The Imputed Righteousness of Christ Delusion (Short Version)

The concept that God credits Jesus’ own righteousness to the one who believes in Him is a subtle open door for the dissemination of the ancient lie of the serpent “ye shall not surely die” in giving a false license to transgress God’s authority and partake of what He has forbidden.

When the Bible speaks about imputed righteousness, it is not talking about Jesus’ personal righteousness being credited to someone. Living faith in Christ which actually saves submits to His authority and follows Him in His narrow way to eternal life. The doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ is a lying implication that this narrow way is optional to walk in.

The Biblical basis for imputed righteousness stems from Old Testament men like Abraham and David. Romans chapter four indeed references Abraham and David in teaching about imputed righteousness. When the Bible speaks about God imputing righteousness to someone, it is actually speaking about Christ’s blood atonement being applied to an individual to forgive and cleanse them of their sins. The atonement being applied is not Jesus’ personal righteousness. It was Jesus’ personal righteousness which made Him eligible to die an atoning death for mankind so that atonement through His blood could be offered to the world. That atonement is only applied to individuals who exercise a living faith in Him as righteousness was imputed to Abraham and David when they were presently walking in the Lord’s righteous ways as a guide to their faith so that righteousness reigned in their life, sin was put away, and they were worshiping God in spirit and in truth- as the Bible requires for anyone who would be in God’s grace.

If we could just believe in Him at one moment and have all our future sins forgiven because God allegedly sees Jesus’ record when He looks at us, then we would never even need to seek His forgiveness again (since God would already see Jesus’ righteousness).

James 1:22 says: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

Yet if God imputed Christ’s personal righteousness to people, there would be absolutely no need to be a doer of the Word.

Ephesians 5:5-7: “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”

This warning was written to born-again Christians in an authentic church; and the Christians were specifically told that this warning applies to them. Such a warning would not, and could not, apply to them if God saw Jesus whenever He looked upon them as they sinned.

Jesus is Lord of all. He will never be a sin covering for any enemy to His authority. All who live ungodly are storing up His wrath for themselves with regard to the day of His wrath and revelation of His righteous judgment.