Romans 4:1-12
SUBJECT:
SALVATION/ IMPUTATION
THEME:
When we trust Jesus Christ as Savior, God gives Jesus credit for our sins, and
He gives us credit for Christ’s righteousness. Yes, our sins are imputed to the
Son of God who paid for them all at Calvary.
Basically,
Imputation means charging, ascribing or reckoning something to a
person’s account. This study affords us a peek into God’s ledgers! You will not
believe what God credited to my account!
In our
text, there are a number of fascinating instances where the word impute or equivalent
terms appears. Some of these occurrences are, “COUNTED” (Rom. 4:3, 5); “RECKONED”
(Rom. 4:4, 9, 10); and of course, “IMPUTED”
(Rom. 4:11, 22, 23, 24, 5:13). The idea is assigning, calculating or accounting
a responsibility…a credit…a guilt…a debt...or a value to another person. Do you
know what God’s ledger records on your account? What’s on your income
statement?
LESSON:
I.
How Does
Imputation Specifically Relate to Salvation?
There
are three distinct theological truths in the Bible directly related to the
concept of imputation.
A. IMPUTATION
RELATES TO HUMANITY’S GUILT BEFORE GOD
The
Imputation of Adam’s sin to his descendants. Romans 5:12-19, tells us God
imputes the guilt of Adam’s sin to all humanity: “by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners,” (Rom. 5:19). “By the
offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation” (Rom. 5:18). “By one man’s
offense death reigned by one” (Rom. 5:17).
This idea is sometimes referred to as “original sin,” and Paul makes reference
to it in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22.
Rom
5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13, (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
1. Adam’s Relationship to the
Human Race as the Federal Head (The Representative of All Mankind When He Sinned)
When Adam
sinned in the Garden of Eden, we all sinned with Him. We all received credit
for his sin and are guilty of that sin; therefore, we all will suffer physical
death. Death is the evidence that we all are guilty of the sin of Adam. When our Federal head sinned God condemned
him and every one he represented; we all receive credit on our spiritual
accounts for Adam’s sin.
ILLUSTRATION:
Whenever the Federal Head of the U.S. Make a statement, a claim, or a
commitment to the UN, he automatically obligated each of us Americans
regardless to our individual opinions or views.
The entire country will be charged with that commitment or
responsibility in the eyes of the UN.
2. Adam’s Relationship to the
Human Race as the Seminal Head (We Were Organically a Part of Adam When He Sinned)
Seminal
means seed, and the entire Human Race was actually a part of Adam when he
sinned therefore we are literally and individually guilty of committing this
sin with Adam or IN ADAM.
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. 19, For as by one man's disobedience many were
made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
1 Cor
15:22, For as in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive.
BIBLE
ILLUSTRATIONS: GEN. 9:20-29, HAM’S SEED IS CURSED BY NOAH. Noah’s grandson Canaan is
cursed for the sin of his father Ham. All the seed or off spring of Ham through
Canaan were credited with the sin of Ham and will suffer condemnation because
of Ham’s sin. WHY? Because Ham is the
Seminal Head of Canaan.
JOSHUA
7:16-26, ACHAN BRINGS JUDGMENT ON HIS FAMILY
AND ISRAEL BECAUSE OF HIS SECRET SINS of theft, lust, greed, avarice, and deception.
In the administration of punishment for Aachan’s sin everything and everyone connected
with him was blotted out of Israel! Likewise God condemned the whole human race
because we all are guilty of actually being IN ADAM when he sinned.
ILLUSTRATION:
When my sisters, brother, and I were children, we would misbehave from time to
time doing things that Mom and Dad had zero appreciation for. There were occasions
when only one of us kids did something wrong, but all of us would receive a
spanking! Why? Well, because we allowed the other to get into mischief. The
failure of one was imputed to all of us. Somehow this never seemed fair to me….
B.
IMPUTATION RELATES TO PLACING BELIEVERS’ GUILT ON CHRIST
The
Imputation of the Believer’s Sin to Christ. In addition to guilt imputed from
Adam’s sin, each individual is also charged with guilt for his or her personal
sins. This is what Paul, the apostle, describes as “not imputing their trespasses to them,” 2 Cor. 5:19.
1. All Mankind Is Guilty of Sin IN ADAM and
for Personal Sins
Eccl
7:20, For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Rom
3:19, Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who
are under the law: that every mouth
may be stopped, and all the world may
become guilty before God.
2. The Sin of Adam Was Not
Imputed to Christ Because of His Virgin Birth
The
Lord Jesus’ supernatural conception and birth freed Him from the guilt of Adam’s
sin.
Isa 7:14,
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name
Immanuel.
Matt
1:20-25, But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that
which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21, And she shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people
from their sins. 22, Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they
shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24, Then
Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and
took unto him his wife: 25, And knew her
not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name
JESUS.
Jesus
did not receive the guilt of Adam’s sin because he is not the seed of man
(Adam) but the very Son of God. Man
receives his sin nature from his father and not his mother! A Baby in its mother’s womb does not receive
its blood type from its mother but from its father!
3. The Sinless Life of Christ
Gave Him a Spiritual Account of Complete Righteousness. His sinless life qualified him to be our Savior. The fact
that He committed no personal sin means He had zero sins counted against Him.
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.)
Rom
5:18-21, 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. 19, For
as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 21 , That as sin hath reigned unto death, even
so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord.
4. In Christ’s Substitutionary
Death, He Willingly Accepted Credit for All Sin onto His Spiritual Account and Paid
for Them All, but only Believers are Saved.
This was entirely a voluntary act of love by Christ.
1 John
2:2, And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (Also
see John 3:16 and Romans 1:14-17)
2 Cor
5:18-19, And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation; 19, To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the
world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
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.
1 Pet
2:24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Isa
53:5, But he
was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
Isa
53:11, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his
knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
C. IMPUTATION
RELATES TO CREDITING CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS TO BELIEVERS
The
Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to the Believer (Rom. 4:6). “Blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness
without works” is the theme of Romans chapter 4.
1. Righteousness Was Imputed to Abraham
Rom 4:3,
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom 4:5,
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness.
2. Righteousness Was Imputed to David
Rom
4:6-8, Even as David also describeth
the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without works, 7, Saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8, Blessed
is the man to whom the Lord will not
impute sin.
3. Righteousness Was Imputed to Paul
Phil
3:8-9, Yea doubtless, and I [Paul] count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9, And be found
in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Through
a perfectly holy and righteous lifestyle, Jesus became the “Holy One and the Just” (Acts
3:14). He clearly lived up to the high ideals conveyed in God’s perfect Law—Jesus
obeyed them comprehensively and entirely (Rom.
5:19). Because of faith in God credit for
these qualities is imputed to us “who believe on
Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead”
(Rom. 4:24).
4. Every Believer Is Counted Righteous When He
Believes God.
Rom
10:9-10, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. 10, For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
This
is how we received the credit of Christ’s Righteousness on to our Spiritual
Account!
II.
What Are The
Benefits of Imputation?
Salvation
is assured, we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we are fully accepted
by God on that basis, and we can never be condemned for our sin. Shame and
disgrace may be our history, but it is not our future. No, we are not perfectly
righteous in our behavior, but God gives us credit for righteousness because we
believe Him…because we believe the Gospel. Imputed righteousness is static and
does not change based on our behavior. It is our constant status before a holy
God. Sanctification, which is quite different, is still practical righteousness
a matter of growing in grace. This is righteousness imparted and not a right
standing before God imputed.
A. I AM ASSURED I AM NOT CONDEMNED IN CHRIST
Rom 8:1,
There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit. (See also Rom. 8:32-34)
B. I AM CONFIDENT I HAVE CREDIT FOR CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
Rom
1:16-17, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:
as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
(See also Romans 5:1-2).
C. I AM ACCEPTED AS I STAND IN THE VERY
PRESENCE OF GOD
Jude
1:24, Now unto him [Jesus Christ] that
is able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
We can
stand in God’s presence because Jesus has imputed His righteousness and
holiness to us through His sacrificial death on the Cross. Confidence, peace,
assurance, satisfaction, and acceptance are the blessed results of imputed
righteousness!
CONCLUSION:
IMPUTATION:
Charging or reckoning something to a person’s account. Imputing is the act of
adding something good or bad to the account of another person.
1. The Sin of Adam Was Imputed to the Human Race
2. The Sin of Believers Was Imputed to Christ
3. The Righteousness of Christ is Imputed to the
Believer
In 1990,
God placed my sins…every one of them without a single exception…past present
and future sins…on Jesus Christ! All I did was placed my faith in Him after
hearing the Gospel. From a heart of godly sorrow, I cried out to God for
forgiveness for my wickedness and sins. God imputed my sins to Jesus. The same
Lord Jesus who went to Calvary and there paid for all sin and offers
forgiveness to anyone who will accept His perfect payment. He is literally
alive again having completely defeated death, sin, hell, and the grave. In his
sacrifice for our sins and resurrection, He soundly defeated Satan and broke
the power of sin for those who trust Him. Beloved, because we believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel, God ascribes to each believer perfect
“righteousness,” the very righteousness of God. We become fully acceptable to
God when we accept what He did for our salvation. This is our new standing
before a holy God. Jesus takes credit for our awful sins, and we receive credit
for His perfect “right-ness” before a holy God. Is there anyone else willing to
say to the Lord Jesus, I believe you…I accept your payment for my sins…please
put my sins on your account?
Because
of Imputed Righteousness, God accepts me and loves me, as His very own Son,
Jesus Christ!
IF YOU
NEED TO BE SAVED THEN TRUST THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOUR SIN, AND IN TURN RECEIVE
CREDIT FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!
