Imputation
The imputation of righteousness
There is the doctrine of men that talks about imputation[1] of Christ's righteousness
The doctrine of imputation has become a central within Protestant teaching and thought in the 16th century by way of figures like Martin Luther and John Calvin.
Some suggest that Peter Lombard and Augustine contributed to the foundation of the ideas associated with the doctrine of imputation even though there are significant distinctions.
One version proclaims believers are not made righteous but are counted as righteous by God through the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.
Augustine
Augustine of Hippo in the fifth century used the term "imputation" in the context of some sort of divine accounting where the sin guilt charged to Adam was directly passed down to mankind as his descendance from generation to generation. The same inheritance seems to be passed to the daughters of Eve.
In Sermon 171.3 Augustine says that Christ "canceled both guilt and punishment" by taking on punishment while not accepting guilt. This may seem to be "suggesting a distinction between bearing punishment and imputing guilt."
Is there any reason to think Christ came to give us a get out of jail card in these man created theologies?
Such doctrines of men can be attractive but if they distract us from seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness and doing the Will of God they can be dangerous.
From Augustine's view his ponderings are an attempt to express the sacrificial nature of Christ.
In his "Against Faustus", he wrote that yes Christ died "without taking our sin, took its punishment". He was not necessarily projecting the protestant theological view of amputation.
Martin
Martin Luther liked the idea of a the double imputation of the imputation of sin to Christ and the imputation of righteousness to believers.
Calvin
John Calvin emphasized that believers are not made righteous but are counted as righteous by God through the imputation of Christ’s righteousness.
There could be justification by faith alone but faith alone is dead. Any real faith compels action that seeks, strive, and perseveres. Just as Noah was righteous in his generations
Accounting by the numbers is the way of men but God is out of time and space being Spirit. His keeping account should not be considered like men keeping account, for his measuring rod is not like man's.
Sin is, said to be visited upon us for generations.
Romans 5
While passages like Romans 5:9-10 refer to salvation through Christ's resurrection life, not the imputation of his perfect obedience to us, at least without some obedience by us. This clearly why Christ warns us about those who say Lord, Lord but do not do the will of the Father. Also his warnings about workers of iniquity and the leaven of rulers which Paul also says is a snare and a trap.
Romans 5:12: "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned".
Sin and death
This verse 12 of Romans 5 only says sin entered into the world by one man but is passed to all because all sin not for Adam's sin.
Romans 5:19 "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
Faith unto obedience
This verse is saying obedience entered into the world by one man but is passed to all for all who are faithful unto obedience.[2]
Some will say, "the sins of believers are imputed to Christ meaning that God treats Christ as if He had committed the sins of His people, so that He bore the penalty for them on the cross. That may be true from man's view. But God knows Christ did commit but took the consequences freely so that by Pentecost those who had fellowship with the light of Christ and obeyed the doctrine of Jesus were saved from their bondage under the Corban of Herod, Rome and sin.
Jesus did not come to license people to sin but called them to repentance which includes seeking the kingdom of God.
If people do not repent and continue to have an appetite for the wages of unrighteousness, biting one another, adulterous idolators there will remain consequences including being again entangled in the yoke of bondage. Those consequences are the wrath of God built into creation.[2]
2 Corinthians 5
- 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God".
This concept is rooted in Old Testament sacrificial practices, such as the Day of Atonement, where the high priest laid hands on a scapegoat, symbolically transferring the sins of the people onto something else as an allegory of spiritual repentance.
Might be saved
The most critical word in verse 21 of 2 Corinthians 5 maybe the word "might". Christ has done his share but again we must actually repent and seek His righteousness which is the antithesis of deed of iniquity.[3]
Also, Christ’s perfect righteousness and obedience are imputed to believers who have real faith[4] unto obedience. This is said to mean that God credits Christ’s sinless life and sacrificial death to the account of those who are in Him by faith. But God is not an accountant and does not license sin and has given instructions that true believers and followers should be seeking.
Their works will always be insufficient but that does not forego the need of repentance, Seeking, and striving. We must love the light and despise the darkness, confessing our own iniquity and sin.
Without those elements of faith unto obedience in our own life has there been or can their be a "glorious exchange," where believers’ sin is transferred to Christ, and Christ’s righteousness is credited to them.
The doctrines that are foundational to Christ is the doctrine of Jesus and all the doctrines of men must pass the litmus test[5] of Christ.
Some suggested supports
The doctrine of imputation is said to be supported by numerous other biblical passages:
Genesis 15
Genesis 15:6 (where Abraham’s faith is credited as righteousness),
Isaiah 53
Isaiah 53 (the Suffering Servant who bears iniquities)
Romans 3
Other verse used in support of this often abused doctrine are Romans 3:22 through 24, which speaks of the righteousness of God is given through faith and that believers are "justified by his grace which a gift" that must be given.
Other key verses are:
Romans 4
- Romans 4:3, and
- Romans 4:24.
Some scholars, like Robert Gundry, argue that passages like Romans 4:2-5 are better interpreted as God counting a believer's faith as righteousness, not as a process of imputing Christ's righteousness to them.
Philippians 3
- Philippians 3:8-9,
Arguments against
Arguments against the doctrine of imputation often center on the idea that it is a legal fiction, that it misinterprets biblical texts, or that it prioritizes a legal declaration over the believer's actual moral transformation.
Critics question how God can declare someone righteous who is not but yet we see God counts some as if they were righteous because of some element of righteousness.
There does seem to be accounts of "faith as righteousness"[6] but does Paul also explicitly speak of real faith[4] unto obedience.[2]
Footnotes
- ↑ To impute means to credit or ascribe something to a person.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Obedience to Faith
- Acts 6:7 "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith."
- Romans 1:5 "By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:"
- Romans 2:8-9 "8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;"
- Romans 16:26 "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:"
- Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."
- Ephesians 5: "5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]."
- Colossians 3: "5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them."
- ↑ Workers of Iniquity
- Job 31:3 "Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? 4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?"
- Job 34:8 "Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men... 22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves."
- Psalms 5:4 "For thou [art] not a God that hath pleasue in wickedness: neither shall evil <07451רַע> dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity."
- Psalms 6:8 "Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping."
- Psalms 14:2-5 “2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. 5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.” repeated in Psalms 53:5.
- Psalms 28:3 "Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief <07451רַע> is in their hearts."
- Psalms 36:12 "There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise."
- Psalms 37:1 "Fret not thyself because of evildoers<07489רָעַע>, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity."
- Psalms 53:4 "Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God."
- Psalms 59:2 "Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men."
- Psalms 64:2 "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: ... 5 They encourage themselves [in] an evil <07451רַע> matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?"
- Psalms 92:7 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:... 9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
- Psalms 94:4 "How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" ... 16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers<07489רָעַע>? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
- Psalms 125:5 "As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel."
- Psalms 141:4 "Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work <06466> iniquity <0205>: and let me not eat of their dainties. 9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity."
- Proverbs 10:29 "The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
- Proverbs 21:15 "It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity."
- Proverbs 30:20 "Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done <06466> no wickedness <0205>.
- Isaiah 31:2 "Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil<07451רַע>, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers <07489רָעַע>, and against the help of them that work <06466> iniquity <0205>.
- Hosea 6:8 "Gilead is a city of them that work <06466> iniquity <0205>, and is polluted with blood."
- Micah 2:1 "Woe to them that devise <02803ChetShinBeit> iniquity <0205>, and work <06466> evil <07451רַע> upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
- Luke 13:25-27 “25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.”
- Matthew 7:22 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
- Matthew 25:12 "But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not... 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed<2672>, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:... 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."
- John 13:13 "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for [so] I am. 14 If I then, [your] Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
- Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 False Faith
- Matthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves".
- Matthew 24:11: "And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray".
- Matthew 24:24: "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect".
- 2 Peter 2:1-2: "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them".
- James 2:14: "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?".
- James 2:17: "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead".
- 1 John 4:1: "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world".
- 1 John 4:5: "They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them".
- Romans 16:17-18: "I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive".
- 2 Corinthians 11:13-14: "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light".
- ↑ A "litmus test" in slang means a single, decisive factor or test used to judge whether something or someone is acceptable or to determine their true character. It's a quick way to see if something passes a certain standard
- ↑ The Faith of Righteousness
- Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
- Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
- Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
- Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
- Romans 4:9 [Cometh] this blessedness then upon the circumcision [only], or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
- Romans 4:11 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:
- Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
- Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
- Romans 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:)
- Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
- Philippians 3:9 "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:"
- 1 Timothy 6:11 "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
- 2 Timothy 2:22 "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart."
- Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."
- Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
- Hebrews 11:33 "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
- Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
- 2 Peter 1:1 "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:"