Our
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
provides
more
benefits
than
we
realize.
Most
understand
we
receive
salvation
from
an
eternal
death
(spiritual
immortality)
because
we
believe
in
Him.
However,
God
imputes
additional
spiritual
benefits
because
of
our
faith
in
His
Son:
including
justification
and
righteousness—which
facilitates
our
sanctification
(the
process
of becoming more like Jesus and less like ourselves).
Martin
Luther,
a
16th
century
German
theologian,
wrote
the
following
(paraphrased)
instructional
truths.
“Learn
of
Christ
and
him
crucified.
Learn
to
pray,
‘Lord
Jesus,
you
are
my
righteousness,
but
I
am
your
sin.
You
have
taken
upon
yourself
what
is
mine,
and
have
given
me
what
is
yours.
You
have
taken
upon yourself what you were not, and have given to me what I am not.’”
John
Calvin,
a
16th
century
French
theologian,
explained
the
spiritual
magnitude
of
what
Jesus
did
for
those
who
believe
in
Him.
“By
his
own
descent
to
the
earth
he
has
prepared
our
ascent
to
heaven.
Having
received
our
mortality,
he
has
bestowed
on
us
his
immortality.
Having
undertaken
our
weakness,
he
has
made
us
strong
in
his
strength.
Having
submitted
to
our
poverty,
he
has
transferred
to
us
his
riches.
Having
taken
upon
himself
the
burden
of
unrighteousness
with
which
we
were
oppressed, he has clothed us with his righteousness."
Salvation
Our
sin
causes
internal
and
eternal
spiritual
death
because
it
separates
us
from
the
life
of
God.
However,
God
has
given
us
a
free
gift
and
a
means
to
establish
a
relationship
with
Him—by
believing
in His Son, Jesus Christ.
•
“Your
iniquities
have
separated
you
from
your
God;
and
your
sins
have
hidden
His
face
from
you.”
Isaiah 59:2
•
“For
the
wages
of
sin
is
death,
but
the
gift
of
God
is
eternal
life
in
Christ
Jesus
our
Lord.”
Romans
6:23
•
“He
Himself
is
the
propitiation
for
our
sins,
and
not
for
ours
only
but
also
for
the
whole
world.”
1
John 2:2
Jesus
declared
about
Himself,
“Whoever
believes
in
Him
should
not
perish
but
have
eternal
life.
For
God
so
loved
the
world
that
He
gave
His
only
begotten
Son,
that
whoever
believes
in
Him
should
not
perish
but
have
everlasting
life.
For
God
did
not
send
His
Son
into
the
world
to
condemn
the
world,
but
that the world through Him might be saved.”
John 3:15-17
Those
who
have
transitioned
from
spiritual
death
unto
spiritual
life
can
relate
to
the
following
truths—for
we:
•
Developed a disdain for our unrighteous deeds and hoped for something more in life.
•
Realized we were under the bondage of sin and lost in darkness.
•
Were unable to change ourselves from within, and the cycle and control of sin continued.
•
Humbled ourselves and prayed to God for help.
“And
you
He
made
alive,
who
were
dead
in
trespasses
and
sins,
in
which
you
once
walked
according
to
the
course
of
this
world,
according
to
the
prince
of
the
power
of
the
air,
the
spirit
who
now
works
in
the
sons
of
disobedience,
among
whom
also
we
all
once
conducted
ourselves
in
the
lusts
of
our
flesh,
fulfilling
the
desires
of
the
flesh
and
of
the
mind,
and
were
by
nature
children
of
wrath,
just
as
the
others.
But
God,
who
is
rich
in
mercy,
because
of
His
great
love
with
which
He
loved
us,
even
when
we
were
dead
in
trespasses,
made
us
alive
together
with
Christ
(by
grace
you
have
been
saved),
and
raised
us
up
together,
and
made
us
sit
together
in
the
heavenly
places
in
Christ
Jesus,
that
in
the
ages
to
come
He
might
show
the
exceeding
riches
of
His
grace
in
His
kindness
toward
us
in
Christ
Jesus.
For
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
through
faith,
and
that
not
of
yourselves;
it
is
the
gift
of
God,
not
of
works,
lest
anyone
should
boast.
For
we
are
His
workmanship,
created
in
Christ
Jesus
for
good
works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:1-10
Imputation
Imputation
is
a
critical
spiritual
component
of
salvation,
justification,
righteousness,
and
sanctification—because
we
still
have
a
sinful
nature
which
“unqualifies”
us
for
a
relationship
with
God
and
an
eternal
life.
Every
Christian
will
attest
they
have
a
multitude
of
flaws—but
continually
seek
with
a
heart-felt
desire
to
overcome
our
unrighteousness
and
become
more
like
Jesus.
Therefore,
because
God
is
more
interested
in
the
desires
of
our
heart
and
not
our
shortcomings,
God
imputes
justification
(no
eternal
judgement
and
condemnation
for
our
sin).
But
in
addition
(and
even
more
important),
God
also imputes to us (sees us as having) the righteousness of Jesus.
From
a
biblical
perspective,
imputation
is
defined
as
God’s
assignment
of
an
attribute
(an
inherent
quality
or
trait)—even
though
the
attribute
does
not
exist.
For
example,
Abraham
lied
about
his
wife
when
he
feared
for
his
life.
(
Genesis
12:10-20
;
Genesis
20)
In
addition,
Abraham
disbelieved
God’s
promise
of
a
child
and
had
a
child
with
his
wife’s
servant.
(
Genesis
16
)
However,
God
imputed
(assigned)
the
attribute
of
righteousness
to
Abraham
because
he
believed
God.
“Abraham
believed
God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3
Even
though
Abraham
demonstrated
sinful
weakness
(like
us)…God
did
much
more
than
just
impute
Abraham’s
righteousness.
God
also
made
an
unconditional
covenant
with
Abraham
(
Genesis
15
),
and
to all of Abrahams’s seed (Israelites)—which continues today and for eternity.
Even
though
we
are
unworthy
and
flawed
(like
Abraham)—it
is
because
of
our
faith
in
His
Son,
and
because
of
God’s
love,
grace,
mercy,
and
His
promises…we
are
forgiven,
justified,
and
are
viewed
as
having
the
righteousness
of
Jesus.
It
is
“God,
who
gives
life
to
the
dead
and
calls
those
things
which
do not exist as though they did.”
Romans 4:17
Now
take
some
time
to
read
and
“mentally
chew”
upon
the
following
spiritual
truths
of
imputation
that
occurs when one places their faith in Jesus Christ.
The sins of the redeemed are inputted to Christ,
and the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the redeemed.
In
other
words,
because
of
our
faith…our
sins
are
exchanged
for
the
righteousness
of
Christ.
Although
we
may
see
all
of
our
faults
and
all
of
our
failures—it
does
not
matter—because
we
are
eternally
forgiven
by
the
blood
that
Jesus
shed
when
He
willingly
gave
His
life
for
us
as
an
atonement
(paid
the
price) for our sins.
“In
Him
we
have
redemption
through
His
blood,
the
forgiveness
of
sins,
according
to
the
riches
of
His
grace.”
Ephesians 1:7
“To
Him
who
loved
us
and
washed
us
from
our
sins
in
His
own
blood,
and
has
made
us
kings
and
priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Revelation 1:5-6
Imagine
you
broke
a
law,
undeniable
evidence
proves
you
are
guilty
of
breaking
the
law,
and
you
are
now
standing
before
the
judge
waiting
to
hear
what
your
punishment
will
be.
Meanwhile,
someone
enters
the
courtroom,
stands
beside
you,
and
declares
He
already
received
the
punishment
for
your
wrongdoing,
and
declares
the
charges
should
be
dropped.
The
judge
knows
who
this
person
is;
fully
understands
the
punishment
He
received
and
the
price
He
had
paid;
and
recognizes
His
authority
to
make
His
declaration
regarding
your
situation.
Therefore,
the
judge
has
only
one
choice
by
responding
“You
are
not
guilty
and
are
free
to
go.”
Now
correlate
the
amount
of
gratitude
you
would
have
toward
the judge (God) and the one who paid the price (Jesus) for what you have done.
“But
to
him
who
does
not
work
but
believes
on
Him
who
justifies
the
ungodly,
his
faith
is
accounted
for
righteousness,
just
as
David
also
describes
the
blessedness
of
the
man
to
whom
God
imputes
righteousness
apart
from
works:
blessed
are
those
whose
lawless
deeds
are
forgiven,
and
whose
sins
are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
Romans 4:5-8
Take
a
few
moments
to
self-reflect
and
determine
the
depths
of
your
sinfulness
and
unrighteousness.
It is when we recognize how we transgress against the will of God…it will cause us to:
•
Humbly question how could God continually forgive us.
•
Gain
a
greater
understanding
of
the
depth,
breadth
and
height
of
God’s
love,
and
His
desire
for
us
to grow closer to Him.
•
Reciprocate
God’s
love
by
loving
Him
with
all
of
our
heart,
soul,
mind,
and
strength.
(Mark
12:28-
31)
o
“We love Him because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
o
It is
“…the goodness of God leads you to repentance.”
Romans 2:4
Justification
Justification
is
an
imputed
benefit
of
our
faith
because
of
the
atoning
sacrificial
death
of
Jesus.
A
simple
way
to
understand
justification
is
“just-as-if-I-never-sinned.”
In
effect,
justification
is
God’s
act
of
forgiveness
for
our
sins
(past,
present
and
future)—for
God
is
more
interested
in
the
desires
of
our
heart than our behavior.
“For
all
have
sinned
and
fall
short
of
the
glory
of
God,
being
justified
freely
by
His
grace
through
the
redemption
that
is
in
Christ
Jesus,
whom
God
set
forth
as
a
propitiation
by
His
blood,
through
faith,
to
demonstrate
His
righteousness,
because
in
His
forbearance
God
had
passed
over
the
sins
that
were
previously
committed,
to
demonstrate
at
the
present
time
His
righteousness,
that
He
might
be
just
and
the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Romans 3:23-26
“My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.”
Isaiah 53:11
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Psalm 103:12
“It
shall
be
imputed
to
us
who
believe
in
Him
who
raised
up
Jesus
our
Lord
from
the
dead,
who
was
delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”
Romans 4:24-25
There
is
therefore
now
no
condemnation
to
those
who
are
in
Christ
Jesus,
who
do
not
walk
according
to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 8:1
“Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
Romans 5:9
Righteousness
“But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.”
Isaiah 64:6
“There
is
none
righteous,
no,
not
one;
there
is
none
who
understands;
there
is
none
who
seeks
after
God.
They
have
all
turned
aside;
they
have
together
become
unprofitable;
there
is
none
who
does
good,
no,
not
one.
Their
throat
is
an
open
tomb;
with
their
tongues
they
have
practiced
deceit;
The
poison
of
asps
is
under
their
lips;
whose
mouth
is
full
of
cursing
and
bitterness.
Their
feet
are
swift
to
shed
blood;
destruction
and
misery
are
in
their
ways;
and
the
way
of
peace
they
have
not
known.”
Romans 3:11-17
“The
heart
is
deceitful
above
all
things,
and
desperately
wicked;
who
can
know
it?
I,
the
Lord,
search
the
heart,
I
test
the
mind,
even
to
give
every
man
according
to
his
ways,
according
to
the
fruit
of
his
doings.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10
All
religions
(apart
from
Christianity)
are
based
upon
a
works-based
theology—which
is
comprised
of
a
belief
that
one
must
perform
good
deeds
(works)
to
gain
favor
with
God
and
be
rewarded
by
Him.
However,
a
religion
that
is
based
upon
works
appeals
to
our
sinful
nature—especially
our
pride.
For
it
is
only
God’s
love
that
can
reach
the
depths
of
our
heart
and
soul
and
transform
us
into
a
mirror
image
of His Son—and not by works.
“For
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
through
faith,
and
that
not
of
yourselves;
it
is
the
gift
of
God,
not
of
works, lest anyone should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9
There
is
nothing
we
can
do
and
nothing
we
can
offer
to
God
that
He
does
not
already
have—except
our
free
will
choice
to
offer
Him
our
faith,
our
obedience,
our
heart,
and
our
love—for
this
is
what
He
desires.
Thereafter,
any
demonstrated
righteousness
on
our
part
is
because
of
the
workings
of
the
Holy Spirit and His influence in our life.
Paul
explained
our
imputed
righteousness
is
from
God
because
of
our
faith
and
not
by
our
works.
In
other
words,
there
is
nothing
we
can
do
to
earn
a
right
standing
with
God—other
than
by
our
faith
in
Him.
“Not
having
my
own
righteousness,
which
is
from
the
law,
but
that
which
is
through
faith
in
Christ,
the righteousness which is from God by faith.”
Philippians 3:9
God
is
the
only
one
who
should
receive
recognition
and
glory
for
any
good
that
comes
through
us.
For
it
is
He
who
saved
us,
equipped
us,
and
prepares
us
to
live
for
eternity
with
Him—all
because
of
our
faith in His Son.
“For
we
are
His
workmanship,
created
in
Christ
Jesus
for
good
works,
which
God
prepared
beforehand
that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:9
“But
to
him
who
does
not
work
but
believes
on
Him
who
justifies
the
ungodly,
his
faith
is
accounted
for
righteousness,
just
as
David
also
describes
the
blessedness
of
the
man
to
whom
God
imputes
righteousness
apart
from
works:
blessed
are
those
whose
lawless
deeds
are
forgiven,
and
whose
sins
are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
Romans 4:5-8
“By one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
Romans 5:19
“The righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.”
Romans 3:22
Excerpts from Romans 5:17-21
•
“Those
who
receive
abundance
of
grace
and
of
the
gift
of
righteousness
will
reign
in
life
through
the
One, Jesus Christ.”
•
“Through one Man’s
righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”
•
“By one Man’s obedience many will be made
righteous.”
•
“But
where
sin
abounded,
grace
abounded
much
more,
so
that
as
sin
reigned
in
death,
even
so
grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.”
For
more
information
on
righteousness,
read
“Blessed
are
those
who
hunger
and
thirst
for
righteousness” on UniqueBibleStudies.com.
Sanctification
Sanctification is defined as a process of:
•
Being set apart for God’s purpose.
•
A continual transformation of the desires of our heart.
•
Becoming the righteousness of Christ, as our behavior reflects less of ourselves and more of Him.
“Therefore,
if
anyone
is
in
Christ,
he
is
a
new
creation;
old
things
have
passed
away;
behold,
all
things
have become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3
“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
Hebrews 10:12-14
“
He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13
“Now
may
the
God
of
peace
Himself
sanctify
you
completely;
and
may
your
whole
spirit,
soul,
and
body
be
preserved
blameless
at
the
coming
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ.
He
who
calls
you
is
faithful,
who
also
will do it.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Jesus
declared
to
Paul,
“…to
open
their
eyes,
in
order
to
turn
them
from
darkness
to
light,
and
from
the
power
of
Satan
to
God,
that
they
may
receive
forgiveness
of
sins
and
an
inheritance
among
those
who
are sanctified by faith in Me.”
Acts 26:18
Jesus
prayed
to
the
Father,
“They
are
not
of
the
world,
just
as
I
am
not
of
the
world.
Sanctify
them
by
Your
truth.
Your
word
is
truth.
As
You
sent
Me
into
the
world,
I
also
have
sent
them
into
the
world.
And
for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”
John 17:16-19
For more information read “Sanctification” on UniqueBibleStudies.com.
Summary
Through
self-reflection
and
analysis
our
conscience
will
accuse
us
of
our
sins.
However,
because
of
our
faith
in
Jesus
(and
not
our
works),
our
sin
is
imputed
to
Christ;
and
the
righteousness
of
Christ
is
imputed to us. The understanding of these spiritual truths:
•
Magnifies our love for God.
•
Motivates us to:
o
Be obedient to His will for our lives.
o
Serve Him with a humble and willing heart.
“But
of
Him
you
are
in
Christ
Jesus,
who
became
for
us
wisdom
from
God—and
righteousness
and
sanctification and redemption.”
1 Corinthians 1:30
All for His Glory!
Harold D. Thomas
Thought Provoking Questions
The
purpose
of
the
questions
is
to
facilitate
a
deeper
understanding
of
the
Bible,
this
Bible
study
topic,
and
ourselves.
The
questions
may
be
answered
by
each
reader,
or
used
by
a
Bible
study
group
leader,
or
church
pastor.
The
questions
should
be
answered
or
discussed
after
reading
the
lesson.
In
addition,
the
questions
are
designed
to
enhance
learning
via
the
determination
of
personal
opinions
and
discovering
how
the
lesson
content
relates
to
our
personal
lives.
As
such,
no
answers
are
provided.
Questions
Explain
the
meaning
of
Romans
4:17:
“God,
who
gives
life
to
the
dead
and
calls
those
things
which
do
not exist as though they did.”
Does this scripture encompass the definition of imputation? Explain.
Why
do
you
think
it
is
important
for
God
to
impute
(assigns
and
views
us
as
having
the
righteousness
of Jesus)—even though our righteousness will never achieve the righteousness of His Son?
Why
do
you
think
the
spiritual
benefits
God
bestows
upon
us
is
based
upon
our
faith
and
not
our
attempt to gain His favor by our works?
By
referencing
the
lesson’s
scriptures,
identify
one
scripture
that
you
think
best
supports
each
of
the
following spiritual benefits God bestows upon us because of our faith in His Son.
•
Salvation
•
Justification
•
Righteousness
•
Sanctification
Are
the
spiritual
benefits
independent,
or
interrelated
and
synergistic?
Synergistic
means
the
combined power of working together is greater than the power if they work separately. Explain.
Which
do
you
think
is
the
most
important
spiritual
benefit:
salvation,
justification,
righteousness
or
sanctification? Explain.
Identify at least one new thing you have learned from this lesson.
You may do
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The words of Jesus Christ are in
red text.