Imputation of Righteousness to the
Believing One!
1. What is the doctrine of imputation?
A. A biblical
illustration is found in Philemon 17,18.
Paul is writing to Philemon whose slave Onesimus
had run away. Onesimus comes in contact with Paul and
responds to God’s Word.
Paul sends him back to Philemon and pens this short note
to tell Philemon that if Onesimus has incurred any
debts it should be put on Paul’ s account.
This is imputation:
“to set something to one's account."
B. An illustration
can be found in the words spoken to the bride by the groom at many weddings —
“with all my worldly goods I thee endow.”
This is imputation:
placing to the bride’s account all the groom’s worldly goods.
C. The Greek
word for imputation occurs about 41 times in the New Testament — 35 in Paul’s
writings. [logizomai logidzomai]
Paul uses the word 19 times in Romans and 10 times in
Romans 4, the imputation chapter.
Find it is translated “credited,” "reckoned," "take into account," or “imputed”.
2. There are 3 great imputations
#1. Imputation
1: God imputes to us what is actually
ours.
Adam's original sin
is imputed to every member of the human race.
The key passage:
Romans 5:12; also 18-19 [therefore we all are a part of the
fall]
a. Principle of imputation is found in the words "death spread" kjv "death
passed upon.”
b. This speaks of spiritual genetics (a gene is
an entity concerned with the transmission of heredity). Death is part of our spiritual heredity from
Adam.
c. The reason for this heredity is when Adam
sinned “ALL SINNED.”
In Adam all die!
1 Cor
Adam’s sin was not the sin of one man but the entire
race. My hand took the fruit in the
garden.
#2. All of man's sin was imputed to Christ while He
was on the cross. 2 Cor
#3. God's righteousness is imputed to the ungodly who
believes in Christ. Rom 4:5;
Note: The first 2 are a reality
for all; the
third becomes true when one believes in Christ. 2 Cor. 5:17
3. Importance of imputation of God's
righteousness: The imputation of
righteousness is the basis for our being declared righteous by God.
4. Definition: Imputation of righteousness [God's] is the
act of God crediting perfect righteousness to the one who believes in Jesus
Christ.
5. It is based totally on the work of Christ on
the cross. Specifically:
a. Redemption: paying the price necessary to buy us from the
slave market of sin; freeing us from the
bondage of sin. Rom
b. Atonement made is Unlimited: the
payment for all sin of
all mankind; it was for all mankind;
for all time that he bore the penalty/guilt for all. [1 Jn 2:2; Isa. 53:6]
c. Propitiation: satisfied all of the requirements of God's
Holiness.
[This leaves what? The only barrier left is man's willingness to
accept God's gracious provision. Only
condition is to believe!]
6. This divine righteousness is imputed to the
believer at the point of faith in Christ.
Rom
7. This imputation of righteousness is related to
our new position in Christ. 2 Cor.
8. The imputation of righteousness is the basis
for God's justice being able to declare the one who believes in Christ to be
justified, or declared righteous recognizing our new standing before God.
- this new standing is
based totally on the work of Christ not on anything that we have accomplished in any way!
- Its a gift [dwrean freely, without a cause]
- Its by means of faith Rom 3:28; 5:1