Why do so many oppose imputed righteousness?

Is walking in God's righteousness our "works" or His "works"?

Ephesians 2:
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ezekiel 18
[20] The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
[21] But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
[22] All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
[23] Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
[24] But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
[25] Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
[26] When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
[27] Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
[28] Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
[29] Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
[30] Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
[31] Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
[32] For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

I do not know what some mean when they talk about "imputed righteousness." Does that mean God pretends sinners aren't sinners? I get that impression sometimes.

I read "justify" to mean "make just and right" not to make an excuse. God can do more than pretend His saints are righteous. He can actually make people righteous. He gives it to people by imputing it first -- then it becomes a fact.

Enoch111 said:

To even speak of God as *pretending* is rather flippant and insulting to God. What it means is simply this -- God deems guilty sinners as righteous when they are in Christ. The righteousness of Christ is put to their spiritual account in full. Therefore they are deemed to be as righteous as Christ. This is called justification by grace through faith.

For He [God the Father] hath made Him [Christ] to be Sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor 5:21)

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What does "deem" mean to you? That they are still sinners but God is saying they aren't? That would be pretending even if you find the language not to your taste. So the question remains: Do they remain sinners or are does God work on them changing their nature?

Enoch111 said:

Who is making excuses? Are you accusing God of making excuses? You really should study this matter carefully.

Therefore being justified* by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)

*Strong's Concordance (1344)
dikaioó: to show to be righteous, declare righteous
Original Word: δικαιόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: dikaioó
Phonetic Spelling: (dik-ah-yo'-o)
Definition: to show to be righteous, declare righteous
Usage: I make righteous, defend the cause of, plead for the righteousness (innocence) of, acquit, justify; hence: I regard as righteous.

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Yes, made righteous and declared righteous. Sure, why not? Being justified means being made just by getting straightened out -- it doesn't mean being declared just if you aren't. You have God playing make-believe games.

Enoch111 said:

"Deem" means to regard as, or to judge, and to declare as being righteous. Yes they are still sinners but they have been justified by grace. See above. How is it that so many do not understand the meaning of justification, and confuse it with sanctification? Justification is totally foreign to human experience byt is at the heart of the Gospel.

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How wrong can you get? If people repent of sin, God forgets it. There is no sin there left to see. It's been removed.

Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

The past sin is no longer true if people repent. Why would God remember it then? If we don't repent, the past sin is still with us.

I'm going to speak broadly first, then zoom in:
- Every Christian I've ever spoken to believe that we are saved by Christ and faith in Him. (And I'm defining "Christian" extremely broadly here).
- Likewise, every Christian believes the that a disciple of Christ should strive to follow Him. Christ didn't die so we could continue unchanged in our old Satan-loving ways.

What does vary is how people dissect these in different theological schools. Some Protestant break things up into "justification" and "sanctification". Justification being a discrete one-time event when a person accepts Christ and is saved. Sanctification is everything that happens after that and the person gradually becomes more like Christ. Within OSAS theological schools, the person is are viewed as becoming more like Christ, and while it is acknowledged that they do screw up and do things against His commands, it has no bearing on their salvation status.

Moving to other schools of thought now: most other Christian branches view the entirety of discipleship of Christ as a life-long process. Rather than separating out a justification/sanctification, it's just viewed a one path-- the analogy being to how you don't fall in love just once, but continue to fall deeper in love over and over again. Love of course is a verb.

So, both roughly-cut camps start out with the same founding principles (bullet points above) and have the same hypothetical end point (a person fully embracing Christ and following in His ways). There are different ways people discribe the middle part of the journey though

From Commentary on Romans.

Rom 4:17, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Rom 4:18, Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. Rom 4:19, And 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: Rom 4:20, He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; Rom 4:21, And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Rom 4:22, And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Rom 4:23, Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; Rom 4:24, But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Rom 4:25, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

In v.17, we find that God calleth those things which be not as though they were. This can be applied to justification; in that through justification God declares the sinner to be righteous. So, we find, that it it impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2) and therefore, when He declares a man righteous, He brings into being a new reality, that the man is now righteous. And in 1 John 3:7 we find that it is the definition of righteousness that the one who is righteous will do what is righteous. So then, in justifying the ungodly, the Lord does not leave the ungodly in an ungodly state: He calls those things which be not as though they were and creates a new reality. The man who was previously ungodly is declared to be righteous; and the thing which is not, the man's righteousness, becomes reality when the moment before the man was ungodly. God also quickens the dead in this verse. We were all born dead in trespasses and sins, Ephesians 2:1, and the Lord quickens us or gives us new life when He breathes the Holy Spirit into us through regeneration and renewal. Then finally, as we take this in reverse order, God has made Abraham the father of many nations through Abraham's faith: Abraham's faith is the prototype of all faith that would come subsequent to Abraham's faith.

In v.18, Abraham hoped against hope. This was how Abraham's faith developed. At a time when things seemed hopeless, Abraham hoped; and his hope developed into substance and evidence of what he hoped for and what he could not see. In Romans 8:24 we find that we are saved by hope. So if you find yourself in a position where you have no faith, put your hope in the Lord and you will be saved by it as hope begins to gain substance and gives way to faith. These three abide, faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love. Therefore hope is the second greatest; for it will preserve your soul when all faith is gone. If the devil ever had true faith to ascend to the throne of God, the hope of the saints would be the response; and satan's only response that could defeat hope would be love, something which he is incapable of; and therefore hope defeats the faith of the devil any day of the week.

In v.19, Abraham had a faith that never wavered, concerning the Lord's promise that He would give him seed as the sand that is by the seashore. Even though his body was incapable of producing children, and also Sarah's body was incapable of doing the same, yet Abraham waxed strong in faith, giving glory to the Lord and believed that God was even able to do even the impossible with him.

In v.20, He didn't stagger at the promise of the Lord through unbelief, but waxed strong in faith, giving glory to the Lord.

In v.21, Abraham was persuaded that what the Lord had promised, He was able also to perform.

In v.22, This faith was imputed to him for righteousness.

Now concerning these things, we can observe a principle concerning the promises of God. When we see a promise of the Lord in His word and count it to be faithful; and when we place our trust in that promise and believe that God is able to perform it: we are then imputed with the righteousness of the Lord for that we have believed the Lord's promise. Now to what promises in particular can we apply this principle?

To be continued...

1Th 5:23, And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24, Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Heb 10:14, For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

1Jo 3:5, And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
1Jo 3:6, Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
1Jo 3:7, Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jo 3:8, He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jo 3:9, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Rom 6:6, Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Col 2:11, In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

1Jo 1:7, 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.

Tit 2:14, Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Psa 51:7, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

In v.23, we find that the fact that it was written that God imputed righteousness to Abraham was not for Abraham's sake alone;

In v.24, it was written for our sakes, who believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Now who is this but God the Father? 1 Corinthians 8:6 tells us that God is the Father, and Romans 10:9 tells us that it was God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

In v.25, this Person who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead was delivered up for our offences and was raised again for our justification. Thus a case can here be made for Patripassianism. The case can also be made for the same doctrine in Hebrews 9:16-22.

The reality is that God the Father is a Spirit (John 4:23-24) and that He is the Spirit of Jesus Christ (John 14:7-11). So then, when Jesus' Spirit left His body, God the Father died (in the sense of separation of spirit and soul from body); now of course it was Jesus who died: but it is also definitely true that His Spirit left His body as the result of the crucifixion.

Jesus was fully God, I believe, even apart from the Father dwelling in Him; and therefore in looking to that One who was dead upon the Cross you would be looking to God who died.

Enoch111 said:

It would appear that large numbers of Christians are opposed to the Gospel truth of imputed righteousness, and sincerely believe that they must add their own righteousness to the righteousness of Christ (or apart from the righteousness of Christ) in order to be accepted into Heaven. Many even falsely believe that water baptism saves them.

Imputed righteousness is so foreign to human experience that if we did not have the Word of God to show us that God literally credits the righteousness of Christ to every believer’s spiritual account, none of us would believe it.

But imputed righteousness cannot be isolated from justification by grace through faith. Therefore if we believe that God justifies the ungodly because they have trusted wholly in Christ and His finished work of redemption, then we must also believe that at that very moment God places the *robe* of the righteousness of Christ upon the one who repents and believes God.

We first read of imputed righteousness in the Old Testament, but it is brought out clearly in the New Testament in the account of Abel, who was murdered by his brother Cain: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.(Heb 11:4) In the same way Noah was deemed righteous because he believed, trusted, and obeyed God, his obedience being the outcome of his faith: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Gen 6:8) We see here that grace and faith are connected.

But the Holy Spirit uses the example of Abraham as the man who was justified by grace through faith, and to whom God imputed righteousness when he believed God: And, behold, the Word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.And He brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and He [the LORD] counted it to him for righteousness.

Thus the Holy Spirit also inspired Paul to take Abraham’s example and apply it to every believer in Romans 4. While the New Testament speaks of this critical matter in several places, it is in the fourth chapter of the epistle to the Romans that Paul – under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit – explains the meaning of imputed righteousness.

ROMANS 4
JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS WOULD GLORIFY MAN
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD AND WAS DEEMED RIGHTEOUS
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

GRACE IS EXCLUDED WHEN MEN BRING THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS TO GOD
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

WORKS ARE EXCLUDED WHEN GOD JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

CIRCUMCISION DOES NOT GUARANTEE ANYTHING
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

CIRCUMCISION SHOULD ONLY BE A SIGN OF FAITH
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

TORAH OBSERVANCE DOES NOT MAKE ANYONE RIGHTEOUS
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

JUSTIFICATION IS PURELY BY GOD'S GRACE THROUGH FAITH
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS STRONG AND GAVE GLORY TO GOD
19 And 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: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS IMPUTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

EVERY BELIEVER’S FAITH IN CHRIST IS ALSO IMPUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

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Why do so many oppose imputed righteousness?
maybe because many taking His name in vain continue to give vinegar to those who thirst instead of giving Living water?

VictoryinJesus said:

Why do so many oppose imputed righteousness?
maybe because many taking His name in vain continue to give vinegar to those who thirst instead of giving Living water?

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More like new wine which is an acquired taste.

As we study Hebrews 11 we notice in this"faith chapter" that all the heroes of scripture were saved because by faith Noah did something... By faith Moses did something... By faith Enoch did something... By faith they all did stuff... Every one of them
acted on their faith, and they were saved as a result. If Noah had faith but didn't obey, we wouldn't be here. If Abraham had faith but didn't obey, the Messiah wouldn't have come. If Moses had faith but had stayed in Egypt, the Bible wouldn't have been written.
Obedience was a condition of their salvation, and because they believed God... They had faith... And then exercised that faith and were saved.
It is no different for us. They are our examples. We will all be judged... Not according to our faith... But according to our works. Obedience is a condition of salvation. Not a means to salvation, but absolutely a stipulated requisite.
The born again experience is justification by faith. And justification by faith is more than being declared righteous... It is being made righteous. There is no place for sin in God's kingdom. The death of the Son of God forever destroyed any idea that God could tolerate sin and disobedience among His children... What parent raises his child without expectation of obedience?

brakelite said:

As we study Hebrews 11 we notice in this"faith chapter" that all the heroes of scripture were saved because by faith Noah did something... By faith Moses did something... By faith Enoch did something... By faith they all did stuff... Every one of them
acted on their faith, and they were saved as a result. If Noah had faith but didn't obey, we wouldn't be here. If Abraham had faith but didn't obey, the Messiah wouldn't have come. If Moses had faith but had stayed in Egypt, the Bible wouldn't have been written.
Obedience was a condition of their salvation, and because they believed God... They had faith... And then exercised that faith and were saved.
It is no different for us. They are our examples. We will all be judged... Not according to our faith... But according to our works. Obedience is a condition of salvation. Not a means to salvation, but absolutely a stipulated requisite.
The born again experience is justification by faith. And justification by faith is more than being declared righteous... It is being made righteous. There is no place for sin in God's kingdom. The death of the Son of God forever destroyed any idea that God could tolerate sin and disobedience among His children... What parent raises his child without expectation of obedience?

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I like to think of it as a drowning man who sees someone in a boat coming to rescue him. If he has faith in the person in the boat, he'll get in the boat. Could he claim to have faith if he refused to get in the boat? You have to agree with the people trying to rescue you and get in the boat.

I went through the Bible once to see, and you are right. We will be judged by our works. If God by His Grace makes it possible for us to do good, what excuse do we have for not doing them? Why do people stumble at this? Why do they resist it?

justbyfaith said:

More like new wine which is an acquired taste.

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Only considering “imputed righteousness” and the question would be: if one claims imputed righteousness saying Christ has imputed His righteousness...yet all they ever give is gall and vinegar, hatred and cursing ...Has Christ imputed His righteousness? Have they been filled as in “blessed are those who thirst after (His righteousness) for they will be filled?”

2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Psalm 69:21-22 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. [22] Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

While He cried out to the Father to forgive them for they know not what they do...they gave him gall and vinegar to drink for his thirst. He gave them a drink of the Living water of the righteous Spirit of God and they gave Him poison to drink.

Have to consider: “I was hungry and you gave Me no meat. I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink.” “imputed righteousness” His “imputed righteousness” which gives no drink and no meat ...is not imputed anything but empty; deception manifested in the lack of the fruit of His righteousness. No fruit (of the Spirit) of righteousness ...no imputed righteousness. “You will know them by their fruit.”

Isaiah 32:6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. [20] Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. [21] Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Which Christ did. Which Paul did. Which all those “imputed” with His righteousness, filled with it also do.

Philippians 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

1 Corinthians 4:7-21 For who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ? [8] Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. [9] For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. [10] We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. [11] Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; [12] And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: [13] Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. [14] I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. [15] For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. [16] Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. [17] For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. [18] Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. [19] But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. [20] For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. [21] What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

1 Peter 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Imputed His righteousness, imputed “the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. “...in love, and in the spirit of meekness...”

Paul ...was he imputed the righteousness of Christ? Was Paul filled with the righteousness of Christ ...does 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describe not only Christ but also Paul who said “...shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ,”

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, [5] Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; [6] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; [7] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

imputed righteousness without the fruit of righteousness...has not been imputed but is another empty theology.