Journal: Journal of Dispensational Theology
Volume: JODT 22:65 (Autumn 2018)
Article: God’s Righteousness Imputed To The Believer
Author: Steven Cook

JODT 22:65 (Autumn 2018) p. 187

God’s Righteousness Imputed To The Believer

Steven Cook

* Steven R. Cook, M.Div., D.Min., professor of Bible and theology, Tyndale Theological Seminary and Biblical Institute

God alone saves! He saves sinners in a way that satisfies his righteous demands toward sin and makes them acceptable in his sight. He judged sin at the cross where Jesus died a penal substitutionary death. Jesus died in the sinner’s place. He bore the punishment that was rightfully theirs. The sinner’s guilt became his guilt, and their shame became his shame. The result of the cross is that God is forever satisfied with the death of Christ. There is no additional sacrifice or payment needed. Jesus paid it all. Subsequently, in exchange, God gives his righteousness as a gift to the one who believes in Christ as Savior. God freely bestows the “gift of righteousness” (Rom. 5:17) to sinners who do not deserve it (Rom 4:5; 5:6–10; Eph 2:1–9). God’s gift of righteousness — received by faith alone — is the basis for reconciliation with Him.

Clearly the testimony of the New Testament is that reconciliation comes about through the death of the Lord Jesus (Rom. 5:10). God made Him to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. The death of Christ completely changed man’s former state of enmity into one of righteousness and complete harmony with a righteous God.1

Sadly, many people exert themselves under the false notion that they can, by human effort, adhere to God’s laws and attain the standard of his righteous expectations. The biblical reality is that the righteousness of God can never be attained by human effort, no matter how much time or activity is involved. Unfortunately, many are blind to this truth and seek to reconcile themselves to God by human effort. In this way the Mosaic Law has been abused. God never intended the Mosaic Law to be a means of attaining righteousness, as that has always been by faith alone in God and in his promises (Gen 15:6; John 3:16; Gal 2:16, 21; 3:11; Eph 2:8–9). However, sinful persons pervert the Mosaic Law into a system of works whereby they try to earn their salvation before God (Luke 18:9...