Today’s Speaker: Brother Mark Pannell will conduct the 11:00 am service today. Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.
Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast on WFXL Fox 31, Channel 4. The program will air every Sunday morning at 11 AM.
Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 9:30am on 98.7 FM –WISK. To hear sermons click here
Web Sites: Visit our newly designed web site at: www.rofgrace.com
The Doctrine of Imputed Righteousness Without Works
To inquire what is meant by the imputation of this righteousness; which is the way in which it becomes ours and indeed is the only way in which it can become ours. The Hebrew word כשח in Genesis 15:6 and the Greek word logizwmai used by the apostle here, signifies to estimate, reckon, impute, or place something to the account of another. So the righteousness of Christ is estimated, reckoned, and imputed to be his people's, and is placed to their account as such by God the Father, and looked upon as much by him as their justifying righteousness or as though it had been wrought by them, in their own persons. That this righteousness becomes ours this way, is manifest. For in the same way that Adam's sin became ours, the same way the righteousness of Christ becomes ours; or the same way we are made sinners by the disobedience of Adam, are we made righteous by the obedience of Christ (Rom. 5:19). For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. So by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous. Now Adam's sin became ours, or we were made sinners, through his sin; by imputation, it was reckoned, it was placed to the account of all his posterity. So Christ's righteousness becomes ours, or we are made righteous, through that righteousness of his; by the imputation of it to us, it is reckoned, it is placed to our account. Again, the same way our sins became Christ's, Christ's righteousness becomes ours, as appears from (1 Corinthians 5:21). He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Now the way in which Christ was made sin for us, was by imputation; he never had any sin inherent in him, though he had it transferred unto him and laid upon him. So the way in which we are made the righteousness of God, must be by the imputation of Christ's righteousness, and indeed we cannot be made righteous any other way, than by imputation. For the objects of justification are ungodly persons in themselves; for God justifies the ungodly, as in the verse preceding my text. Now if they are ungodly in themselves, then they are not justified by a righteousness of their own, it must be by the righteousness of another. And if they are justified by the righteousness of another, that other's righteousness must be some way or other made theirs, it must be placed to their account, and reckoned as their own, which is only done by an imputation of it to them.
John Gill – 1697-1771
"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" (Jeremiah 5:31)
We live in a day much like that of the prophet Jeremiah’s day – preachers and politicians tell lies, and the leaders in religion join with and assist them in these lies. What is really sad is that the vast majority of people "love to have it so." People complain about lying politicians, but if one comes along and simply speaks the truth, he would not be elected. I know it is not deemed politically correct in our modern society to say this, but truth is truth. For example, consider what is so great about our Gospel, true Christianity, that lifts it far above other religions? IT IS THE REVELATION OF GOD’S GRACE IN THE GLORIOUS PERSON AND FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST. Other religions have one or more great prophets who claim to speak for their god(s). True Christianity has Christ who is none other than God with us – the God-Man in whom dwells all the fullness of the godhead bodily. Other religions try to point sinners to the way, and they are all, in some way and to some degree, ways of salvation by the works of men. True Christianity presents the Lord Jesus Christ as THE way – the one and only way of salvation by His obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. Other religions seek various ways to make men righteous before God by their works. True Christianity commands sinners to submit to Christ and His righteousness imputed as the only way of justification before God. Other religions approach men as inherently good and seek to fan the supposed spark of goodness within them to inspire obedience. True Christianity approaches men as dead in trespasses and sins and in need of a new birth by the Holy Spirit of God. Other religions seek to motivate men to obedience by threats of punishment and promises of mercenary reward. True Christianity seeks to motivate sinners by grace, love, and gratitude to God for salvation freely given in and by the Lord Jesus Christ. These things make true Christianity far superior to the world’s religions.
Older
Top
