Imputation of Christ’s righteousness is not a reward for faith. Faith is not added as a second and independent ingredient which makes its own contribution to justification before God. On the contrary, faith, operating through grace, accepts and comes to rest in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, faith is not a human act that compliments God’s act of justification. The expressions “of” and “through” faith direct us to the objectivity of God’s grace in Christ. Furthermore, faith is never represented as a work of either mediacy (the state of being mediate—occupying a position between God and one’s justification) or of merit.

Faith is not counted as righteousness (positionally) before God, but it is accounted “for” (eis, with a view to) the embracing of Christ’s righteousness. Instead of faith itself being the righteousness which justifies positionally before God, positional righteousness is revealed to and received by faith which is a righteous act of one already positionally accepted by God.

Faith cannot be substituted for righteousness. Some have interpreted Romans 4:3, 5, 9, and 22-24 as “credited as righteousness,” as is done in the NASB. As we stated, “faith” cannot be substituted for righteousness, but “credited as righteousness” is also unacceptable. Dr. McBeth, on page 132 in his book on Romans, said, “Abraham’s name was entered on God’s Book of Life because of his faith, that is, righteousness was credited to Abraham’s account on the ground of faith.”

Some say God counts as righteousness what Abraham appropriated by faith, namely, the righteousness of Christ. Was it Abraham’s faith or his life of faith that was counted to him “for” (eis) righteousness? Abraham’s faith proved that he was righteous before God. If faith is accepted as righteousness before God, what about baptism being accepted for (eis) the remission of sins?

Faith is given for a life of right living, but it is never given as a ground of justification before God. God, faith, and works all declare the elect to be righteous, but the declarations are before different persons and for different reasons. (1) Before God, they are on the basis of imputed righteousness. (2) Before the consciousness of the believer, they are on the basis of imputed and imparted righteousness. (3) Before men, righteousness is imparted for testimony (Rom. 5; James 2).

Justification is not God’s reward for the human performance of faith (Rom. 4:3, 5, 9, 11, 22). The fourth chapter of Romans must be viewed in the light of Paul’s theology. Faith is not a preliminary stipulation for justification; it is man’s experience of it. The idea of achievement must not be smuggled into Paul’s writing. Righteousness credited to Abraham is in harmony with justification based on imputed righteousness—grace alone. Just as Jesus Christ was condemned for the sins of the elect, the elect are justified before God because of Christ’s righteousness.

There can be no faith righteousness antecedent to either imputed or imparted righteousness. The latter are the cause of the former. Hence, faith righteousness can make no contribution to the righteousness of God that justifies. Furthermore, faith righteousness can do nothing subsequent to imparted or imputed righteousness to assist in the justification of the sinner, because the justified sinner can do nothing to help obtain what he already has. One cannot lose what he has, but he can lose only what he thought he had. That is why Paul said, “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 5:20, 21). To make the point more vivid, let us say faith directs one to Christ; but that does not mean that faith is Christ. Let us consider some established Biblical facts—

1. God’s justification of the elect is on the basis of imputed righteousness. This is before Divine justice. God’s declaration of righteousness on the ground of imputed righteousness must not be confused with imparted righteousness. God elected some to salvation, and salvation includes everything from election to glorification. Justification, like election, is before faith unto faith. Abraham had been justified before God prior to Paul’s reference to his faith in Romans 4.

2. Justification by faith is on the foundation of imparted righteousness. This is before the consciousness of the justified by God. Therefore, Abraham had been justified before God prior to his justification by faith.

3. Justification by works is on the basis of imparted righteousness. This is before men. James said, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:21-24).

God’s justification before Divine justice, on the basis of imputed righteousness, does not make the chosen sinners righteous. Thus, God could declare Abraham justified when the patriarch was ungodly in himself. Faith’s justification of regenerated sinners, on the basis of imparted righteousness, does not cleanse them from the guilt and condemnation of sin. It is a declaration to their consciences of being forgiven by imputed and imparted righteousness. Work’s justification, on the ground of imparted righteousness, does not give man a standing before God; but it does justify believers before men.

In Romans 5, Paul deals with the effects of justification. Paul’s “therefore” in verse 1 is the conclusion of his argument. Faith rests in an accomplished justification as far as purpose and purchase are concerned. This chapter opens the door from our past into our present realm of grace and our glorious future with Christ in the kingdom.

As to the past, faith rests in the decree of election (Eph. 1:4); and the manifestation of it is by choosing certain individuals out of the world in time (I Pet. 1:2; John 15:19). There is the eternal purpose of justification (Rom. 8:30, 33), and justification that takes place in time by faith, which is the fruit of regeneration.

Justification is a real act of God that declares the elected sinner legally righteous by the imputed righteousness of Christ; although before regeneration, the sinner stood before himself and others as guilty and condemned. Do not make the mistake of trying to bring God into time or taking time into eternity. God’s justification in the past was instantaneous, complete, and final. Toplady said, “Payment God cannot twice demand, first at my bleeding Surety’s hand, and then at mine.”

As to the present, faith has access into the realm of grace. God’s acts of justification introduce the elect of God into a standing that is perfect, but whose state is imperfect. Believers are not completely transformed in character when justified by faith before their consciousness. Therefore, we are not declared righteous on the basis of what we are in ourselves, but because of what we are in Christ. “Believers in Christ” is the formula for justification, and the principle for sanctification is “Christ in believers.” Though manuscripts differ, the internal evidence favors the indicative mood in Romans 5:1, “we have (echomen—the perfect active indicative of echo, meaning “to have”) peace,” over the subjunctive mood, “let us have peace.” Peace is the fruit of justification. The charismatics are perfectly at home with the subjunctive mood. You must be told something else about religionists. Access means introduction into a standing (position) of free favor with God. Christ is the “Introducer”; the believer is the “introduced”; and grace is the realm of “introduction.” Access is more than a permanent audience with our God; it denotes priestly entrance into the holy of holies. Furthermore, the perfect tense is even greater than the good things about which we have been speaking. Question: What makes God’s grace so wonderful? Our standing is not propped up by external influences. Internal grace teaches us that, like the woman with child, there is life within. Like no other language, Greek gives increased assurance by multiplying the perfect tense. Standing implies previous dishonor, complete satisfaction, and perfect restoration. Standing denotes a position in which we remain to dwell among all its privileges.

As to the future, believers have hope. In Ephesians 1:16-19, Paul prayed that the enlightened Ephesians might know three things: (1) What is the hope of God’s calling? (2) What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints? (3) What is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe? Hope is given to those without hope. This has a sanctifying effect (I John 3:2, 3). Our inheritance is revealed (Rom. 8; Job 19:23-29).

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.

Copyright ã   2005

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