The Gift of Righteousness !

Rom 5:17

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

This Gift of Righteousness, one thing it is, its that imputed righteousness freely given without works Rom 4:6

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

Which is comprised of Christ's Perfect obedience to Gods Law, in every thought, word and deed ! Thats why its declared, by the obedience of One [Jesus Christ] shall many be made Righteous [as by free gift] Rom 5:19

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The word righteous dikaios means:

1. righteous, observing divine laws
   
   1. in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God
      
      
      1. innocent, faultless, guiltless
      2. used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore needs no rectification in the heart or life
         1. only Christ truly
      3. approved of or acceptable of God
         
         Isnt that a Unspeakable Gift ? For God, for Christ's Sake, to view many wretched sinners as such ?

 

This Gift Righteousness freely imputed to Gods Elect for Christ's sake is the basis for their Justification before God. The word for righteousness in Rom 5:17 is the greek word dikaiosynē and means:

in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be, righteousness (German Rechtbeschaffenheit); the condition acceptable to God (German Gottwohlgefalligkeit);

dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay; from G1342; equity (of character or act); specially (Christian) justification:—righteousness.

Also its the basis for Spiritual life, because righteousness brings life Prov 12:28

In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

Rom 8:10

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

The Spirit gives the Elect Life because of Righteousness imputed. Christ by His Spirit comes to indwell each one that Has His Surety Obedience and Righteousness imputed to them !

Rom 5:21

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Eternal Life necessitates Spiritual Life !

 

The free gift of Justification!


Does the scripture teach that Justification is a free gift? Yes it most certainly does, right here Rom 5:16


16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

The free gift is unto Justification, meaning it results in or effects Justification. That's what makes it a Gift! No its not a offer as false teaching tells us.

 

Righteousness without works !

Rom 4:6

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works !

God credits some men Righteousness apart from their works. Now what is works ? The word works here in the greek is the word ergon and means:

work, task, employment; a deed, action; that which is wrought or made, a work.

any product whatever, anything accomplished by hand, art, industry, mind

an act, deed, thing done

a work or worker who accomplishes something. 2041 /érgon ("work") is a deed (action) that carries out (completes) an inner desire (intension, purpose).

Even our english definition of the word work is defined as:

activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something:

A work is any operation coming from us as a qualification within us.

a condition or standard that must be complied with (as for the attainment of a privilege)

Work is to be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result !

Now most people believe that God imputes Righteousness as a result of one believing ! Now believing is with the mind/heart, its no less a mental activity we do, so its a work by all definition. Some have made it that qualification within themselves that causes God to impute righteousness unto them. If however that was so, Rom 4:6 is invalid, because since then it would mean that God imputeth righteousness because of works instead of apart from our works !

 

Righteousness of Faith

Rom 4:13

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. see Rom 9:30; 10:6;

This righteousness is not ones Faith contrary to the teachings of man, but its righteousness imputed as the result of Christ's obedience/faithfulness for us to the preceptive law of God and punitive Justice of God for us, if we are of the Elect. Then this righteousness which we have as a free gift to us, is revealed to Spirit given Faith, hence the Righteousness of Faith. If we believe that the righteousness of faith is our own faith or act of believing, we have been deceived!17

 

Rom 5:17

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ)

Its that Righteousness of God Paul speaks of here Rom 1:17

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Rom 10:3

For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

2 Cor 5:21

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

And its that Righteousness His Holiness requires from His Moral Creatures. This Righteousness allows for no impure thoughts or imaginations, nor corrupt desires; neither does it permit the slightest evil tendencies, for it demands absolute purity of heart.

It will also yield perfect unspotted obedience to Gods Law, doing nothing which God prohibits, and doing all what He commands, it must be a sinless obedience !

Well all for whom Christ represented as their Surety, Gods Elect from every tribe, nation and tongue, they have been given as a Free Gift of imputation, this Righteousness of God, performed by their Surety in their names. By this Gift of Righteousness God sees His elect as having lived in perfect obedience to His Law, with all the Holiness and Purity of heart that the Law of God requires !

 

Rom 5:16-17

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

This Free Gift of Righteousness/Justification is by Imputation, the Gift of it is received by Imputation meaning, God imputes it or charges it to their account, based upon the sole obedience of Christ in their behalf and stead. Its like a person who goes to bed knowing and feeling he owes a huge debt, but in the morning, when he checks the amount of the debt because it grows interest each day it goes unpaid, then he discovers the debt has been paid if full, his debt is now canceled. That is a Gift. It wasnt an offer, but a finished transaction accounted to his debt account, but now to his delight and relief he discovers the debt is paid !

Now this Gift of Righteousness before God is even theirs, charged to their account, even when they themselves are enemies and unbelievers, hence because of it, they have been reconciled to God Rom 5:10, so again thats how and why its a free gift, its not a Gift of Grace unless its theirs by Divine Imputation while they are Ungodly, hence we read Rom 4:5

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Because the Gift aspect is the fact that they have been declared Righteous in their Surety, the Lord Jesus Christ, and not in themselves, and that is it !

 

Rom 5:18
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

The Judgment and Condemnation that came upon all men whom Christ died for, it came upon Him, it passed upon Him, and in turn Justification of life comes upon them, is passed upon them.