Equally Righteous

[Berean]

I had an interesting conversation or discussion with a friend today (fellow Believer) about the doctrine of imputation and made the statement that since Christ Righteous is imputed into all persons on their conversion that we are equally righteous and as righteous as we will ever be. At first he challenged me but after convincing him he was confusing works with righteous he reluctantly
agreed. I would be interested in some of your comments

 

[TCGreek]

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21, TNIV).

The apostle Paul says it all.

 

[StefanM]

In a judicial sense, we are all equally righteous.

In a sanctifying sense, we are not.

 

[LeBuick]

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21, TNIV).

The apostle Paul says it all.

I think Jesus gave us insight to this phenomena here...

Lk 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

So I believe as the OP that we are fully righteous upon faith.

Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

 

[Marcia]

We are declared righteous in God's sight when we are saved. But we are not actually righteous. We are made righteous over time through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Like what StefanM said.

 

[LeBuick]

In a judicial sense, we are all equally righteous.

In a sanctifying sense, we are not.

You sure about that?

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

[LeBuick]

We are declared righteous in God's sight when we are saved. But we are not actually righteous. We are made righteous over time through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Like what StefanM said.

Obviously disagree, we are made righteous by faith and not by doing good or growing in Christ. (Lest any man shall boast...)

It is not your righteousness, it is Christ righteousness imputed to you. His righteous is fully righteous from the start... If what you say is true, the dying thief would not had time to become righteous. However, he went to paradise not because of his righteousness but because of the righteousness of Christ.

 

[Tom Butler]

There is a sanctifying work of God in every believer, but it'll never be good enough to get us into heaven.

We must be very careful not to adopt Charles Finney's heresy that Christ did not and could not impute his righteousness on anyone. He held that the grounds for our justification is obedience, through which we acquire righteousness of our own.

So be care of any language we use such as "we become righteous."

If our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, it is because God sees Jesus' righteousness--not our own. Just anybody's blood would not be good enough. It had to be the blood of the righteous one.

If God "declares us righteous," is it only because he sees the Son as righteous, and we are drawing on his account.

 

[LeBuick]

If our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, it is because God sees Jesus' righteousness--not our own. Just anybody's blood would not be good enough. It had to be the blood of the righteous one..

My Dad told a story once that I'll never forget...


He said a friend invited him to preach and when they got to the Church is was pouring down rain. My Dad had no over coat so his friend let him use his and dropped him off at the door then went to park the car.

When he got inside a Deacon said you must be our guest preacher, I don't know you but I recognize that coat. That is our Pastors coat...

It is not our righteousness that will be recognized by the father, it is the righteousness of his Son...

 

[TCGreek]

We are declared righteous in God's sight when we are saved. But we are not actually righteous. We are made righteous over time through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. Like what StefanM said.

Yes, imputed righteousness at the moment of justification, but the working out of that righteousness in our sanctification.

I quite agree!

 

[Marcia]

Obviously disagree, we are made righteous by faith and not by doing good or growing in Christ. (Lest any man shall boast...)

It is not your righteousness, it is Christ righteousness imputed to you. His righteous is fully righteous from the start... If what you say is true, the dying thief would not had time to become righteous. However, he went to paradise not because of his righteousness but because of the righteousness of Christ.

You are misunderstanding me. I never said it is our righteousness. We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says we are being conformed to the image of the Son.

 

[TCGreek]

I think Jesus gave us insight to this phenomena here...

Lk 6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

So I believe as the OP that we are fully righteous upon faith.

Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Yes, but the challenge becomes working it out in our own lives.