Imputed Righteousness (part 1)

 

Part 1  Imputed Righteousness

There are many in the Christian faith today who believe they are covered in the imputed righteousness of Jesus and that somehow God no longer sees them when they sin. All the meanwhile God sees them exactly as they are. Nothing is hid from His Omniscient eye but all things are exposed to Him.  Many call themselves Christian who believe they are right with God while they choose to continue in their sin. Read that carefully. I said they CHOOSE TO REMAIN in sin. They will use excuses to comfort themselves by saying things like, "I am righteous before God in my position with Christ even though I am unrighteous in my practice." Or in modern terms you could say, "I am allowed to continue in my adulterous affair, I am allowed to continue in my homosexual affair, I am allowed to continue getting drunk with my friends on weekends, or I am allowed to continue prostituting my body for extra cash because God has forgiven all my sins so I can live as I am." No, no, and no! The apostle John refuted this whole idea when he said this, "Little children, let no man deceive you. He that does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous 1John 3:7. (operative word, does). He that DOES ethical conduct. 

Be patient with me. This will become more clear as you move along.

So the idea that you can be righteous in your position in Christ while you purposely remain unrighteous in your practice according to the Apostle John is a deception. Jesus did not sacrifice His own life so that believers could just CONTINUE TO PRACTICE UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (sin). Jesus died so that we could practice righteousness. As the apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 8:3, "God sending His own Son, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit." So Jesus Christ came that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." He came and through His Spirit within us HAS GIVEN US THE SAME POWER Jesus had to avoid, walk away from, and overcome sinning when we walk in the Spirit. Revelation 3:21, "To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. We can overcome the desire to commit and continue in any particular sin through the Holy Spirit if we are truly born again and have truly yielded our lives to the Lord.

Long ago backsliders in Israel were saying this according to Ezekiel 8:12, "The Lord sees us not." And backsliders in the Church today are saying the exact same thing. I have heard people say, "When God looks at me, He doesn't see me. He doesn't see my sin, He sees the righteousness of Christ instead. What I am doing (inferring a continuation) is covered and forgiven." This type of talk/belief ought to be shocking to hear coming from any follower of Christ, and yet, its common place in the Church. Have you heard this said before? Are you one that believes that way of thinking also? This is theological nonsense, which is blatant denial of Gods Omniscience, and is refuted all throughout the Bible. Did Jesus die for your sins and excuse them when you accepted Him as Lord of your Savior? Yes. Does Jesus forgive me after I'm saved and fall into temptation if I'm sorry, repent, and ask forgiveness? Absolutely! It's when you continue to sin habitually when you know better because you don't want to give up a sin or vice that you enjoy. In reality, you are denying the power of the Holy Spirit because regardless of Jesus sacrifice, you/we still have free will to obey or not to obey, to walk in the Spirit or to walk after the flesh. The Lord considers all our works, all our doings (Psalm 33:13-15). "For the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). And another, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (Hebrews 4:13). 

Jesus Christ did not come to mock God or lie about God or to take away His Omniscience. God is not some idiot in the sky who doesn't know what His creation is doing. But when God spoke to the churches in Revelation, He didn't say, 'I look at you and see the perfect, imputed righteousness of Christ, He said, "I know your works. Be zealous therefore and repent." Why would these church goers need to repent? Because though being church-goers, they were living in sin. Those who are unwilling to repent of and turn away from their sins are fooling themselves believing God doesn't even see their sins. These people are deceived believing Christ has done all so they need to do nothing. If that were true, why are we instructed to WALK IN THE SPIRIT and we will not fulfill the lusts of our flesh, or said in another way, bring sin to fruition? The "theology" doctrine of 'imputed righteousness' has been dangerously distorted in our day. Let's stop kidding ourselves. Yes, we become the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus, but how can we be considered righteous when we choose to purposely remain in sin and refuse to repent? Again, I'm referring to the professing "Christian" who willfully, repeatedly, and habitually sins because they  think it is hidden from Gods eyes? (end of part 1)