Imputed and Imparted

Michael E. Wood

April 22, 2014

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Ephesians 6:10-14

“Before I can stand in the presence of God I must be positively holy, I must be positively righteous. God is just and holy. ‘God is light and in Him is no darkness at all’. To stand in His presence I need to be positively righteous. And this is how it happens. As I believe on God’s Son and His perfect work for me, He ‘imputes’ His righteousness, His perfect observance of the law to me. I have not kept the law; Christ has kept it perfectly and He is righteous before the law. God puts that to my account, imputes to me, the righteousness of His own Son. He clothes me with it. So, as I stand in the presence of God, God does not see me, He sees the righteousness of His Son covering me completely.”

“That is the beginning; that is what makes me a Christian; that is the foundation. But God does not stop at that, He now begins to work in me the righteousness of His own Son. He ‘imparts’ it to me, He makes it a part of me, He puts it into me. This happens of necessity as the result of the rebirth, regeneration, the new life. There is a seed of life ‘implanted’ in me.”  

Quotations from: “The Christian Soldier", D. Martyn Lloyd Jones, p. 229, 230

Imputed and imparted is the righteousness alone

Which comes by faith in Jesus Christ who did for us atone

To give us such a standing that we in the presence of

God the Father, know Him and are known as His Beloved!

And no inherent goodness or integrity of ours

Could ever stand the torments of the darkest cosmic powers

But grace so freely given helps us learn that we can stand,

Receiving strength by promise in obedience to command

Of God breathed words provided through the text of Holy writ,

Empowered by the Spirit, working in our inner wit

To grow us and sustain us for the purpose we were born

Anew and thus prepared as Christ’s own bride, He did adorn.