Divine Imputation: A friend asked me to share some thoughts on divine imputation. I’ll preface it with this, that much of what I’m attempting to convey is going to sound like a ‘personal’ confession of faith, and in a sense it is, but not in the spirit of setting up an “article of faith,” but I really don’t know how to word it any differently without losing precision, or blurring the truth or lessening its weight. This is simply where I stand at present, until the LORD is pleased to give clearer light. I Thessalonians 5:21.
Divine imputation is the legal act of God’s grace whereby He accounts Christ as bearing the guilt of His people, and His people as possessing the righteousness of Christ, on the basis of Christ’s suretyship. Negatively, God “will not impute sin” to His elect, Psalm 32:2; Romans 4:8, because their guilt has been transferred to Christ, who “bare” their “sins in his own body on the tree,” I Peter 2:24, as it is written, “and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6. Positively, God imputes to believers the obedience and righteousness of Christ, so that they are “made the righteousness of God in him,” II Corinthians 5:21, justified “without works,” Romans 4:6, and accepted as “complete in him.” Colossians 2:10. This ‘act’ does not make Christ inherently sinful, nor believers inherently righteous; it is a judicial reckoning grounded in covenant headship and substitution. Romans 5:19. As Adam’s disobedience was imputed to his posterity unto condemnation, so Christ’s obedience is imputed to His seed unto justification and life. Romans 5:18-19. Imputation is not transfusion but reckoning. Our sins were counted to Christ, though He remained spotless; His righteousness is counted to us, though we remain sinful in ourselves. By this gracious exchange, “Christ was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25.
Union is the fountainhead. Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4, crucified with Him, Galatians 2:20, buried with Him, Romans 6:4, raised and seated with Him in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6. Complete in Him, Colossians 2:10, abiding in Him as branches in the Vine, John 15:4, and joined to Him as his body and bride. Romans 12:5, 7:4. All that God does for His people flows from this vital oneness with His Son, in whom we live, and move, and have our being. Acts 17:28. Imputation, therefore, is not a bare transaction carried on at a distance, but God’s reckoning of what is already true in Christ our Head.
Union explains imputation, for apart from being one with Christ, there could be no reckoning of His righteousness to us or our guilt to Him. Imputation explains substitution, for the only reason Christ could stand in the sinner’s place is because their sin was truly charged to His account and His obedience counted to theirs. And substitution explains why God is both just and the justifier, because at the cross justice is satisfied, and grace is magnified, so that He remains righteous while declaring righteous the one who believes in Jesus. Romans 3:26.
Next, the ‘conversation’ turned to the “reality” of imputation, something I have not thought about for years, and in attempting to trace back the dividing points of what has been said before, is all a giant cloud bank to me now. Yet even through the haze, one thing remains clear, Christ is not divided, nor is He parceled out into the finer points of theological systems. Union with Him is whole, and all that flows from Him is one. Sometimes our distinctions serve clarity, but they can also make us forget that all righteousness, all life, all salvation is bound up together in the Person of Christ Himself.
The “real imputation” vs. “not-real imputation” talk is a false dichotomy. Scripture never makes that division. When God imputes, His reckoning is true and effectual, because it flows from our union with Christ and His suretyship. Imputation is not make-believe and not infusion; it is God’s judicial accounting, Christ made sin for us, we made the righteousness of God in Him. Romans 4:6,11.
Sometimes the phrase “real imputation” is used as if others believe in a “fake” or “unreal” imputation. But no one who believes the gospel is saying that. What God imputes is real. His reckoning corresponds to truth. Christ’s righteousness is real, and when God imputes it, it is as unchanging as the word of God which declares it. To say otherwise is to diminish both His righteousness and His grace. Imputation isn’t about adding adjectives like “real” or “not real,” as these only distract from the unity and simplicity of the gospel. Scripture’s own language is clear enough without our embellishments. If God reckons us righteous in Christ, then that is fact, not fiction. Blessed be “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:6. MPJ
PS: I just wrote a short post on imputation, not to really answer much of what you brought up, but just to sort of gather my own thoughts together. You mentioned the darkness during the crucifixion showing our inability to look into such mysteries, and that is so true! At the cross the heavens grew dark, and in that silence we can see our own limits. The gospel humbles us because it takes us where human reason cannot go, into the mystery of God forsaking His beloved Son that sinners might be received. As Paul says, “great is the mystery of godliness.” I Timothy 3:16. On the other hand, as the Lord grants us a clearer view of this gracious reckoning, it draws us into greater awe of His sufferings, even when so much remains beyond our understanding. Just a glimpse of Christ crucified is enough to humble us and fill us with gratitude. We may not understand every detail, but we do know this. Christ “was made sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” II Corinthians 5:21. I think you “touched” the heart of it, righteousness is not floating in the air, but bound up in union with the Righteous ONE. “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us…righteousness.” I Corinthians 1:30. Todd is so very correct when he says, “these are not matters to argue about but to bow in total reverence.” Have a great night, Marc