(Continuing on....)
It is very important to recognize the difference between imputed righteousness and inherent righteousness. This distinction is at the heart of the matter. Inherent righteousness would be:
1. Good things you do for God.
2. Good things that God does in you.
It is not the ground of your justification. God does not justify you on the basis of righteousness that inheres in you. That is, He does not declare you righteous because He has first transformed you into a good person or because you have done good works to earn righteousness before Him
This completely begs the question. Why isn’t the righteousness of Christ
in us the ground for our justification? Why this hard and fast dichotomy between merely “reckoned righteous” externally and having Christ’s righteousness actually
within us?
Romans 4:5 very clearly teaches that we are at the same time justified and sinners: "Now to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness." Notice that it says "God justifies the ungodly." That is, justification respects the ungodly. Therefore, justification cannot be based upon anything inherent in us--because we are ungodly when we are first justified. Also notice that justification is given to the one who does not work for it, but to the one who believes. Therefore, you do not earn justification through good works. Instead, it is given to you simply through faith.
First, Romans 4:5 is in the middle of a long sustained argument in which Paul discusses faith and justification vis-à-vis the Mosaic Law. This can be seen immediately in 3:28 (“a man is justified by faith
apart from the deeds of the Law” ) and following in 4:9-12 where Paul points out that Abraham had faith before being
circumcised (ie apart from the primary marker of the Law/Old Covenant) and that thus “this blessedness” was likewise accounted to him
before his circumcision. The types of works Paul talks of “boasting about” “in the flesh” (4:1,2) seems primarily to be related to the “deeds of the Law”, and this hearkens back to earlier in his argument when describes the Jews as “resting in the Law” and “boasting in God” “being instructed out of the Law” (2:17-19), and when he contrasts circumcision of the flesh and of the heart. It is evident that in the context of Paul’s argument (against the Judaizers yet within the church) that this initial justification Paul describes is at least particularly pertaining to those who in terms of the Law (especially with it’s external signs/observances often used as measuring sticks) are “ungodly”.
Second, it must be kept in mind, as Paul mentions elsewhere (1 Corinthians 6:11 quoted above) that one is regenerated, (initially) sanctified, and (initially) justified
simultaneously, so immediately prior to this event (where all three take place) one is in fact “ungodly”. In other words, when God initially justifies the "ungodly" it is not without also regenerating and sanctifying the "ungodly".
Third, this particular passage doesn’t say anything one way or another about a possible
subsequent justification for one who is already in Christ (unless one begs the question ahead of time). We’ll have to look at James, especially in relation to the life of Abraham, to investigate this. HOWEVER, we do need to note that, earlier still in Romans, Paul had already mentioned that God at His judgment will "
render to each one according to his deeds", including
eternal life to those who patiently continue to
work what is good (Romans 2:5-10). (I notice the article to which I’m responding doesn’t mention this at all.) So our
final justification (being "reckoned righteous") at God’s throne/judgment seat will be in accordance with our actual working what is good.
We also know that this righteousness is imputed to us because of the many verses which say that it is not our own righteousness, but God's (specifically, Christ's) righteousness that justifies us.
Again, it’s not our own righteousness apart from Christ, but righteousness that we actually have
in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Whether one wants to classify this righteousness in Christ as “external” or “internal”, the fact is that actually having Christ’s righteousness reckoned to us is contingent on actually being in Him.
Finally, there are also many verses which say that this righteousness is external to us--thereby indicating that it is not inherent righteousness that saves us, but imputed righteousness. In Luke 19:9-14 Jesus condemns those who "trust in themselves for righteousness." Isaiah 61:10 says "He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness." The beginning of the verses says that for this reason we should "rejoice greatly in the Lord" and exult in Him.
Since this righteousness, then, is God's righteousness and not our own, since it is given to us, and since it is external to us instead of inherent in us, it is clear that it is imputed righteousness that serves as the basis of our being declared righteous.
Again, the righteousness of Christ becomes ours when we are in Christ, and He in us. Whether or not one wants to picture it this more “externally”--being “clothed in Christ” or “clothed in the garments of salvation”--or “internally”, with the Life of the Vine flowing through and within the branches, it’s doesn’t remain merely an alien righteousness. God actually reckons righteous those he makes righteous through union with His Son. Justification (initially) doesn’t occur apart from regeneration. (However, even if one were to focus on the external pictures (ie being “clothed”), this says nothing at all about whether or not one is “once clothed, always clothed”.)
(continued...)
raying: