Imputed Righteousness

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Jun 24, 2010
3,822
19
0
#1
Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness (Rom 4;3, Gal 3:6, Jm 2:23)

The word imputed means 'to put on our account'. God keeps an account every time that we believe and agree with Him. We believe that Christ died and paid for our sins on the cross, so God imputes His righteousness or writes it in the book of our account. God keeps tract when we believe His word and His promises and when we do He writes it down as an act and work of righteousness on our part. When He says that we have been saved by grace through faith and we believe that, God writes down our faith in His word as an act and work of righteousness. When He promised to never leave us or forsake us and we believe that promise, God writes it on our account. When He has promised to make known unto us the mystery of His will (Eph 1:9) and we believe that, He puts it on our account. When God imputes righteousness on our account every time we believe His word and promises, those acts of righteousness can not be erased from the record of our account.

Abraham got a promise from God that a son would be born to him in his old age that would make him the father of many nations. He believed God and had to wait for that promise by faith. There was no works associated with that promise except the work of faith and of patience as he waited for it to come to pass. Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness.

When the promise came and Isaac was born, God told Abraham to offer his son upon an altar. God was testing the faith that He had imputed unto him as righteousness. Was Abraham going to continue to believe the promise when he had the evidence of Isaac before him and direction from God to offer him up? Abraham followed through with the work of faith and never staggered at the promise from God. In (Rom 3,4) we have justification between Abraham and God through faith in believing in the promise and in (Jm 2) we have the evidence and justification of that promise made to Abraham being tried by a work of faith through the sacrifice of Isaac.

In both cases Abraham believed the promise of God, one when the promise was made and the other after the promise was given. The first was by faith and not seen and the second was by a work of faith that was seen. The first was by believing in the promise and the second was by the obedience of faith to the promise. Neither time was the faith in Abraham that was exercised in relationship to the promise a dead faith. If the faith of Abraham was dead in the first then the second could have never happened. We must first believe and be justified positionally by faith in the unseen promise before we can be justified experientially through a work of faith that can be seen through our obedience to that promise.
 

tribesman

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2011
4,612
274
83
#2
...God keeps tract when we believe His word and His promises and when we do He writes it down as an act and work of righteousness on our part. When He says that we have been saved by grace through faith and we believe that, God writes down our faith in His word as an act and work of righteousness....
Just a question how you think here. I am thoughtful about the wording "work of righteousness" and its use. Do you not hold to the view that the recipient of justification is wholly passive? Do you hold to the view that justification is conditional upon faith and that a natural man has the ability to have saving faith and as a merit of this become justified?

Now to the phrase mentioned. In scripture the phrase "work/s of righteousness" appear positively as the work of the Lord and in negative for the saved, saying that such works by them are not the foundation of God's salvation.

Isa.32

[17] And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Tit.3

[3] For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
[4] But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
[5] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
[6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
[7] That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
 
Jun 24, 2010
3,822
19
0
#3
Just a question how you think here. I am thoughtful about the wording "work of righteousness" and its use. Do you not hold to the view that the recipient of justification is wholly passive? Do you hold to the view that justification is conditional upon faith and that a natural man has the ability to have saving faith and as a merit of this become justified?

Now to the phrase mentioned. In scripture the phrase "work/s of righteousness" appear positively as the work of the Lord and in negative for the saved, saying that such works by them are not the foundation of God's salvation.
Tribesman,

Will you do me a favor before we get into this thread about 'imputed righteousness'? Study (John 3:16) like it's the first time you have ever read it and out aside any preconceived ideas about what it is teaching. Study the verbs that are used and you will have to know the meanings of the tense, voice and mood of each verb used. I will provide a link to the verse as it is broken down for each verb and one that will give you the definition of these three parts of the Greek verb that is very helpful.

John 3 (Blue Letter Bible: KJV - King James Version)
GREEK VERBS

When you are done studying this verse, come back on this thread and lets talk about what you find. If you have not learned about Greek verse at least you will have some good notes to refer to. I think you will find this study very interesting concerning our participation in this verse.
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
3,188
113
#4
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.



I think those are all the verbs. Its been awhile since I learned that stuff...
 
Jun 24, 2010
3,822
19
0
#5
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.



I think those are all the verbs. Its been awhile since I learned that stuff...
'should not perish' is a verb phrase (second aorist, middle, subjunctive) and it is a very important verb phrase that has to do with our participation when we believe upon God's only begotten Son. This phrase has everything to do with what we receive and possess from God when we believe. That is all I will say at this point.
 

tribesman

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2011
4,612
274
83
#6
Tribesman,

Will you do me a favor before we get into this thread about 'imputed righteousness'? Study (John 3:16) like it's the first time you have ever read it and out aside any preconceived ideas about what it is teaching. Study the verbs that are used and you will have to know the meanings of the tense, voice and mood of each verb used. I will provide a link to the verse as it is broken down for each verb and one that will give you the definition of these three parts of the Greek verb that is very helpful.

John 3 (Blue Letter Bible: KJV - King James Version)
GREEK VERBS

When you are done studying this verse, come back on this thread and lets talk about what you find. If you have not learned about Greek verse at least you will have some good notes to refer to. I think you will find this study very interesting concerning our participation in this verse.
Red33, Why answer a question with a question? First off I do not see it too useful to take one single scripture (even if we go to the original greek and its grammar) out of context and not view it in the totality of all scripture. Secondly, I believe in the universal gospel call and that this should be offered to all who can ever be reached.

I think you're trying to say that the verse in question is supportive of the idea of natural man having the ability to positively respond to the gospel. This has been discussed elsewhere and I am not of that position.

Nevertheless I checked the links out, what they presented are not anything new to me. Although it's many years now since I checked the greek NT text out, I still cannot in this instance put the believing done in the reception as something conditional upon the recipient.

It boils down to interpretation and what system one uses to that end.
 
Last edited:
Jun 24, 2010
3,822
19
0
#7
Red33, Why answer a question with a question? First off I do not see it too useful to take one single scripture (even if we go to the original greek and its grammar) out of context and not view it in the totality of all scripture. Secondly, I believe in the universal gospel call and that this should be offered to all who can ever be reached.

I think you're trying to say that the verse in question is supportive of the idea of natural man having the ability to positively respond to the gospel. This has been discussed elsewhere and I am not of that position.

Nevertheless I checked the links out, what they presented are not anything new to me. Although it's many years now since I checked the greek NT text out, I still cannot in this instance put the believing done in the reception as something conditional upon the recipient.

It boils down to interpretation and what system one uses to that end.
It's not a matter of the position that you or I hold, it is a matter of what this verse is saying and communicating through the inspiration of the Spirit, and this is not just one or any verse, it is the cruck of the gospel. You don't want to look up these verbs and find out what they really are saying and without it you won't have the right understanding to go with the rest of the whole counsel of God and you will be thrown off course. Have it your way but it is not wise in my book.
 

tribesman

Senior Member
Oct 13, 2011
4,612
274
83
#8
It's not a matter of the position that you or I hold, it is a matter of what this verse is saying and communicating through the inspiration of the Spirit, and this is not just one or any verse, it is the cruck of the gospel. You don't want to look up these verbs and find out what they really are saying and without it you won't have the right understanding to go with the rest of the whole counsel of God and you will be thrown off course. Have it your way but it is not wise in my book.
I said I have checked this already. And I read that verse in the totality of all scripture. There is no support for what you are advocating in that light. So, regardless of what you claim that the verse is saying if it is not harmonizing with other scripture on the state of natural man then your interpretation is proven to be wrong.