Imputation
Narrator:
Chris Genthree
Duration:
2min
Romans 5:9 • 1 min. read • grade level: 9
The meritorious ground of our justification is the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:99Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9)). But had He, who was "made of a woman, made under the law," failed in any one point in keeping it, He would not have been the holy Lamb of God, who could have atoned by His death for our sins. Now it is clear that we were not justified by His keeping the law for us, for " if righteousness come by law, then Christ is dead in vain" (Gal. 2:2121I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:21)). We should have been justified before He died in that case. This shows the mistake of such thoughts.
On the teaching of God imputing righteousness, Scripture is clear. Faith, not the obedience of Christ, is imputed to us for righteousness (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5); Gal. 3:66Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. (Galatians 3:6); James 2:2323And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (James 2:23)); that God reckons the man righteous, who believes His testimony, whatever it may be. In Abraham's case it was God's testimony as to his seed: in ours it is His testimony about the work of His Son (Rom. 4:19-2519And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:19‑25)),
" Obedience " (ὑπαχοή) may, of course, often be used with reference to continued obedience, but in Rom. 5:1919For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:19), it refers to only one act, as the preceding verse distinctly states, "Therefore as by one offense, unto all to condemnation: so by one righteousness (διχαίωμα), unto all men unto justification of life."