The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost. It is Jesus' favorite title of Himself. I chosen this title because Jesus loved this title of Himself. We ought to never forget that Jesus is fully God and fully man: two natures in One Person. He is the God-man, the Incarnate Second Person of the Trinity. May we mediate on His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension that we may be conformed to the image of the divine Son of Man! This blog web site will be a Christian defense of the Reformed doctrines of the Incarnate Son of Man. May all glory be to His name!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

The Imputed Righteousness of Christ Alone or the Roman Catholic Church

We are told in the Bible that God imputes Christ's divine and unified righteousness to a lost sinner by faith alone.   The Bible speaks of Jesus' awesome righteousness alone given to us by faith alone from grace alone.  There are some who would leave this incredible righteousness and standing before God to serve earthly pleasures in Romanism. 

We ought to set our minds on Christ and Him crucified.  In the life and death of Christ alone, there is true hope for the hopeless and lonely.  There may come despair and loneliness but Jesus is our friend to the end.  He forgives all our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  The Bible speaks of the Gospel of Christ's holy righteousness:
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17 KJV).
Romans 3:21-16 speaks of God's righteousness in Christ Jesus our great Redeemer:
"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
Romans 4:1:9 speaks of Jesus' divine righteousness:
"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.   For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.  Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness."
Titus 3:4-8 speaks of God's divine grace:
"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men."
John 1:12-13 declares the sheer grace of God:
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Who would leave the Christian faith for Romanism understanding and comprehending these great divine truths of divine Scripture.   No one who truly understands these things would convert to Romanism or be a Roman Catholic priest.  Luther was right to leave and separate himself from it.  For I declare the divine truth of divine Scripture in Galatians 2:20,
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."