merits of Christ's righteousness and
blood atonement (I Pet. 2:5). But I am saying that the person who is born of
God is a new creature in Christ (II Cor. 5:17). He has a new nature, which is
Christ in him the hope of glory. All who are born of God walk in the Spirit
(Gal. 5:16-23). We love the law and truth of God. We love holiness. But, oh,
the evil of our hearts! There is a constant warfare within! (See Rom. 7:14-25).
All who are born of God mind the things of God (Rom. 8:5). This is imparted
righteousness. Believers love Christ and one another. They identify themselves
with Christ, his gospel and his church. Believers are men and women of honesty
and integrity. They live honestly, pay their bills and speak the truth,
Believers hate their sin and long to be free of it. They are generous, kind and
merciful. In a word, all who are born of God are committed to Christ, sold out
to him. And they will continue in the faith, clinging to Christ alone unto the
end. Those who do not have this imparted righteousness are no more born of God
than those who do not have Christ's imputed righteousness are justified before
God.