Biblical Theology Forum

[Seeker123]

I have read about imputed righteousness and imparted righteousness. I am wondering what it the difference and which is the biblical point of view?

[Peter Bohler]

Hey Seeker123!

The short answer is that "both" are, properly understood, biblical notions. Unfortunately, imputed righteousness is open to an antinomian (taking grace as a license to sin) misinterpretation.

When something is "imputed," it is reckoned. It is a forensic act, a juridical act. It indicates a positional or a relational change. When we place our faith in Christ, our "faith is imputed for righteousness," and Paul goes on to say in Romans 4 that God "credits with righteousness" those who believe in Jesus. This means we are "set right" with God in His court by the atoning work of Christ. Some people speak of the righteousness of Christ being imputed to believers, and although this is not a biblical phrase, the basic meaning behind it can be seen as biblical. On the basis of the active and passive obedience of Christ in His life and on the cross, believers are reckoned righteous with God. They are put back into right relation to Him through faith.

Now, imparted righteous has to do with actual, personal change. It has to do with sanctification, and regeneration is the first element of sanctification applied to us when we place our faith in Christ. Sanctification is, then, partly the immediate fruit of justification (being set right with God, reckoned righteous). We are literally made holy, cleaned up by God's Holy Spirit, and regeneration issues in a process of growth that culminates in entire sanctification, or full purity of heart.

So imputed righteousness has to do with justification and our standing before God, and imparted righteousness has to do with the change God brings about in us. The first is God's work "for us," the second God's work "in us." Imputed righteousness is not a covering for ongoing unrighteousness, however. It does not bleed into actual holiness or imparted righteousness; it only takes care of one's past sins on the basis of faith.
_________________
"Preach faith until you have it, then, because you have it, you will preach faith." -- Me

[Eva]

Imparted Righteousness

This doctrine states that holiness is not merely the reckoning of a believer as righteous, but the actual imparting of the nature of God to the believer. It suggests that in regeneration, the nature of the believer is changed from darkness to light. God’s intent is to have a Body of believers for His own, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). “In whom ye also are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col. 2:11). “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth) (Eph. 5:8,9). “But now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom. 6:22). Righteousness, holiness, perfection in love, and purity are all held out as the normal life of the Christian. The constant exhortations to holiness indicate that the righteousness that God requires is not merely one in some mystical record book at justification, but one in practice in the believer’s life.

Paul tells us in Romans, “But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 ). You will notice that the Bible never calls believers “sinners.” They are “saints,” “holy one’s,” they are changed from darkness to light! “But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us..,” We “were” “still” or “yet” sinners, infers that we are “no longer” or “still” sinners if we are believers! The description of regenerate believers in Scripture, is consistently described as a definite and uncompromising break with sin!

The impartation of actual righteousness is the true Biblical righteousness that God exhorts Christians to have!


False Imputed Righteousness


The Bible, especially the King James Version, uses the term “imputed” or “imputation.” It means to "reckon" to "count," for it is an accounting term.

Many teachers who wish to hold onto a fictional righteousness like to use the archaic “impute” because they can easily pull off a theological bait-and-switch with the truth.

They like to put a meaning upon the word that the Scriptures cannot support. The idea is that our sins are imputed to Christ (a mystical transfer), and His righteousness is imputed to us (by mystical transfer). The popular statement is, “we have the imputed righteousness of Christ.“ It is implied that the pure righteousness of Christ is transferred to the believer, and God cannot see their sins. This is nothing more than a theological absurdity, for the Bible never says that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to anyone! A transfer of “merit or character" is the meaning many force upon it today. A transfer of someone else's merit, or demerit, is not only a logical impossibility, it is a Scriptural impossibility. This is baseless mysticism, pure and simple.

Most modern translations correctly use the terms “reckon” or to “count” in place of the ambiguous “impute” these teachers of mystical transfer like to use. We can be counted righteous as described in Romans 4:3, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Abraham's faith was "counted" for righteousness” (v. 5). Because of the atonement of Christ, we can be forgiven and accounted righteous. Not because there was any “mystical transfer” of Christ's righteousness to us, but because when He has forgiven us, no unrighteousness stands in the way. In the absence of any guilt upon us, we are counted righteous by faith!



Standing And State Heresy

There is a prominent theory that is propagated today that is the enemy of holiness and the Scriptures. It is and extension of false imputation, which is usually called, “Standing and State.” The hypothesis is, that Christians remain sinful, while all God can see is the blood of Christ. Their standing is “holiness,” and their state is “sinful.” This is better known as “theological fiction”! To suggest that God is less than all-knowing is an insult to His intellect, His truthfulness, and His holiness. Many of the primary attributes of God must be either ignored or destroyed in order for “Standing and State” to be true! To get around this palpable impossibility, advocates for this heresy must say that sin only affects our “fellowship” and not our “relationship” with God. The verse they appeal to is 1 Jn. 1:7, which says, “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 from all sin.” First of all, if fellowship can be broken, then God must be able to see the sin! Otherwise He could not know what interfered with the fellowship. Secondly, notice that the passage connects fellowship to present tense cleansing form sin! If we don’t walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Christ no longer cleanses us! It is not just “fellowship” that is lost, but also relationship! For no one can have uncleansed sin (darkness) and be in fellowship with God! In 1 Jn. 1:7, their standing with God is fellowship and cleansing, their state is walking in the light. One cannot have a standing that is opposite of their state. 1 Jn. 3:7-8 states, “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil.” It is plain and clear, a believer’s standing and state are the same thing.

"This doctrine completely destroys the distinction between right and wrong, and removes all motives to abstain from sin."15 And quoting John Wesley, "Let no one who is in a state of willful sin, imagine that he has a standing in Christ pure and clear before the throne of God, for his standing in heaven is the same as his state on earth."16

15 Steele's Answers, Dr. Daniel Steele, Schmul Publishers, Salem, OH. No Date. Page 25.

16. ibid. page 41.



http://www.eternalsecurity.us/must_we_sin.htm

[Eva]

Had an interesting discussion on this topic at the Reachout Trust forum last year.
It turned nasty, as usually happens on that forum, but worth the pain because it's such an important topic.

[Peter Bohler]

It seems to me that imputed righteousness in some sense is biblical - in the sense that the work of Christ is put to your account when you believe. It is solely on the basis of his obedience and death that you are reckoned righteous.

Of course, you are also made righteous and imparted with holiness, but we must not neglect the fact that we are also set right with God, justified, reckoned righteous juridically by faith.
_________________
"Preach faith until you have it, then, because you have it, you will preach faith." -- Me

[Eva]

[Peter Bohler]

Hope it was helpful!
_________________
"Preach faith until you have it, then, because you have it, you will preach faith." -- Me