Sin and Righteousness — Imputed and Imparted

SIN AND RIGHTEOUSNESS – IMPUTED AND IMPARTED
Romans 5:18-19

Don Fortner

Many who rejoice in the testimony of Scripture regarding the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us in justification strenuously object to the equally clear teaching of Holy Scripture that the righteousness of Christ is imparted to chosen, redeemed sinners in sanctification (the new birth). They do so because some heretics use the term "imparted righteousness" to teach that God the Holy Spirit imparts a meritorious righteousness to us, mixing grace and works. But we must not allow some heretic to rob us of the joy of precious gospel truth. I do not intend to quit calling Christ "Christ," because the pope calls him "Christ"!

Let me be crystal clear. – The righteousness of Christ that is imparted to God's elect in regeneration [i.e. at effectual call to grace and salvation involving personal justification, regeneration, and adoption] has nothing to do with meriting God's favor in salvation. The righteousness of Christ imparted in the new birth is the righteous nature imparted to (given to and created in) us by God the Holy Spirit in the new birth, by which we have been made "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4). This "divine nature" is "that new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4:24), "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). It is this new, righteous nature that was created in us in regeneration, which is ever in conflict with the old Adamic nature (Rom. 7:14 -25). It is the "seed" of God placed in man, which "cannot sin" (1 John 3:9).

Adam's Sin
All that our father Adam did as our federal head in the garden, we did in him. All that Adam did was imputed to (charged to) us by God. So that we were "made sinners" by that one man's sin. All that Adam became as the result of his fall, we became by natural generation. Every human being, being born of the seed of Adam, is born in sin, a natural born sinner, depraved in all his being. Adam's sin was judicially, legally imputed to us when he sinned in the garden; and his sinful nature was imparted to us in time when we were born of his seed by natural generation.

Christ's Righteousness
In like manner, all that Christ did in his obedience to the will of God, as the Federal Head and Representative of his elect, we did in him. His righteousness was imputed to (charged to) us when he died as our Substitute in the complete accomplishment of our justification (Rom. 4:25 ). As it was that we received Adam's fallen nature by natural generation, in the new birth (regeneration) all who are born of God have Christ's righteous nature as our Mediator imparted to us.

"Made Righteous"
In verse 18 the Holy Spirit tells us, "by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Notice that the words here have reference to that which was done in the past. When Christ was "made sin" and satisfied the justice of God for us by his death upon the cross, we were made "the righteousness of God in him." His righteousness was imputed to us in justification.

Now, look at verse 19. – "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Here when the Spirit of God speaks of the result of Christ's obedience unto death, he tells us that "by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Here he uses the future tense. Those words cannot possibly refer to righteousness being imputed to us in justification. That was done at Calvary . Here the Scriptures assert that all who were "made righteous" in justification (the righteousness of Christ being imputed to them), shall, at the appointed "time of love," be "made righteous" in the new birth by the righteousness of Christ being imparted to them in the new creation of grace.

The righteousness of Christ imputed to us in justification is the basis for and cause of the righteousness of Christ being imparted to us by the Holy Spirit in regeneration.

"Cannot Sin"
It is this new nature that is created in us in the image of Christ, a nature that "cannot sin" (1 John 3:9). It is the old man that sins, not the new. It is written, "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me" (Rom. 7:20 ). The believer is a person with two distinct, separate, warring natures: the old man and the new, the flesh and the spirit. Our sins, everything evil in us and everything evil done by us, are the works of the flesh. Our goodness, (if I may use such language), everything good in us and everything good done by us is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:17 -23).

When God saves a sinner, he does not renovate, repair, and renew the old nature. He creates a new nature in his elect. Our old, Adamic, fallen, sinful nature is not changed. The flesh is subdued by the spirit; but it will never surrender to the spirit. The spirit wars against the flesh; but it will never conquer or improve the flesh. The flesh is sinful. The flesh is cursed. Thank God, the flesh must die! But it will never be improved.

Revelation and Experience
This dual nature of the believer is plainly taught in the Word of God. Carefully study Romans 7, Galatians 5, and 1 John 3. It is utterly impossible to honestly interpret those portions of Holy Scripture without concluding that both Paul and John teach that there is within every believer, so long as he lives in this world, both an old Adamic nature that can do nothing but sin and a new righteous nature, that which is born of God, that "cannot sin," that can only do righteousness.

Every believer knows the duality of his nature by painful, bitterly painful experience. Ask any child of God what he desires above all things and he will quickly reply, "That I may live without sin in perfect conformity to Christ, perfectly obeying the will of God in all things." But that which he most greatly desires is an utter impossibility in this life. Is it not so with you? Though you delight in the law of God after the inward man, there is another law of evil in your members, warring against you. You would do good; but evil is always present with you, so that you cannot do the things that you would. Even your best, noblest, most sincere acts of good, when honestly evaluated, are so marred by sin in motive and in execution, that you must confess, "All my righteousnesses are filthy rags!"

It is this warfare between the flesh and the spirit, more than anything else, that keeps the believer from being satisfied with life in this world. Blessed be God, we shall soon be free! When we have dropped this robe of flesh, we shall be perfectly conformed to the image of him who loved us and gave himself for us!

Imputed Righteousness and Imparted Righteousness
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous"–Rom. 5:19.

Imputed righteousness is an act of God's grace in redemption. Because the Lord Jesus Christ lived in righteousness upon this earth as our Representative and died under the penalty of God's law as our Substitute, the law and justice of God declare that we are righteous. The very righteousness of Christ, his perfect obedience to God as a man, has been imputed to us. That is to say, righteousness has been laid to our account.

In exactly the same manner as our sins were imputed to Christ, his righteousness has been imputed to us. When the holy Lord God made his darling Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, sin for us, he charged him with our sin. The Son of God became responsible to the law of God for the sins of his elect. And the penalty of sin was exacted from him. He died under the wrath of God. Even so, God having imputed the righteousness of Christ to us who believe, we have become responsible for righteousness in the sight of God's law. And we shall receive the just reward of the law for righteousness, eternal life, and everlasting glory.

As our works of sin were made to be our Redeemer's, so his works of righteousness have been made ours. As he received the reward of our sin, we must receive the reward of his righteousness. That is substitution. Our righteousness before God is perfect, unalterable righteousness. It is the righteousness of Christ, our Substitute. Child of God, can you realize this? Your standing, your acceptance with God never varies. God is always well pleased with you in his Son!

Imparted righteousness is an act of God's grace in regeneration. In the new birth God gives his people a new heart, a new will, a new nature created in righteousness and true holiness. Your standing before God is not improved at all by imparted righteousness in the new birth. Imparted righteousness is God giving you a heart, nature, and will of righteousness so that you now love the things you once hated and hate the things you once loved. By this act of divine grace in regeneration the righteous nature of Christ is imparted to God's elect.

We rejoice in the righteousness of Christ imputed in justification and in the righteousness of Christ imparted in regeneration. Both are precious boons of God's free grace in salvation; and both are necessary. They should be maintained and fully preached side by side. The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed. The righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven, the second is our fitness for heaven.

"Imparted Righteousness"
"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."–2 Pet. 1:3-4

Just as the fallen, unrighteous nature of Adam was imparted to all men by natural birth, the holy, righteous nature of Christ is imparted to all God's elect in the new birth. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us for justification. And the righteousness of Christ is imparted to us in regeneration, by the irresistible power and effectual grace of God the Holy Spirit (1 Pet. 3:10 -12; 1 John 3:7-9).

I Am Not Saying
I am not saying that the believer is without sin! He is not. Sin is what we are by nature. Sin is mixed with all we do. Sin mars our best thoughts, blackens our best deeds, corrupts our best words, and defiles our noblest aspirations.

I am not saying that the old nature is changed in regeneration; it is not. Flesh is always flesh. It never improves. It never becomes spirit. It only corrupts, rots and, thank God, in time dies.

I am not saying that the believer's works can ever be accepted before God upon their own merit! They are not. We offer up our prayers and sacrifices to God, which are accepted by him, only upon the merits of Christ's righteousness and blood atonement (1 Pet. 2:5).

I Am Saying
But I am saying that the person who is born of God is a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17 ). He has a new nature, which is Christ in him the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). All who are born of God walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16 -23). We love the law and truth of God. We love holiness. But, oh, the evil of our hearts!

There is a constant warfare within! (See Rom. 7:14-25). All who are born of God mind the things of God ( Rom. 8:5). This is imparted righteousness. Believers love Christ and one another. They identify themselves with Christ, his gospel, and his church. Believers are men and women of honesty and integrity. They live honestly, pay their bills, and speak the truth. Believers hate their sin and long to be free of it. They are generous, kind, and merciful. In a word, all who are born of God are committed to Christ, sold out to him. And they will continue in the faith, clinging to Christ alone unto the end.

Those who do not have this imparted righteousness are no more born of God than those who do not have Christ's imputed righteousness are justified before God.