IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS
"And therefore it was imputed to him for
righteousness.” -- Romans 4:22
The Lord Jesus
Christ came into this world for the purpose of fulfilling all righteousness as
the Representative of God's elect; and he did it. He brought in, established
and finished the work of righteousness for all his people by his obedience to
the Father as our Federal Head.
It is this
righteousness, the righteousness of God in Christ, that is proclaimed to
sinners in the preaching of the gospel (Rom. 3:24-28). Until the righteousness
of God, which was accomplished by the faithful obedience of Christ, is plainly
declared, the gospel has not been preached. And any gospel that offers sinners
any other grounds of righteousness, than that which Christ has accomplished, is
a false gospel. It is this righteousness, accomplished by Christ, which is
imputed to us for justification and acceptance with God. The Word of God speaks
of a threefold imputation.
1.
ADAM'S SIN HAS
BEEN IMPUTED TO ALL MEN (Rom. 5:12, 18, 19).
By God's
appointment, Adam was the head and representative of all men. When he sinned,
we all became sinners by imputation. God laid the charge and guilt of Adam's
sin upon us. We became sinners, not by what we did or do, but by what Adam, our
representative, did in the garden.
2.
ALL THE SINS OF
GOD'S ELECT WERE IMPUTED TO CHRIST ON THE CROSS (Isa. 53:6, 8).
The Lord Jesus
Christ never committed any act of sin. He did no sin. He knew no sin. Yet, he
was made to be sin as our Substitute, by the sins of God’s elect being charged
to his account. Once he was made to be sin, he had to suffer the just
consequences of sin. He died under the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13).
3.
AND THE
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IS IMPUTED TO EVERY BELIEVER (Rom. 3:23-24;
2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:19).
We are not made
righteous by something we do, any more than Christ was made to be a sinner by
something he did. Christ's obedience has been charged to the account of all
God's elect, those represented by him, those for whom he lived and died, those
who trust him. God looks upon us in Christ as men and women who are perfectly
righteous. He reckons us to be righteous in his sight. And he shall reward us
with the just consequence of perfect righteousness: Eternal Life!
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #775
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S. Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net