Imputed Righteousness
Notes
Transcript
I. Introduction
I. Introduction
Genesis 15:1-6: God's promise to Abraham
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Abraham was declared Justified before he was Sanctified.
Highlighting God's covenant with Abraham and his faith in God's promises.Romans 4:1-8: Paul's letter on Abraham's faith
Exploring Paul's discussion of Abraham's faith as an example of imputation.
Romans 4:1–8 “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no guile.
II. Defining Imputation
II. Defining Imputation
Various meanings of the term "impute" in the Bible
Various meanings of the term "impute" in the Bible
"Impute" can refer to attributing or crediting something to someone.
Imputation is a legal inference, that establishes a new legal status.
The word imputation comes directly from the Latin. It is an accounting term; it means “to apply to one’s account.” Expenses are debited and income is credited. The old King James word is “reckon.”
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Discussing how imputation is understood in a legal or forensic sense in relation to justification.
III. Forensic Justification
III. Forensic Justification
Misconceptions about forensic justification
Forensic
Has to do with Speech
The ultimate basis of Justification is the declaration of God
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Forensic Justification is an act God does outside or apart from the man. It is the judicial declaration of God about the man that he, because of Christ, now stands before God in a state of justness. The man has been officially declared pardoned by God.
Forensic Justification is an act God does outside or apart from the man. It is the judicial declaration of God about the man that he, because of Christ, now stands before God in a state of justness. The man has been officially declared pardoned by God.
Addressing common misunderstandings about the concept of forensic justification. Disagreement between Evangelicals and Catholics on forensic justification
Roman Catholic Belief
Legal Fiction
How can God declare a man to be just when he remains a sinner?
Simultaneously Righteous and a Sinner
Simultaneously Righteous and a Sinner
Latin phrase simul justus et peccator, which means ‘At the same time, just and sinner’. This gets to the heart of justification by faith alone. Though in and of myself I am a sinner, once I have received the benefit of Christ’s propitiation, I am just in the sight of God. Just, by virtue of Christ’s righteousness; sinner, by virtue of my own performance.
R. C. Sproul
The word Justification is forensic, because the passages, which speak to Justification, admit no other than a forensic sense.
Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
IV. Imputation as the Grounds of Justification
IV. Imputation as the Grounds of Justification
The basis of God's declaration of righteousness
The basis of God's declaration of righteousness
Discussing the Protestant view that believers are declared righteous through the imputation of Christ's righteousness.
Imputation serves as the foundation for God's declaration of righteousness.
Triple Imputation
Adams sin to us
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—
Our sin to Christ
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Christ’s Righteousness to us
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
For God to be just, He had to condemn us. In order to be the one who justifies, He had to say not guilty. God wanted to condemn and not condemn at the same time.
V. Justification by Faith Alone
V. Justification by Faith Alone
Emphasizing the necessity of faith for salvation
Highlighting the biblical teaching that faith is essential for receiving justification. Understanding justification as based on Christ's works alone
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Justification is not earned through our own efforts, but solely through the works of Christ.
VI. Illustrations of Imputation
VI. Illustrations of Imputation
Metaphors for imputation in Scripture, such as covering
Metaphors for imputation in Scripture, such as covering
Reflecting on the significance of Adam and Eve's loss of innocence and the need for God's covering.
And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
The Mercy Seat
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
And he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat on the east side, and in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
“Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat.
Lord Jesus presented His blood at the throne of God and that His blood turned the judgment seat into the mercy seat which it is today.
J. Vernon McGee
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
VII. Conclusion
VII. Conclusion
The crucial role of imputation in salvation
The crucial role of imputation in salvation
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
The sins Christ bore for us
The sins Christ bore for us
God has Moses divide the people of Israel into two groups. One of the groups stands on Mount Gezerim and and on that mountain they pronounce all the blessings that are to fall upon the obedient covenant keepers. The other group of people are placed on another mountain, it's mount Ebal, and on that mountain they were to declare all the curses that were to fall on the head of the covenant breaker. These are the curses that should fall upon the head of the one who's disobedient. They should fall upon you and me. How is it that we are saved from these curses? It's because they fell upon Christ. When Jesus was on the cross, our sin was laid upon him and he became a curse when he cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice:
“ ‘Cursed be the man who makes a carved or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, a thing made by the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who dishonors his father or his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who moves his neighbor’s landmark.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind man on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has uncovered his father’s nakedness.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’