What is : Imputed Righteousness

[Behold]

Only to those of faith in him.

Jesus is both Lord and Salvation, no matter if you believe or not.

However, to receive the Salvation that is the finished work of Jesus on the Cross, you have to BELIEVE, as then "faith is counted as Righteousness".

The reason that '"""every knee shall bow and tongue shall confess""" ... believer or not, is because Jesus is LORD OF ALL, always and forever.

 

[Eleanor]

Jesus is both Lord and Salvation, no matter if you believe or not.

However, to receive the Salvation that is the finished work of Jesus on the Cross, you have to BELIEVE, as then "faith is counted as Righteousness".

And that is an imputed forensic righteousness--sin removed, not guilty, in right standing with God's justice.
It is not the actual righteousness of sanctification, leading to righteousness which leads to holiness (Ro 6:16,19).

 

[Ghada]

1.) "made righteous", as "the righteousness OF GOD..... "in Christ".


Who is that?

That is ALL the born again. ......"Jesus said... you must be born again".


2.) So, what is "righteousness"?

Its God's nature, and its Christ's nature who is God. Its beyond being sinless.... its Pure Holiness and Truth, itself.


So, here is how to understand what it means to become .. .""a New Creation in Christ"". = having the "gift of righteousness".

Its very simple to understand, but believing it is going to offend your flesh, and yet, until you do, you'll have no power over your lust.

Its this reader...

When you went to Jesus, believing, God did something that is ETERNAL.
He performed :

A.) The Divine Exchange.

This means, that Jesus became ALL your sin....and you became "the righteousness of God in Christ", born again.
This means that your sin went to Jesus who was slain for it...."God hath made JESUS to be sin for us".... and Christ's Righteous became you as : "A new Creation IN Christ"..... "made righteous"... "One with God'"

See that?
Now, here is how you understand what that means...
It means that because of your new birth in the Spirit, God has BIRTHED you Spiritually as being exactly like Christ's Righteousness.
In other words... You are now re-recreated spiritually, as if you lived the Holy Life that Jesus offered to God, that is sinless, righteous, and pure.
This is the 'imputed" "GIFT of Righteousness" that is "The GIFT of Salvation"
That is every born again CHRISTian, = has become this....by Spiritual Birth, through the Blood Atonement (New Covenant) Redemption.

= "AS JESUS IS...... so are the born again....in THIS World"

= "made Righteous".

= "Being NOW.....made free from sin"..

Imputed righteousness is now being made righteous and having the righteousness of God. It's the new clean start and beginning in Christ. It's a complete break from the old life of sinning.

We are now made able by grace to do His righteousness, because the old life is now passed.

Without being imputed righteousness by faith in Jesus, we cannot possibly be righteous with God in anything we do, because our old sinning is still judging us as unrighteous in His sight.

Imputed righteousness is being made righteous with God, so that we can now do His righteousness with a clean heart.

Salvation and justification with God by Jesus Christ is being made righteous in order to do His righteousness, and not be sinning as before.

If we have His righteousness, we are doing His righteousness. If we're not doing His righteousness, we don't have His righteousness.

 

[Ritajanice]

Imputed Righteousness is a Righteousness Alien to the Human Being. Righteousness comes from being Grafted into the Vine...

Imputed Righteousness is 'Batting a Thousand'...

Through the rebirth/ birthed in the Spirit, then we are in the righteousness of Christ?

 

[Eleanor]

Imputed righteousness is now being made righteous and having the righteousness of God.

Actually, imputed righteousness is the result of justification, which is God's declaration of "not guilty," a sentence of acquittal, a finding of right standing with the Court; i.e., penalty paid, time served, no debt owing.
It is a forensic righteousness of "not guilty," not an actual righteousness, as in sanctification.
It's a clean slate, no unrighteousness.
We add righteousness to that clean slate through obedience in the Holy Spirit, which leads to righteousness leading to holiness (Ro 6:16, 19).

faith--->salvation (removal of sin)--->justification (declaration of "not guilty")--->forensic righteousness

obedience in the Holy Spirit--->actual righteousness of sanctification

Christ, our righteousness--->i.e., his removal of our unrighteousness on the cross

It's the new clean start and beginning in Christ. It's a complete break from the old life of sinning.

We are now made able by grace to do His righteousness, because the old life is now passed.

Without being imputed righteousness by faith in Jesus, we cannot possibly be righteous with God in anything we do, because our old sinning is still judging us as unrighteous in His sight.

Actually, our unrighteousness is removed by faith in Jesus' atoning work on the cross which remits our sin and its debt.
We are then a clean slate to which actual righteousness is added through obedience in the Holy Spirit (sanctification).

Imputed righteousness is being made righteous with God, so that we can now do His righteousness with a clean heart.

Imputed righteousness is a forensic righteousness only; i.e., not guilty.

Salvation and justification with God by Jesus Christ is being made righteous in order to do His righteousness, and not be sinning as before.
If we have His righteousness, we are doing His righteousness. If we're not doing His righteousness, we don't have His righteousness.

We don't "have his righteousness," rather we have "no guilt" which is a forensic righteousness imputed to us.
While our actual righteousness of sanctification is through obedience in the Holy Spirit.

We don't "have his righteousness," rather "he is our righteousness;" i.e., he removed our unrighteousness on the cross.

 

[Eleanor]

Through the rebirth/ birthed in the Spirit, then we are in the righteousness of Christ?

Nice avatar!

No, by faith our debt is paid and our sin removed. We are no longer unrighteous, but we are not righteous with the righteousness of Christ.
Rather, God declares us to be "not guilty" (justification) of sin, which is forensic righteousness only.

We do not have the righteousness of Christ.
"Christ, our righteousness;" i.e., he has removed our unrighteousness, he has not imparted his righteousness to us.

If we have Christ's righteousness, then there is no need for the righteousness of sanctification, which the NT prescribes (Ro 6:16-19).

faith--->salvation--->justification (forensic righteousness)--->sanctification (actual righteousness)

Christ, our righteousness--->in removing our unrighteousness

 

[Ritajanice]

Nice avatar!

No, by faith our debt is paid and our sin removed. We are no longer unrighteous, but we are not righteous with the righteousness of Christ.
Rather, God declares us to be "not guilty" (justification) of sin, which is forensic righteousness only.

We do not have the righteousness of Christ.
"Christ, our righteousness;" i.e., he has removed our unrighteousness, he has not imparted his righteousness to us.

If we have Christ's righteousness, then there is no need for the righteousness of sanctification, which the NT prescribes (Ro 6:16-19).

faith--->salvation--->justification (forensic righteousness)--->sanctification (actual righteousness)

Christ, our righteousness--->in removing our unrighteousness

Thanks for trying to explain,@Eleanor ......for our debt to be paid, we must be Born Again, / Birthed in the Spirit...that’s when we receive the faith to know in our spirit that God exists, it comes through the testifying of the Holy Spirit....he is the one who Glorifies the Father....he testifies with our spirit as he’s indwelling us, that we are a child of God, a “ Permanent “ child of God, he has us and none can take us from him..

Of course as you know there is much more to being Born Again than that...the drawing to Jesus, I believe is a very long process for me anyway...looking back of course, I didn’t know God was drawing me to Jesus throughout my life, then there’s the Godly sorrow, repentance,....but the becoming spiritually birthed happens unexpectedly...it’s an AMAZING living spiritual experience , mind blowing in fact.......of course this is my testimony, which only keeps getting stronger and stronger.

That’s my way of explaining it through the Spirit,imo/ belief....faith and salvation happen at the same time....rebirth and faith go hand in hand...you need both....we are right before God when we have been birthed in the Spirit....the Holy Spirit then starts his. Work in his children, through sanctifying us , making us more and more like Jesus...which has taken years....then there is the renewing of our minds...the Holy Spirit never stops working in his children....as a child of God we should also see that work he does in us.......I’m not that same person that I once was...I’m far from perfect, but, God sees me as such....that’s why he birthed me....there is no sin in the Spirit of a Born Again....even though we are still sinners...the slate has been wiped clean by God hence the spiritual birth...it’s with the heart that one believes...only God can open up the heart to birth us..

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV​

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him

Bible verses related to Born Again from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance​

- Sort By Book Order




John 3:1-8 - There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (Read More...)

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Romans 10:10 - For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

[Ritajanice]

Thanks for trying to explain,@Eleanor ......for our debt to be paid, we must be Born Again, / Birthed in the Spirit...that’s when we receive the faith to know in our spirit that God exists, it comes through the testifying of the Holy Spirit....he is the one who Glorifies the Father....he testifies with our spirit as he’s indwelling us, that we are a child of God, a “ Permanent “ child of God, he has us and none can take us from him..

Of course as you know there is much more to being Born Again than that...the drawing to Jesus, I believe is a very long process for me anyway...looking back of course, I didn’t know God was drawing me to Jesus throughout my life, then there’s the Godly sorrow, repentance,....but the becoming spiritually birthed happens unexpectedly...it’s an AMAZING living spiritual experience , mind blowing in fact.......of course this is my testimony, which only keeps getting stronger and stronger.

That’s my way of explaining it through the Spirit,imo/ belief....faith and salvation happen at the same time....rebirth and faith go hand in hand...you need both....we are right before God when we have been birthed in the Spirit....the Holy Spirit then starts his. Work in his children, through sanctifying us , making us more and more like Jesus...which has taken years....then there is the renewing of our minds...the Holy Spirit never stops working in his children....as a child of God we should also see that work he does in us.......I’m not that same person that I once was...I’m far from perfect, but, God sees me as such....that’s why he birthed me....there is no sin in the Spirit of a Born Again....even though we are still sinners...the slate has been wiped clean by God hence the spiritual birth...it’s with the heart that one believes...only God can open up the heart to birth us..

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV​

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him

Bible verses related to Born Again from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance​

- Sort By Book Order




John 3:1-8 - There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (Read More...)

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Romans 10:10 - For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Edit to add, the Holy Spirit is our constant companion ,as he indwells us,..he is the one who is constantly working in us to become more like Jesus, once we understand this, we can actually see him at work within us...I have learnt and it’s taken many years to learn...when we let go of “ self” that’s when the Holy Spirit can and does work in us...again we have to get to that understanding or brought to that understanding by God....after all, we have a living spiritual relationship with God through the Spirit, don’t we?....

Faith comes by hearing the word of God...how do we hear, by God opening our hearts to hear , and the receiving of the new birth....we then see through the eyes of the Holy Spirit....full of wonder and Awe at Gods creation, when we have been Born Again...it’s an amazing journey....but it’s far from easy....we rely solely on the Holy Spirit to get us through and there has been much I’ve had to get through.....again learning to get through it with the Spirit...he knows I can’t get through my life without him.....and boy did I try to in the early days.....I burnt out.....

 

[Eleanor]

Thanks for trying to explain,@Eleanor ......for our debt to be paid, we must be Born Again, / Birthed in the Spirit...that’s when we receive the faith to know in our spirit that God exists, it comes through the testifying of the Holy Spirit....he is the one who Glorifies the Father....he testifies with our spirit as he’s indwelling us, that we are a child of God, a “ Permanent “ child of God, he has us and none can take us from him..

Of course as you know there is much more to being Born Again than that...the drawing to Jesus, I believe is a very long process for me anyway...looking back of course, I didn’t know God was drawing me to Jesus throughout my life, then there’s the Godly sorrow, repentance,....but the becoming spiritually birthed happens unexpectedly...it’s an AMAZING living spiritual experience , mind blowing in fact.......of course this is my testimony, which only keeps getting stronger and stronger.

That’s my way of explaining it through the Spirit,imo/ belief....faith and salvation happen at the same time....rebirth and faith go hand in hand...you need both....

Yes, while in the logical order of causation, we say regeneration-->faith-->salvation-->justification-->life of obedience to sanctification,
in reality it can be all one operation.

we are right before God when we have been birthed in the Spirit....the Holy Spirit then starts his. Work in his children, through sanctifying us , making us more and more like Jesus...which has taken years....then there is the renewing of our minds...the Holy Spirit never stops working in his children....as a child of God we should also see that work he does in us.......I’m not that same person that I once was...I’m far from perfect, but, God sees me as such....that’s why he birthed me....there is no sin in the Spirit of a Born Again....even though we are still sinners...the slate has been wiped clean by God hence the spiritual birth...it’s with the heart that one believes...only God can open up the heart to birth us..

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV​

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him

Bible verses related to Born Again from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance​

- Sort By Book Order




John 3:1-8 - There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (Read More...)

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

John 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Galatians 2:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Romans 10:10 - For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

[Ghada]

1.) "made righteous", as "the righteousness OF GOD..... "in Christ".


Who is that?

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that is doing righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

That is ALL the born again. ......"Jesus said... you must be born again".


2.) So, what is "righteousness"?

Righteousness is what God's word says it is. Unrighteousness is what God's word says sin in.

Its God's nature, and its Christ's nature who is God. Its beyond being sinless.... its Pure Holiness and Truth, itself.

Beyond sinless on earth is God on the throne, where He cannot even be tempted to sin.

Sinless on earth is walking as Jesus walked with a pure heart, and blameless living through temptations.

So, here is how to understand what it means to become .. .""a New Creation in Christ"".

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And all things are of God.

All things in the spirit, soul, and words and deeds of the body are now new and blameless.

= having the "gift of righteousness".

Jesus's faith is the free gift given to all by hearing. His righteousness is by doing it.

Its very simple to understand, but believing it is going to offend your flesh, and yet, until you do, you'll have no power over your lust.

The flesh and bones of the body don't get offended, only wounded. People get offended.

Obeying the truth offends lust of the heart.

Its this reader...

When you went to Jesus, believing, God did something that is ETERNAL.

So long as the eternal Spirit abides in us, it's eternal.

He performed :

A.) The Divine Exchange.

This means, that Jesus became ALL your sin....

I don't read where Jesus became sin or sinful.

His body and soul was made to be sin for the punishment of sin, by the stripes and crucifixion unto death.

His soul was separated from the Spirit to pay the spiritual price for sin.

But Jesus never became sinful, because He never sinned in spirit nor in body.

and you became "the righteousness of God in Christ", born again.

True. That's the only way in Christ to do His righteousness, which must be with a pure heart, and not outwardly only.

This means that your sin went to Jesus who was slain for it...."God hath made JESUS to be sin for us"....

Our sin doesn't 'go to' Jesus. Our sins are forgiven by God through faith in Jesus, because He paid the death penalty for sinning against God.

Jesus was made to be the sin bearer and propitiation for sin, but no man's sins 'go to' Him.

Our hearts and lives go to Him by sacrifice for Him, but not our sins.

and Christ's Righteous became you as : "A new Creation IN Christ"..... "made righteous"... "One with God'"

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We are made righteous as He. His righteousness is with us by faith. His righteousness is not us. We are made alive in Christ, but we are not life.

Only Jesus and God are eternal life.

Man being righteousness is self-righteousness of our own will alone.

We should never think for one moment that what we are doing is righteous, just because we are the ones doing it.

We are still judged for our works, by the objective standard of God's law and word. Not by our own judgment alone.

It means that because of your new birth in the Spirit, God has BIRTHED you Spiritually as being exactly like Christ's Righteousness.

True, as newborn babes and the child Jesus: all things clean and new with a fresh blameless start.

In other words... You are now re-recreated spiritually, as if you lived the Holy Life that Jesus offered to God, that is sinless, righteous, and pure.

As just beginning to live His sinless, righteous, holy, and blameless life.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

We haven't lived anything, until we've lived it.

We begin living as He with a purified soul and the forgiven life of yesterday.

This is the 'imputed" "GIFT of Righteousness" that is "The GIFT of Salvation"

The free gift is the word of faith planted by hearing.

Righteousness is done, and salvation is obtained by doing the word.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

= "AS JESUS IS...... so are the born again....in THIS World"

True. Those walking as He walked and doing His righteousness, are as He is in the light and righteous as He.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

= "made Righteous".

= "Being NOW.....made free from sin"..

True. Now is all that matters with God in this life.

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Yesterday is passed, and tomorrow may not come. Therefore, all that matters is what we are doing now, either walking after the Spirit unto life, or walking after the flesh unto death.

 

[Ghada]

Actually, imputed righteousness is the result of justification, which is God's declaration of "not guilty," a sentence of acquittal, a finding of right standing with the Court; i.e., penalty paid, time served, no debt owing.
It is a forensic righteousness of "not guilty," not an actual righteousness, as in sanctification.
It's a clean slate, no unrighteousness.

True. A complete new begining, where all things inward and outward are now of God.

We are now a new creation, which is made by, for, and to Christ being conformed to His image.

We add righteousness to that clean slate through obedience in the Holy Spirit,

True again. As Peter says thru obedience of the Spirit we purify our souls. By adding righteous virtue, godliness, charity to our faith we also ensure our calling not to fall back to sin as before.

which leads to righteousness leading to holiness (Ro 6:16, 19).

Actually which is being righteous and holy in all manner of conversation, even as the Lord is righteous and holy.

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The idea of 'leading' to righteousness is not really doctrine of Christ. That is more of a self-improvement ideology of being more more and more righteous by being less and less sinful. It's man's righteousness that always makes room for sinning. It's not the perfect instant change from sin to righteousness, from unclean to clean, and remaining that way.

He makes us wholly clean and pure and righteous by grace, and we keep ourselves that way by whole hearted obedience through faith.

faith--->salvation (removal of sin)--->justification (declaration of "not guilty")--->forensic righteousness

At the first yes. And continuing by works.

obedience in the Holy Spirit--->actual righteousness of sanctification

Exactly. We are made righteous by perfect forgiveness and cleansing, we are being righteous by doing the word.

Christ, our righteousness--->i.e., his removal of our unrighteousness on the cross

He paid the price for the whole world's unrighteousness on His cross. That price is applied individually when repenting and believing Him.

Actually, our unrighteousness is removed by faith in Jesus' atoning work on the cross which remits our sin and its debt.

Also any of our own past righteousness, which are as filthy rags to God. Righteousness without faith in Jesus is not righteous with God.

Imputed righteousness is a forensic righteousness only; i.e., not guilty.

True. But comes with the Spirit now to do His righteousness

We don't "have his righteousness," rather we have "no guilt" which is a forensic righteousness imputed to us.
While our actual righteousness of sanctification is through obedience in the Holy Spirit.

I agree. Many Christians rely on an imputed righteousness only to please God and be resurrected unto life. It's called faith alone without works. It is only a theoretical righteousness, not a practical one.

We don't "have his righteousness," rather "he is our righteousness;" i.e., he removed our unrighteousness on the cross.

This seems to split hairs. We have Him, He is our righteousness, and we are made the righteousness of God in Him.

I believe what you are trying to say is that we are not righteousness itself, which is what some Christians try to say. It's as though all things we do are good and right, just because it is we that do it.

That's the error of Adam and Eve, to becomes as gods in our own right, so that we decide what is good and evil, and whatever we do must be good.

Whatsoever the true God does is good and righteous altogether, because He is righteousness, holiness, and sanctification to us. The idolatry of man is to be as God and think whatsoever we do must be good and right and true also. It's the manner of despotic kings, rulers, and modern moral relevance.

I like you your manner of distinguishing between being made 'forensically' good at once, and being good by doing it. In grammar it's the perfect participle tense of instantly becoming a way, and continuing that way by doing it.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

No man comes to the Father by faith alone, but by faith being as Jesus and walking as He walked.

 

[Eleanor]

True. A complete new begining, where all things inward and outward are now of God.
We are now a new creation, which is made by, for, and to Christ being conformed to His image.

True again. As Peter says thru obedience of the Spirit we purify our souls. By adding righteous virtue, godliness, charity to our faith we also ensure our calling not to fall back to sin as before.
Actually which is being righteous and holy in all manner of conversation, even as the Lord is righteous and holy.
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The idea of 'leading' to righteousness is not really doctrine of Christ.

Au contraire. . .

All of the NT, including Ro 6:16-19, is the doctrine of Christ.

That is more of a self-improvement ideology of being more more and more righteous by being less and less sinful. It's man's righteousness that always makes room for sinning. It's not the perfect instant change from sin to righteousness, from unclean to clean, and remaining that way.

Tell it to the apostle (Ro 6:16-19) who received his teaching from Christ personally (Gal 1:11-12).

He makes us wholly clean and pure and righteous by grace, and we keep ourselves that way by whole hearted obedience through faith.

Our unrighteousness is absolved on the cross.
God then declares us righteous (dikaiosis), which is justification/imputed forensic righteousness.
We then grow in righteousness by sanctification through obedience in the Holy Spirit which leads to righteousness, leading to holiness (Ro 6:16,19).

That is the doctrine of God from NT apostolic teaching authoritative to the church, and with which you are in disagreement.

At the first yes. And continuing by works.
Exactly. We are made righteous by perfect forgiveness and cleansing, we are being righteous by doing the word.
He paid the price for the whole world's unrighteousness on His cross. That price is applied individually when repenting and believing Him.
Also any of our own past righteousness, which are as filthy rags to God. Righteousness without faith in Jesus is not righteous with God.
True. But comes with the Spirit now to do His righteousness
I agree. Many Christians rely on an imputed righteousness only to please God and be resurrected unto life. It's called faith alone without works. It is only a theoretical righteousness, not a practical one.

This seems to split hairs. We have Him, He is our righteousness, and we are made the righteousness of God in Him.

He is our righteousness in the sense that his righteousness removed our unrighteousness on the cross, whereby God then declared us "not guilty;" i.e., justification, which is a forensic righteousness, not an actual righteousness.
He is not our righteousness in the sense that we have his righteousness.

believe what you are trying to say is that we are not righteousness itself, which is what some Christians try to say. It's as though all things we do are good and right, just because it is we that do it.

Well, what I am saying is that our righteousness is by sanctification through obedience in the Holy Spirit, and that we have no other righteousness. If we had Christ's own righteousness, we would not need sanctification.

That's the error of Adam and Eve, to becomes as gods in our own right, so that we decide what is good and evil, and whatever we do must be good.
Whatsoever the true God does is good and righteous altogether, because He is righteousness, holiness, and sanctification

He is our wisdom, righteousness, holiness and redemption (1 Co 1:30).
He is made wisdom for us.
He is our righteousness, absolving our unrighteousness on the cross.
He is our holiness, the source of our spiritual life.
He is our redemption, buying us back from slavery to sin.

to us. The idolatry of man is to be as God and think whatsoever we do must be good and right and true also. It's the manner of despotic kings, rulers, and modern moral relevance.

I like you your manner of distinguishing between being made 'forensically' good at once, and being good by doing it. In grammar it's the perfect participle tense of instantly becoming a way, and continuing that way by doing it.

Thanks.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

No man comes to the Father by faith alone, but by faith being as Jesus and walking as He walked.

 

[Arial]

Another way in which the Bible presents the righteousness of Christ being imputed to the believer is when Paul says this rebirth (John 3)is being born in Christ. In the natural we are born in Adam, our sins condemning us. In the new birth we are born in Christ. Sin cannot condemn us, death cannot hold us. Jesus took on the cross what our sins deserve so that we would never have to. He paid the debt, satisfied God's justice against our sins.

Romans 5:12-19
@EarlyActs (John 3) above refers to "rebirth" not "Pauls says".

 

[Eleanor]

Another way in which the Bible presents the righteousness of Christ being imputed to the believe

The righteousness of Ro 5:16-18 is justification; i.e., a declaration by God of "not guilty," a sentence of acquittal, a legal finding of right standing with the Court; i.e., penalty paid, time served, nothing owing.
It is not the righteousness of Christ. It is a forensic legal righteousness of good standing with Justice.
Christ, our righteousness (1 Co 1:30), in that Christ cleansed us from unrighteousness, whereby God then declared us not guilty;" i.e., righteous (justification).

is when Paul says this rebirth (John 3)is being born in Christ. In the natural we are born in Adam, our sins condemning us. In the new birth we are born in Christ. Sin cannot condemn us, death cannot hold us. Jesus took on the cross what our sins deserve so that we would never have to. He paid the debt, satisfied God's justice against our sins.

Romans 5:12-19

Being born in Christ is to be a brother of Christ, a child of God and a co-heir in Christ's personal inheritance.
It does not include an actual righteousness.
It includes a forensic righteousness (justification); i.e., not guilty of sin, sin removed.
All actual righteousness (holiness) is by sanctification through obedience in the Holy Spirit which leads to righteousness leading to holiness (Ro 6:16-19).

Christ's righteousness is not imputed to us.
Rather, a forensic righteousness (not guilty) is imputed to us; i.e., justification.
Actual righteousness is in sanctification.

 

[EarlyActs]

At the historic counter-Reformation council of Trent, the assertion was made that justification is imparted righteousness--the things which show in a believer, often linked to sacraments. They regarded the imputation of another Person's righteousness as a farce.

But credited righteousness truly is from another Person toward our debt of sin. In fact the remarkable thing, per Rom 3, is that the Judge himself provided it!!! In itself it is not a direct effect on what we are doing, but it does compel, and inspire and foster love for Christ and obedience to him.

If we can just remember that the debt of sin is different from the doing of it, we will have made the important distinction. Debt is about past sin. Vigilance and purifying ourselves is about current sinning. 'God was in Christ, settling the debt of mankind's sin' is what 2 Cor 5 amounts to.

I notice that 'being born again' is being confused with justification in posts above. Here are some helpful remarks: 1, there are few references to being born again (anothen). The most extensive were to a frightened temple leader who came to Jesus in secret. He was stunned to hear that his descent line did not matter, that there was another birth that did matter. Jn 1 already said 'those born of God, not born of human descent (to boast in) or a husband's will, etc.'

After Jn 3 there is just one in Titus 3 and 1 in I Peter 2, which is quite similar to Jn 3, about the proper seed (see #2). 'Being made alive' or 'being raised' in Christ is far more common.

2, 'anothen' is not again so much as 'from above' or 'from the original' Jesus was directing Nic's attention clear back to Abraham's faith which was credited as righteousness. Not to Abraham's line of descent. The original promise and anticipation of Israel was the Seed's blessing to the nations. If you know the background of temple Judaism at the time, you know it was not headed that direction. See my book THE COVENANT REVOLT, at Amazon.

3, Jesus was not demanding a person be born again as much as informing Nic that the kingdom was not visible/discerned unless a person was. So the object was to see the kingdom. This should be integrated with #2 above. Jesus was trying to get Nic to see the original goal, promise and kingdom of Israel. We know this from the analogy about wind. We can't see wind, but we can see it do things. The hortative sense of be born again is experienced often by us with technology updates: 'you can't do such and such step if you do not have the next level upgrade. You must have the upgrade.' This idea itself should help us prevent it being associated with justification or initial conversion. Initial conversion may be a huge change, yet it is not what justification is.

The expression is ear-candy and preachers love to run with it, regardless of what it actually meant. It has become a stand-alone identity of being a Christian: he's born again! (Everyone cheers).

For all the imagery of John 3 up to v15, the doctrinal substance is actually after! It is about justfication (the opposite of condemnation).

 

[EarlyActs]

Another way in which the Bible presents the righteousness of Christ being imputed to the believer is when Paul says this rebirth (John 3)is being born in Christ. In the natural we are born in Adam, our sins condemning us. In the new birth we are born in Christ. Sin cannot condemn us, death cannot hold us. Jesus took on the cross what our sins deserve so that we would never have to. He paid the debt, satisfied God's justice against our sins.

Romans 5:12-19

Not quite, and John 3 is not Paul (but Paul used the expression once). See my previous.

 

[EarlyActs]

True. A complete new begining, where all things inward and outward are now of God.

We are now a new creation, which is made by, for, and to Christ being conformed to His image.


True again. As Peter says thru obedience of the Spirit we purify our souls. By adding righteous virtue, godliness, charity to our faith we also ensure our calling not to fall back to sin as before.


Actually which is being righteous and holy in all manner of conversation, even as the Lord is righteous and holy.

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The idea of 'leading' to righteousness is not really doctrine of Christ. That is more of a self-improvement ideology of being more more and more righteous by being less and less sinful. It's man's righteousness that always makes room for sinning. It's not the perfect instant change from sin to righteousness, from unclean to clean, and remaining that way.

He makes us wholly clean and pure and righteous by grace, and we keep ourselves that way by whole hearted obedience through faith.


At the first yes. And continuing by works.



Exactly. We are made righteous by perfect forgiveness and cleansing, we are being righteous by doing the word.


He paid the price for the whole world's unrighteousness on His cross. That price is applied individually when repenting and believing Him.

Also any of our own past righteousness, which are as filthy rags to God. Righteousness without faith in Jesus is not righteous with God.


True. But comes with the Spirit now to do His righteousness

I agree. Many Christians rely on an imputed righteousness only to please God and be resurrected unto life. It's called faith alone without works. It is only a theoretical righteousness, not a practical one.


This seems to split hairs. We have Him, He is our righteousness, and we are made the righteousness of God in Him.

I believe what you are trying to say is that we are not righteousness itself, which is what some Christians try to say. It's as though all things we do are good and right, just because it is we that do it.

That's the error of Adam and Eve, to becomes as gods in our own right, so that we decide what is good and evil, and whatever we do must be good.

Whatsoever the true God does is good and righteous altogether, because He is righteousness, holiness, and sanctification to us. The idolatry of man is to be as God and think whatsoever we do must be good and right and true also. It's the manner of despotic kings, rulers, and modern moral relevance.

I like you your manner of distinguishing between being made 'forensically' good at once, and being good by doing it. In grammar it's the perfect participle tense of instantly becoming a way, and continuing that way by doing it.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

No man comes to the Father by faith alone, but by faith being as Jesus and walking as He walked.

but by faith being as Jesus and walking as He walked.
Sorry, no. Faith is directed at a completed act which Jesus did. "Faith says 'mine are Christ's coming, living, suffering, dying and rising again as much (in God's sight) as if I had done them.'" --Luther. Yes, we will do things like Christ and walk as he did. But that is effect not cause. It is essential not to confuse cause and effect.

Justification deals with the debt of past sin, all through life.
Transformation deals with actual sinning, now and how we can reduce that and purify ourselves from it.

 

[Eleanor]

At the historic counter-Reformation council of Trent, the assertion was made that justification is imparted righteousness--the things which show in a believer, often linked to sacraments. They regarded the imputation of another Person's righteousness as a farce.

But credited righteousness truly is from another Person toward our debt of sin.

Credited (imputed) righteousness is not toward our debt of sin.
It is Christ's righteousness that "is toward," that qualified him to be the sacrifice to atone for, to pay our debt of sin

Credited (imputed) righteousness is the result of our justification; i.e., of God's declaration of "not guilty, his sentence of acquittal, his legal finding of right standing with his Court--penalty paid, time served, no debt owing, because Christ has paid it for us.
1) And because of that removal of our unrighteousness on the cross, God then imputes to us a forensic righteousness of a right(eous) standing with his Court. It is not an actual righteousness of person, only a forensic righteousness of right standing.
2) Actual righteousness is by sanctification through obedience in the Holy Spirit, which leads to actual righteousness leading to holiness (Ro 6:16, 19).
3) While "Christ is our righteousness" in that his righteousness is what removed our unrighteousness on the cross.

In fact the remarkable thing, per Rom 3, is that the Judge himself provided it!!! In itself it is not a direct effect on what we are doing, but it does compel, and inspire and foster love for Christ and obedience to him.
If we can just remember that the debt of sin is different from the doing of it, we will have made the important distinction. Debt is about past sin. Vigilance and purifying ourselves is about current sinning. 'God was in Christ, settling the debt of mankind's sin' is what 2 Cor 5 amounts to.
I notice that 'being born again' is being confused with justification in posts above.

The new birth occurs first, then faith, then salvation, then justification, then sanctification through obedience.

Here are some helpful remarks: 1, there are few references to being born again (anothen). The most extensive were to a frightened temple leader who came to Jesus in secret. He was stunned to hear that his descent line did not matter, that there was another birth that did matter.

There is no indication in Jn 3:3-8 of anything regarding linage. That is eisegesis, reading "into the text," rather than reading "out of the text."
The text is clear. He was "stunned" (confused) by the notion of rebirth, because he assumed it was physical.

Jn 1 already said 'those born of God, not born of human descent (to boast in) or a husband's will, etc.'

Jn 1:1 wasn't written until decades after Jesus' talk with Nicodemus. He knew nothing of Jn 1:1.

After Jn 3 there is just one in Titus 3 and 1 in I Peter 2, which is quite similar to Jn 3, about the proper seed (see #2).

So how many times must the word of God state rebirth before it is absolutely true?

'Being made alive' or 'being raised' in Christ is far more common.

Relevance?

2, 'anothen' is not again so much as 'from above' or 'from the original' Jesus was directing Nic's attention clear back to Abraham's faith which was credited as righteousness.

Actually, he was directing Nicodemus clear back to Eze 36:25-27, 37:1-14 regarding water and cleansing.

Not to Abraham's line of descent. The original promise and anticipation of Israel was the Seed's blessing to the nations. If you know the background of temple Judaism at the time, you know it was not headed that direction. See my book THE COVENANT REVOLT, at Amazon.
3, Jesus was not demanding a person be born again as much as informing Nic that the kingdom was not visible/discerned unless a person was. So the object was to see the kingdom.

The object was to see the kingdom so he could be in the kingdom.

This should be integrated with #2 above. Jesus was trying to get Nic to see the original goal, promise and kingdom of Israel.

Jesus was trying to get Nicodemus to see that the kingdom of God was spiritual, not material,
that it was not an earthly kingdom of this world (Jn 18:36), but was of the spiritual world,
that it was invisible and within (Lk 17:20-21) the hearts where he reigns and rules, and
that it was here now! (Mt 12:28, Lk 11:20)

We know this from the analogy about wind. We can't see wind, but we can see it do things. The hortative sense of be born again is experienced often by us with technology updates: 'you can't do such and such step if you do not have the next level upgrade. You must have the upgrade.' This idea itself should help us prevent it being associated with justification or initial conversion. Initial conversion may be a huge change, yet it is not what justification is.

Rebirth (initial conversion) is the re-impartation of divine eternal life within the immortal human spirit by sovereign act of the Holy Spirit, which divine eternal life had been lost by Adam, and is the meaning of spirittual death; i.e., not a death of the immortal human spirit, but the absence of the divine eternal life of God within the immortal human spirit.

The expression is ear-candy and preachers love to run with it, regardless of what it actually meant. It has become a stand-alone identity of being a Christian: he's born again! (Everyone cheers).

For all the imagery of John 3 up to v15, doctrinal substance is actually after! It is about justfication (the opposite of condemnation).
[/B]

There is nothing spiritual of God within the immortal human spirit before the rebirth of divine eternal life therein, making that rebirth the foundational necessity of all that is Christian, and the absolute substance of Christian doctrine.[/quote][/b]

 

[donadams]

How do we actually get to real holiness, really righteous?

Thanks

 

[EarlyActs]

How do we actually get to real holiness, really righteous?

Thanks

It might depend on if you see yourself as acting horrible or if you are trying too hard.

Absorb the NT letters, pray for help, be honest, use common sense. Rom 6: you died to those things, why would be interested in them now? You need to realize maybe that justification solves something that we can't do anything (be anything) about: a past failure/sin. Once it is past tense (and we are no longer able to do anything about it) it is a debt. Justification should always be read as 'justification from (our sin-debts).' See for ex., Acts 13:32's usage.

Transformation on the other hand involves our effort through the Spirit. But it won't be perfect, and it is dangerous to think so.

Rom 5:1-5 shows a path to proven character. It gives very few details!

btw the very simple New Life Translation always used the English term 'sin-debt' when translating 'harmartia'.

I can give a few examples of imputation in usual English usage so that you can see that it is about an 'outside' exchange, that still matters a lot.