Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and Identity in Christ
The imputation of Christ's righteousness is a core theological concept describing how God reckons the perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice of Jesus to believers, treating them as righteous in His sight [2, 5]. This concept is closely tied to the idea of "identity in Christ," where believers are seen as united with Christ and share in His status before God.
The Bible speaks of this righteousness as "the righteousness of faith" and "the righteousness of God, without the law," which is "by faith in Christ" [1]. Paul states that Christ "is made unto us... righteousness" (1 Corinthians 1:30), and that believers "are made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21) [1]. The prophet Jeremiah also refers to Christ as "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:6) [1].
Imputation, in doctrinal language, means that an action, word, or thing is "reckoned to a person" [2]. This principle is applied in three main ways: Adam's sin is imputed to his descendants, Christ's righteousness is imputed to believers, and believers' sins were imputed to Christ [2]. In the case of Christ's righteousness, it is "so attributed to them as to be considered their own" [2]. This is a judicial act of God, where He pardons sins and accepts believers as righteous, not by relaxing the law, but by declaring its demands fulfilled in Christ [4].
Justification, a forensic term meaning the opposite of condemnation, is the act by which God declares those who believe in Christ to be righteous [4]. This justification is "by faith alone" and "of grace" [5]. Abraham's faith, for example, was "counted to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6), meaning the object of his faith—the coming Savior—was reckoned to him for justification [8, 10]. This is God's method of justifying sinners through faith in His Son [9].
The concept of identity in Christ means that believers are "found in him," not relying on their own righteousness, but on the justification received through faith in Christ's atonement [9]. This righteousness is not earned through works, as humanity cannot attain perfect obedience to the law [5]. Instead, it is a gift received through faith, allowing God to be both "just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26) [3, 11]. The Messiah's characteristic of righteousness is highlighted throughout scripture [6, 7].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness Imputed — Predicted -- Isa 56:1; Eze 16:14. Revealed in the gospel -- Ro 1:17. Is of the Lord -- Isa 54:17. Described as The righteousness of faith. -- Ro 4:13; 9:30; 10:6. The righteousness of God, without the law. -- Ro 3:21. The righteousness of God by faith in Christ. -- Ro 3:22. Christ being made righteousness to us. -- 1Co 1:30. Our being made the righteousness of God, in Christ. -- 2Co 5:21. Christ is the end of the law for -- Ro 10:4. Christ called THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS -- Jer 23:6. Christ brings in an everlasting righteousness -- Da 9:2”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Imputation — Is used to designate any action or word or thing as reckoned to a person. Thus in doctrinal language (1) the sin of Adam is imputed to all his descendants, i.e., it is reckoned as theirs, and they are dealt with therefore as guilty; (2) the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that believe in him, or so attributed to them as to be considered their own; and (3) our sins are imputed to Christ, i.e., he assumed our "law-place," undertook to answer the demands of justice for our sins. In all these cases the nature of imputation is the same (Rom. 5:12-1”
- King James Version “[KJV] Romans 3:26 — To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justification — A forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; an”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Justification Before God — Promised in Christ -- Isa 45:25; 53:11. Is the act of God -- Isa 50:8; Ro 8:33. Under law Requires perfect obedience. -- Le 18:5; Ro 10:5; 2:13; Jas 2:10. Man cannot attain to. -- Job 9:2,3,20; 25:4; Ps 130:3; 143:2; Ro 3:20; 9:31,32. Under the gospel Is not of works. -- Ac 13:39; Ro 8:3; Ga 2:16; 3:11. Is not of faith and works united. -- Ac 15:1-29; Ro 3:28; 11:6; Ga 2:14-21; 5:4. Is by faith alone. -- Joh 5:24; Ac 13:39; Ro 3:30; 5:1; Ga 2:16. Is of grace. -- Ro 3:24; 4:16; 5:17-21. In the name of Christ. -- 1Co 6:11. By imputation of Ch”
- Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 22:14: 22:14 the Righteous One: See also 3:14; 7:52; 1 Jn 2:1. Righteousness was one of the Messiah’s characteristics (see Isa 32:1; 53:11).”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 60:21: all righteous-- (Isa 4:3; Isa 52:1; Rev 21:27). inherit . . . land-- (Isa 49:8; Isa 54:3; Isa 65:9; Psa 37:11, Psa 37:22; Mat 5:5). branch of my planting-- (Isa 61:3; Psa 92:13; Mat 15:13). work of my hands--the converted Israelites (Isa 29:23; Isa 45:11). that I may be glorified--the final end of all God's gracious dealings (Isa 49:3; Isa 61:3).”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 4:22: And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness - The verse is thus paraphrased by Dr. Taylor: "For which reason God was graciously pleased to place his faith to his account; and to allow his fiducial reliance upon the Divine goodness, power, and faithfulness, for a title to the Divine blessing, which, otherwise, having been an idolater, he had no right to." Abraham's strong faith in the promise of the coming Savior, for this was essential to his faith, was reckoned to him for justification: for it is not said that any righteousness, either his own, or that of”
- Philippians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:9: And be found in him - Be found a believer in Christ, not having mine own righteousness - not trusting in any thing I have done or could do, in order to my salvation; relying on no scheme of justification, set up either formerly by myself or by others. But that which is through the faith of Christ - That justification which is received by faith through the atonement made by Christ. The righteousness which is of God - God's method of justifying sinners through faith in his Son. See the notes on Rom 3:21, Rom 3:23 (note), Rom 3:25 (note), where this subject is trea”
- Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 15:6: And he believed in the Lord,.... The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,"in the Word of the Lord;''in the essential Word of the Lord, in Christ the Lord his righteousness; he believed in the promise of God, that he should have a seed, and a very numerous one; he believed that the Messiah would spring from his seed; he believed in him as his Saviour and Redeemer; he believed in him for righteousness, and he believed in his righteousness as justifying him before God: and he counted it to him for righteousness; not the act of his faith, but the object of it; and not ”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3:22: To declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness,.... This end is further explained, it being to declare the righteousness of God "at this time", under the Gospel dispensation; in which there was such a display of the grace, mercy, and goodness of God: that he might be just; that is, appear to be so: God is naturally and essentially just in himself; and he is evidentially so in all his works, particularly in redemption by Christ; and when and while he is the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus: Jesus, the Saviour, is the object of faith, as he is the Lord o”