Romans 4
Abraham Justified by Faith
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
3049 logízomai from logos (in the sense of an account or reckoning)
NASB Word Usage
consider (6), considered (2), counted (1), counting (1), credit (1), credited (9), credits (1), dwell (1), maintain (1), numbered (2), propose (1), reason (1), reckoned (2), regard (4), regarded (3), suppose (1), take into account (3), thinks (1).
Rom 4:10 How then was it counted? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone,
Gal 3:16 Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”
James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;” and he was called the friend of God.
jericho777;7717665:
The Greek word used to for imputation does not lend itself to be interpreteted as infused.
That depends upon your point of view, I suppose. Catholics embrace Sacred Tradition, which is the Teaching of the Apostles. From the Apostolic point of view, “credited” means that the account has actually been posted with “credit” or a positive balance.
Calvin taught that this “credit” was not actual, but just “declared”. I don’t know of any banking institution that would pretend I had a credit balance for me when I did not. It seems quite ridiculous to me.
In God’s “accounting” system, the credit really exists.
The conclusion of infused verses imputed righteousness would be we are made inherently as righteous as God and therefore equal to Him. There would be no need for the Father to look at Christ as our peace but could now look at us in our own righteousness.
This is a false conclusion based upon a false premise. God’s grace does not make us inhuman. It makes us what He created us to be, which is fully human, in His image and likeness. We become PARTAKERS of His grace, and are transformed by it into His character.
This is not the case based on the words of scripture.
No, it is not. A great deal of twisting of scripture would have to be done to support your false premise and it’s false conclusion.
Certainly no unclean thing can enter heaven but when the Father looks at us in His love and sees the perfection of Jesus’ sacrifice imputed to us we are declared righteous. As in Rev 7:14 our robes (covering) are washed in the blood of the Lamb we are never seen based apart from Christ’s covering upon us …And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Christ is always referred to as our righteousness and our peace. Please demonstrate from scripture verses that conclude infusion rather than imputation?
The verses you have written here are very good examples. The robes are washed. They are MADE white (God is not just pretending they are white). He IS our righteousness. Daily we are transformed from glory into glory.
I think a study of the meaning of baptism would help you, but that may be beyond the scope of this thread. The Apostles call baptism “the washing of regeneration” because we are born again from above by water and Spirit. The Divine Nature is planted within us, so that we are able to overcome the fallen human nature. In the East, sanctification is referred to as “Theosis” (becoming like God). Not that we become God, but that our nature is transformed into His image and likeness, as He created us to be.
