AboutJoe Norman Expertise I can answer questions regarding acceptable worship, organization of the church, or any apsect of the Christian life. I am the son of a preacher and have studied the Bible from cover to cover since I was 12 years old. I am strong in my research skills and do not follow teachings of men. Many will label me as conservative and some might label me as liberal, but I just seek to be biblical. I understand proper exegesis and hermeneutics and apply them. My desire is to share my knowledge of God's Word with others. Please always keep in mind that none of us who are listed as experts here are divinely inspired and therefore it is possible to get incorrect answers from any one of us. Study the Scriptures and decide for yourself if what is taught is true.
Experience I am the 4th generation in my family to be a faithful member of the church of Christ. I was raised by a preacher and have studied the Bible everyday since I was twelve. I am 44 yrs old now. I am not a "scholar", but I am very familiar with the scriptures.
Organizations member of the church of Christ, served as a Deacon for a few years at LakeShore church of Christ in Waco, Tx. I currently live in the North Dallas area and worship with the Lewisville church of Christ.
Question QUESTION: Is the righteousness of Jesus imputed to the obedient believer, or is it his own righteousness?
ANSWER: Hi Ronny,
I really appreciate your asking me this question. It would have helped me to know how to answer if I knew more about the passage in the Bible that prompted your question. The word "impute" is a very interesting one. I don't see it used in very many versions of the Bible though. The two which seem to use it most are the King James and the New King James. I am not clear as to whether you are referring to Jesus' personal righteousness or the way in which He justifies a Christian who responds to the gospel with obedient faith.
The word that is translated as "imputed" in the KJV most often translated as "credited". I believe this to be the most accurate translation of the original Greek. The passage most people refer to when asking about how Jesus "imputes" righteousness upon those who become Christians is found in Romans chapter 4.
Imputation can be used of either "laying responsibility for" or giving credit for". Credit or blame is the result of some action (or inaction) on the part of the person being considered.
The short answer is that Jesus' righteousness is credited to those who have obedient faith in the gospel message. It is impossible for any man to earn their salvation.
Some might see contradiction when they compare Romans to the book of James, but upon careful study it is obvious that Paul was addressing something different than the things that James was addressing. Paul was trying to prove to the Roman Christians that they had no need to obey the Law of Moses or be circumcised to be justified under the New Covenant. James was trying to teach that faith without works of obedient faith to the New Covenant is dead.
To see this best, we compare how both these inspired writers referred to Abraham - the father of us all. Paul showed that Abraham was credited with righteousness prior to there even being circumcision or a Law of Moses. When we look to James, we see he uses the example of Abraham offering his son Isaac to God as an example of obedient faith (James 2:21).
We know that there is "none righteous, no not one", but God "counts us righteous" when by faith we obey his will. We know that the moment a person "puts on Christ Jesus or is IN Jesus is when a person has been water baptized. (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Rom.6; Gal.3:27-29; Col.2:12; I Pet.3:21)
Jesus' righteousness is available to all mankind due to His death, burial, and resurrection, but only those who respond to the gospel call with an obedient faith will have His righteousness counted to them.
Here are other passages speaking of the righteousness of Jesus becoming sin, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption which also show that we become the righteousness of God IN Christ Jesus.
1 Cor.1:30
"But from Him you are in Christ Jesus, who for us became wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption."
2Cor 5:21 "He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Also please study these verses.(Rom 3:22, 3:26, 5:17, 10:4, Php 1:11, 3:9) I think it might be helpful as well if you will study all of Galatians chapter 3 carefully.
To conclude, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed or credited to those who become Christians through an obedient faith in the gospel message. We enter into His righteousness when we have put on Christ Jesus in water baptism for remission of our sins.(Gal.3:27-29).
What does it mean to have His righteousness imputed (credited)? It means that as long as we walk in the light (live an obedient faith as best we can) our short-comings (occasional sins) will not be credited to us but Christ's righteousness is seen by God. This passage is one that I believe really explains what it means to have Christ's righteousness imputed to us.
1 John 1:7-10
7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
I hope that I have answered your question to your satisfaction and it was clear and easy to understand. If I did not understand your question correctly, please let me know. If you have any further questions about this, just let me know. If there are new questions, I will also be more than happy to help you.
In Christ, Joe Norman
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Joe,
Thank you for your answer.
I have been studying righteousness. The Lord's church, for some reason, doesn't talk about it much. The denominational world, however, does talk about it.
I got the idea, that is blamed on Calvin, that our sins were imputed to Christ, and because of our obedience faith, his righteousness was in turn imputed to us.
Then I read a debate online somewhere in which a brother said that the problem is that there is no scripture that says that HIS (Jesus') personal righteousness was credited to us. By that I mean his righteous life when he walked this earth being put on our account.
Romans 4:5 says, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Notice that it says the believer's faith is counted for righteousness, but it doesn't say Jesus' righteousness.
There is obviously different opinions in the church and I'm concerned about what the truth is on the matter, especially because I am planning on teaching a lesson on this subject in a few weeks.
Thank you,
Ronny
Answer Hi Ronny,
I thank you for clarifying some things for me and for asking follow-up questions to me. I understand very well what many in the denominational world try to do with their studies on righteousness. I confront them regularly. But I have not noticed that the Lord's church avoids talk about righteousness. I have heard many sermons on it and been in many Bible classes about it myself.
I do believe that our sins were imputed to Christ and because of our obedient faith, His righteousness is imputed to us. But I am pretty sure Calvin did not think obedient faith was required at all in order to receive Christ's righteousness.
I disagree with anyone who claims that no scripture says Jesus' personal righteousness was credited to us. I know some in the Lord's church will disagree with me on this and believe we do not receive Christ's personal righteousness. I do notice that in Romans 4:5, it says the believer's faith is counted for righteousness, but doesn't say Jesus' righteousness. Yet I think it is implied. Before you reject what I am saying, please consider these other passages again.
Rom.3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
In the above passage, we see that Paul says the righteousness of God is revealedto all and ON all who believe. We understand that "believe" refers to an obeident faith. But keep in mind also that verse 23 clearly says that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are justified freely. Notice also verse 25. It says that God set forth Jesus as a "propitiation" by His blood, through faith - to demonstrate His righteousness.
That word, "propitiation" is an interesting word. The original word is "hilastērion" which can mean mercy seat as well as an atoning victim. Jesus was our atoning victim...He died in our place. His blood was shed before God in our stead because we ALL deserve death since we all sin and fall short of God's glory.
1 Cor.1:30, 31
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, "HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD."
This passage clearly tells us that Jesus became FOR US - wisdom from God - righteousness - sanctification - and redemption. We do not earn our salvation, or justification or sanctification or righteousness. We are completely dependent upon Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection. We can but glory in the Lord.
Php.3:8, 9
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
In this passage in Philippians, Paul says he didn't have his own righteousness which is from perfect obedience to the law of Moses, but the righteousness he had was FROM God by obedient faith.
2 Cor.5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
This last verse says that Jesus became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God IN Jesus. You and I know that we enter into Jesus through baptism. But we also know that we must remain faithful and continue to grow and mature as Christians walking in the light in order to get to Heaven. Yet, this doesn't mean we earn our salvation or that we can walk in the light perfectly.
As I pointed out before, Christ's blood continues to cleanse us from sin as we walk in the light (I John 1:7). Clearly we will occasionally sin while walking in the light, but these continue to be cleansed as we walk in the light. There is a big difference between an occasional sin and living a sinful life.
I do hope that I have helped you. If you have more questions feel free to ask me. If you have any Bible software program that allows you to do word searches throughout the Bible, I recommend you find and study all passages in the New Testament that use the words righteousness, imputed or credited or counted as, justified, became sin, etc...to help you prepare for your class on this topic.
Also, if you can find anything written by Burton Coffman, J.D. Thomas, or Batsell Barrett Baxter on Romans, this might help you as well in your preparation. But nothing beats careful study of God's Word without pre-conceived ideas.
Thank you again for asking me these questions and I do hope you will choose me again whenever you seek Bible answers.
