Biblical Imputed Righteousness




One of the famous modern way to present the plan of salvation is by the "Romans Road." The Romans Road is usually presented this way:

1. We are are all sinners (Rom. 3:10,23)
2. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)
3. Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross (Rom. 5:8 )
4. Salvation comes by faith, that is, by confessing with our mouths and believing in our hearts (Rom. 10:9,10)
5. Call on the Lord for salvation and get saved (Rom. 10:13)

However, there are some important omissions from the same book, which will become apparent as you read on.
It is obvious that the Romans Road was formulated by OSAS proponents. The book of Romans stresses the important facts of salvation, but yet some verses are omitted in the Romans Road. Paul said:

What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: " Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Putting all the passages together gives us a much more accurate presentation of the Gospel as far as conveying imputed righteousness and a conditional security for the believer.

Below in Romans 3:21-24, God adds to our understanding the matter of imputed righteousness.

"But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 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,"

Note the word believe (it does not say "believed, a past one time deal) in Romans 3:22, as well as Rom. 1:16 and 10:4. The word believe is a continuous tense in the Greek. (Many passages of other Scriptures in the NT show a continuous tense believe.) The King James says, "believeth," a continuous tense. According to Paul, the condition for righteousness from God is a continuous belief in Christ, which is also inseparably linked to the grace in verse 24.

Why would Romans 3:23 be magnified in the Romans Road, but not the preceding verse (v 22)? Why? Because it teaches a continuous tense belief for imputed righteousness! This important point refutes the false view about the faith that saves the OSAS doctrine teaches. We will never hear Rom. 3:22 expanded upon, nor end with the warnings stated in Rom. 11:19-23 in the Romans Road gospel.

All these omitted verses are missing from Paul's original gospel of grace, but the ones omitted are the ones that reveal the necessity of continuous-tense belief on Christ and a conditional security for the believer. He writes these truths to believers! Omitting these verses distorts Paul's gospel.

The same kind of omission, as in Romans 3, is found in Romans 6 where verse 23 is usually cited without verse 22. Here it is in a few translations:

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (KJV)

"But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life." (NKJV)

"But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life." (NASB)

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (NIV)

Everything said all matches along with many other passages of Scripture. The fact is, imputed righteousness lasts as long as the person has a present, active faith in Christ. The Bible tells us some will depart from the faith (1 Tim. 4:1 Try applying that to lost people!). God's not going to save anyone against their own will! God's not going to impute righteousness while a person is still living in sin, or walks away from the faith through testing and trials. A Christian no longer has imputed righteousness applied to him. There are many warnings in the Scripture to be faithful until the end. Paul was faithful. He stayed in the race. He kept the faith! The outcome is final salvation.

"If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him,He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim. 1:12-13)

The doctrine of OSAS contradicts this fact about God by declaring that He won't deny us, even if we deny Him. Paul warned us not to be deceived.

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

It is plain here that one who once had a moment of true faith can afterwards sow to please his flesh and will reap corruption. According to the OSAS doctrine, a person can sow to the flesh and still not reap corruption, but eternal life. If such were the case, that would be mocking God.

A Christian can either reap corruption or eternal life. One will only reap eternal life if he does not give up. He must endure (Matt. 10:22; Heb. 3:14), and be an overcomer by being faithful to God to the point of death (Rev. 2:10,11) to enter the kingdom of God and escaping the lake of fire (Rev. 21:7,8 ). So many martyrs in the past were faithful until the end. There are many Christians today who are suffering for the true grace Gospel.

Even Peter tells us what waits for us at the end of our faith (not unfaithfulness):

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls."

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