The Imputation of Sin and Righteousness

[Diaconeo]

In following and participating in the discussion of "Were you created for eternal punishment" I noted that this is not the true question. In dealing with eternal punishment, it is not that we are created for eternal punishment, but that we will, as a result of our imputed sin, inherited from Adam, that we will share in the Lake of Fire punishment that was created for the Devil and his angels (what we would call demons). I also mentioned that the only way to avoid this is to have Christ's Righteousness imputed to us. This posting then is for discussion of these two topics.

Realizing that not everyone on this board believes the same way (indeed, I believe I saw a Muslim herein) the topic of Imputed sin and Imputed righteousness may find a very wide range of understanding and disagreement. It is my wish that the discussion of such be met with friendly debate rather than resorting to name calling and title labeling. Understanding that there are two very differing views among Christians on the doctrine of Imputation, there will be even greater disagreement across religious lines.

I'm sure we have all heard the verse from Romans 3:23 that says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Paul makes a very simple statement, simply and yet profound. All have sinned. Everyone in the entire history of the world (regardless of how old one may think the world is) has sinned, with the exception of one man, Jesus. Paul's statement does not assume that someone can possibly live a life free of sin, in fact is assumes the opposite, that one cannot live a life free from sin. David says in Psalm 51:5, "Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, in sin my mother conceived me." He does not mean that his mother had an adulterous affair and he was the offspring of such an union. What David is saying is that he was born with a sin nature.

David recognized that fact that he was a sinful man. He was not sinful because he had committed a sin, rather he committed sin because of his sinful nature. This sinful nature is inherited from his father, who inherited it from his father and so forth all the way back to Adam. In Romans 5, Paul attributes this sin nature with Adam's sin. Paul says in Rom. 5:12-13 "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through on man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." Further more, Paul states that one man's "trespass led to the condemnation of all man," (Rom. 5:18) and that, "by one man's disobedience the many were made sinners." (Rom. 5:19) So we see that it is not our personal sin that condemns us, rather that we all have inherited condemnation through Adam, and all men (and women) born after and through him have inherited his condemnation, because all are born with and in sin. We call this the sin nature, or perhaps more rightly, it's a nature of condemnation. Because of this condemnation, we all are born with the judgment of God against us and as such are destined for the Lake of Fire. This inherited sin nature is our imputed sin or wickedness.

Some may argue that this sin nature only gives us the propensity to sin, and does not mean that we will sin. They would argue that it is possible to live a sin free life, just as Christ did. But Paul make it very clear that it is not personal sin that condemns us anyway, but Adam's sin that we have inherited. Personal sin just adds to the evidence against us. So then, even if one is able to commit no personal sin, he would still be condemned because of Adam's sin. Does someone yell, 'No fair!'? What is not fair about it? Wasn't Adam created without sin? Yes! Did Adam choose to disobey God and fall from that state in which he was created? Yes, he did. What happened then to that original nature, it died with Adam on the day he sinned. From that point on, Adam was sinful and needed forgiveness. He needed to be made righteous in God's eyes. Even if he never sinned again in hi life, Adam had to make up for that sin of rebellion against God's restriction, Don't eat that tree's fruit. Adam was not a fallen creation, with a sin nature. He can only procreate that which his nature allows, a sinful one. There is no way for a sinful man to procreate a non-sinful man. So what if Jesus, how was he able to be sinless? That answer lies in the fact that he was not the progeny of Joseph, but rather of God. His only human parent was Mary, God was his father and he was protected from inheriting a sin nature because he was not the offspring of any Man, and due to the fact that he was protected by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the only man not born with a sin nature.

The other side of imputed sin through Adam's disobedience is imputed righteousness though Jesus' obedience. Paul says, "For as by one mans' disobedience [Adam's] the namy were made sinners, so by the on man's obedience [Jesus'] the many will be made righteous." (Rom. 5:19) The imputation of righteousness leading to justification, however, is not inherited like Adam's sin leading to condemnation. Rather this imputed righteousness is given through grace by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul tells us, 'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:23) While this free gift is offered to all mankind, it must be received. It is received by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. (We'll leave the topic of Old Testament saints' faith for separate topic) Paul tells us, "For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man boast." (Eph. 2:8-9) Imputed righteousness lies in the understanding of Grace and Faith. Paul argues that if this free gift of salvation, justification and righteousness is give to everyone, then it is not a gift of grace. Instead he says, it's a matter of something that's owed us; that God is obligate to give us salvation. (Rom. 4:1-5)

It would follow that if the obedience of Jesus leads to salvation and justification resulting in eternal life, that the disobedience of Adam with brought about the condemnation of all mankind leads to eternal punishment. Anything less would be an imbalance of justice. Understanding that many do not believe that God is unfair, that He wouldn't suffer anyone to be punished forever in torment, we also have to understand that God is an infinitely Just and Holy God. Adam sinned against an infinitely Holy God, resulting in an infinite punishment, death. Our understanding of infinity is finite, because we live withing the constrains of Space and Time, but God exists outside of Time for He Created both time and space. Is there even any conscious knowledge of the passage of time after death? I do know that the bible very clearly teaches that the wicked will be punished forever, that there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. That sounds to me like torment. Even if there is not actual fire, if the fire and brimstone are metaphoric to describe the awful torment one will feel being separated from God for all eternity, is that separation torment enough? Even if the fire and brimstone is metaphoric, the length of eternity is not. If out life in Christ is eternal, without end, why would the punishment not also be literally eternal? Or does eternity only mean eternal when it's spent in God's glory, and only means a long time and then nothing when referring to the punishment of the wicked? If eternity means one thing for the wicked, it must mean the same thing for the righteous, and vice-versa. God is eternal, He has no beginning or end, it is not that He has been around for a very long time and will be for a long time. No, He will be forever, and He has been forever, the is not beginning or end, the true definition of eternal. Man is finite in that he has a beginning, but he also has a spirit that is eternal, having a beginning but no end. Just as the righteous will live eternally with God, so the wicked will live eternally without God: their immortal eternal spirit will be tormented forever apart from the Glory of God. The only escape from this is Christ's imputed righteousness.

[sgttomas]

Reminds me of my time as a Lutheran

How do you prevent the issue of "faith in Christ" from becoming an addition to the law? For instance, if one is required to believe in x, y, z in order to have "genuine" faith in Christ in order to be made righteous, then this is clearly a "work". Luther's way out is to attribute faith as a "work of Grace", God's work, His Grace, so that nothing law-like can be found in the Gospel message. Regardless, the question of who doesn't receive God's Grace is given plenty of attention also. So we could find the liars, cheats, fornicators, etc. all lacking in righteousness. Given that we are all prone to sin, and that there is nothing we can do to attain God's Grace (I know I know, it isn't a given in all theologies, I'm just feeling yours out!) by our own merits, then why are some saved and others not? The only seeming answer is predestined salvation and predestined punishment. Again, a subject that Luther ran into. His resolution was to say that BOTH are true and the resolution is a mystery (meaning for him there is no clear answer in scripture except for what is already given).

The reason I ask is that I always look to prove the rule by the exceptions. ...just how I do things

Paul does address this to some degree. Particularly when he describes how a Christian will keep on sinning, we see more clearly what Paul means by faith. It appears at these times to mean literal knowledge and assent to the facts of the events of the crucifixion, death and resurrection, and the attendant consequences in terms of salvation. The lack of this condition is described as disbelief. This reopens the question of "true faith" and "works salvation". At other times, Paul seems more....suggestive of faith, rather than prescriptive (for instance, when he describes faith in terms of the attributes of faith, hope, peace, love, gentleness, patience and....self control? <--- did I good on some of those?!?!?

Now, there have been all shades of grey painted in between these dark lines. ....what does your picture resemble?!

Heh, fair warning: this is the issue that made me decide to leave Christianity. Doing my best not to ask loaded questions, or at least to be clear how I've loaded them!

Peace,
-sgttomas

[Gwarlroge]

Reminds me of my time as a Lutheran

How do you prevent the issue of "faith in Christ" from becoming an addition to the law? For instance, if one is required to believe in x, y, z in order to have "genuine" faith in Christ in order to be made righteous, then this is clearly a "work". Luther's way out is to attribute faith as a "work of Grace", God's work, His Grace, so that nothing law-like can be found in the Gospel message. Regardless, the question of who doesn't receive God's Grace is given plenty of attention also. So we could find the liars, cheats, fornicators, etc. all lacking in righteousness. Given that we are all prone to sin, and that there is nothing we can do to attain God's Grace (I know I know, it isn't a given in all theologies, I'm just feeling yours out!) by our own merits, then why are some saved and others not? The only seeming answer is predestined salvation and predestined punishment. Again, a subject that Luther ran into. His resolution was to say that BOTH are true and the resolution is a mystery (meaning for him there is no clear answer in scripture except for what is already given).

Paul does address this to some degree. Particularly when he describes how a Christian will keep on sinning, we see more clearly what Paul means by faith. It appears at these times to mean literal knowledge and assent to the facts of the events of the crucifixion, death and resurrection, and the attendant consequences in terms of salvation. The lack of this condition is described as disbelief. This reopens the question of "true faith" and "works salvation". At other times, Paul seems more....suggestive of faith, rather than prescriptive (for instance, when he describes faith in terms of the attributes of faith, hope, peace, love, gentleness, patience and....self control? <--- did I good on some of those?!?!?

Well, I would agree with you that faith is an attribute of faith.

Now, there have been all shades of grey painted in between these dark lines. ....what does your picture resemble?!

Heh, fair warning: this is the issue that made me decide to leave Christianity. Doing my best not to ask loaded questions, or at least to be clear how I've loaded them!

Peace,
-sgttomas

What made you leave Christianity? I'm confuddlejazzombobbled again.

[Diaconeo]

I'm not sure what you're asking, so I'll try and answer as best I can. It seems to me that you are wondering if faith in Christ is a work, and if it is, how does one keep from adding it to works righteousness, or the Law. I'm not sure how one comes to this question given the it's goes against all that Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, John (well you get the idea) taught. There is now work of righteousness that one can do to attain salvation. Is faith a work, is this how you see it? I would have to say that faith is not a work, though faith in Christ, if it is genuine will lead to works. But these works are not works of our own in an attempt to secure anything, nor are they an attempt to preserve our salvation. Rather these works that true faith produces have been ordained from the foundation of the world (Eph. 2:9-10) As far as works righteousness goes, there is only one work that man can do to be doing the works of God, believing on His Son whom He sent (Jn. 6:29). Anything else is vain.

Remember, the gift of salvation is a free gift. Christ's righteousness is imputed to us without reference to merit. If it was given to us as a result of works we did, then it's not by grace that we receive salvation, nor is it free. But Paul tells us it is a free gift, so there is no reference to merit. Indeed, there is no one in the world that does merit God's free gift of salvation, for all have sinned. Faith is apart from the Law. Abraham was saved by faith, but that faith wasn't proven in any work until years when he was asked by God to offer his only son Isaac up for an offering to Him. Abraham's faith was proven in the act of obedience to God's will, trusting that God somehow would still fulfill the promise He made to Abraham through Isaac. His response was, "God will provide." Simple faith, proven through his work of faith. His faith was not secured, however, because of his work, it only proved his faith. Thus it can be said, and is, that "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness" years before his work proved that faith.

True Christianity is the only 'religion' that offers this claim of imputed righteousness outside of works. Even Catholicism cannot claim this because they add several works of righteousness to faith (namely the Sacraments). Islam relies heavily on works of righteousness in it's practice, and then leaves it up to chance with the hope that you did enough good to make it into Paradise. Most of the Eastern religions rely solely on the hope that you've done enough 'good' things to warrant entrance into some kind of blissful afterlife. They are all based on works righteousness, and one hopes that he is 'good enough' to get in. Christianity, in it's truest, purest form relies only on the work of Christ and faith in that work. There is no 'I must be good enough to get in' mentality to salvation, because you can't be good enough to get into Heaven. There is no exception, one must come to the Father through the Son, and that is only by Grace through Faith.

Knowledge and assent of the fact of the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection is not enough. One would think that acknowledging the fact of the resurrection would surely be included in salvation, but not really. Simple acknowledgment of the fact of the matter does not equal faith. True faith involves confession and repentance. Confession is the translation of the Greek work which means 'to say the same.' If we are truly confessing Christ and our sin, then we are saying the same thing about our sin and Christ that God is saying about him. We are saying that we have sinned, we have transgressed His law, we have rebelled against Him. We are saying that Jesus is the Son of God, that he was without sin, that his death paid the price of my sin, that he was buried, and rose on the third day all according to Scripture. We are saying that Jesus is the only way to salvation, and thus to the Father and Heaven/Paradise. Repentance means the the absolute 180 degree turn away from sin and our old life, that we turn from the wicked, unrighteous, rebellion and disobedience. that we turn instead to God, that we will walk in His ways and follow His will and not our own, that we will live as slaves of righteousness and not slaves to unrighteousness. Repentance may include sorrow, once we understand the fullness of that Grace that is shown to us because it should grieve us that we've sinned against God and owe a debt we cannot pay. Faith requires so much more than simple knowledge of the fact. Even the demons believe in God and they tremble. True faith, true confession and repentance will make us want to do good works, works that have already been ordained for us to walk it. Works then being the fruit of our faith, and not the basis of it.

The topic of predestined wrath or salvation is outside the scope of this discussion. Let it be sufficient to say that unless God chose us, we would not be save. Rejection of God is always the basis of wrath, and man will always reject God apart from grace. We'll leave the furthering discussion of that topic for another thread.

All are born into sin, with a sin nature that only produces more sin. It's inherited from Adam and is the basis of condemnation apart from personal sin. Personal sin only confirms the sin nature. Christ's imputed Righteousness is the only answer to Adam's imputed condemnation.

[Gwarlroge]

bump for Tom!