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Imputed Righteousness and Justification by Faith Relationship

Imputed righteousness and justification by faith are closely related theological concepts, particularly prominent in Protestant theology, which describe how individuals are declared righteous before God. Justification is understood as a forensic act of God, where he pardons sins and accounts believers as righteous, treating them as if they had conformed to all legal demands [2]. This is not a relaxation of the law but a declaration that its claims are satisfied [2].

The concept of imputed righteousness is central to understanding justification by faith. Imputation refers to reckoning an action, word, or thing to a person [3]. In this context, it means that the righteousness of Christ is attributed to believers, considered their own [3]. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans that the "righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" (Romans 1:17, Geneva 1599) and that believers are "made the righteousness of God, in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:21) [1, 4]. This righteousness is described as "the righteousness of faith" and "the righteousness of God, without the law," received "by faith in Christ" (Romans 3:21-22, 4:13, 9:30, 10:6) [1]. Christ is seen as the "end of the law for righteousness" (Romans 10:4) and is called "THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jeremiah 23:6) [1].

Different Christian traditions articulate the relationship between imputed righteousness and justification by faith in distinct ways.

In Protestant traditions, particularly Lutheran and Reformed theology, justification is understood as God's declaration that a sinner is righteous, not based on their own inherent goodness or works, but solely on the basis of Christ's righteousness imputed to them through faith [6, 7]. The Augsburg Confession states that people "are justified freely for Christ's sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ's sake" [6]. John Calvin, a key figure in Reformed theology, also emphasized justification by faith [8]. This perspective sees faith as the instrument through which Christ's righteousness is received, rather than faith itself being the meritorious cause [5]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, notes that Abraham's faith in the coming Savior was "reckoned to him for justification," emphasizing that it was not his own righteousness but his fiducial reliance on God that was accounted [11, 12].

Catholic theology, as articulated by the Council of Trent, views justification as a process that involves both God's grace and human cooperation, leading to an inner renewal and sanctification, not merely an external declaration [10]. While acknowledging the necessity of God's grace, it emphasizes that justification makes a person truly righteous, rather than simply declaring them so [10]. Thomas Aquinas, a foundational Catholic scholastic theologian, discussed the necessity of grace for righteous living, stating that it heals corrupted human nature and enables meritorious deeds [13].

Eastern Orthodox theology generally emphasizes the concept of theosis or deification, where believers progressively become more like God through participation in divine life, rather than focusing on a forensic declaration of righteousness [9]. While acknowledging forgiveness of sins, the emphasis is on spiritual transformation and growth in holiness.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness Imputed — Predicted -- Isa 56:1; Eze 16:14. Revealed in the gospel -- Ro 1:17. Is of the Lord -- Isa 54:17. Described as The righteousness of faith. -- Ro 4:13; 9:30; 10:6. The righteousness of God, without the law. -- Ro 3:21. The righteousness of God by faith in Christ. -- Ro 3:22. Christ being made righteousness to us. -- 1Co 1:30. Our being made the righteousness of God, in Christ. -- 2Co 5:21. Christ is the end of the law for -- Ro 10:4. Christ called THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS -- Jer 23:6. Christ brings in an everlasting righteousness -- Da 9:2”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justification — A forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardon (q.v.) of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; an”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Imputation — Is used to designate any action or word or thing as reckoned to a person. Thus in doctrinal language (1) the sin of Adam is imputed to all his descendants, i.e., it is reckoned as theirs, and they are dealt with therefore as guilty; (2) the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that believe in him, or so attributed to them as to be considered their own; and (3) our sins are imputed to Christ, i.e., he assumed our "law-place," undertook to answer the demands of justice for our sins. In all these cases the nature of imputation is the same (Rom. 5:12-1”
  4. Romans “Romans 1:17 (Geneva1599) — For by it the righteousnesse of God is reueiled from faith to faith: as it is written, The iust shall liue by faith.”
  5. Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 4:16: Therefore, &c.--A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith--whether of his natural seed or no--may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer."”
  6. Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article IV. Of Justification.: Article IV. Of Justification.”
  7. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), 11.Of Justification.: 11.Of Justification.”
  8. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:2 1:26 1:27 1:31 2:7 2:7 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:23 3:7 3:9 3:12 3:15 3:15 3:15 3:22 4:4 4:7 4:10 4:13 6:3 6:5 6:6 6:18 7:21 8:21 9:6 12:12 12:17 14:18 14:18 15:1 15:1 15:5 15:17 16:9 17:7 17:7 17:10 17:10 17:13 17:15 17:27 18:2 18:23 20:3 20:7 21:1 21:12 21:24 22:1 22:8 22:16-18 23:4 23:19 24:7 24:10 26:27 27:28 27:38-39 28:12 28:20 29 30:2 31:19 31:20 31:40-41 32 32:10 32:13 32:29-30 33 34 36:22 37:18 37:28 37:33 38:18 42 43 43:14 45:5 47:9 47:9 47:29-30 48:14 48:16 49:5-6 49:18 Exodus 2:12 3:2 3”
  9. CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 105: 9:5 9:5 9:5 9:19 9:21 9:21 10:4 10:4 10:6-9 10:13-21 10:17 11:8 11:25-27 11:28 11:32 11:33-36 11:36 11:36 11:36 12:3 12:13 15:10 15:12 16:25-27 1 Corinthians 1:9 1:10 1:17-25 1:20 1:20-25 1:23 1:23 1:23-24 1:24 1:24 1:24 1:27 1:27 2:2 2:7-8 2:8 2:8 2:8 2:10-11 2:11 2:12 2:12 2:14-15 3:8 3:8 3:16 3:17 3:19 7:2 7:25 7:31 8 8:5 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:6 8:7 10:1 10:17 10:31 11:2 11:24-26 11:29 11:31-32 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:3 12:4-7 12:4-11 12:5-6 12:5-6 12:8 12:8 12:8-10 12:11 12:12 12:24 13:10 14:32 14:37 15:3-4 15:16-17 15:20 15:2”
  10. Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent on Justification (Catholic) “Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent on Justification (Catholic, 1547), « Prev The Decree of Pope Pius IX. on the Immaculate… Next » 211: « Prev The Decree of Pope Pius IX. on the Immaculate… Next » 211”
  11. Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 4:22: And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness - The verse is thus paraphrased by Dr. Taylor: "For which reason God was graciously pleased to place his faith to his account; and to allow his fiducial reliance upon the Divine goodness, power, and faithfulness, for a title to the Divine blessing, which, otherwise, having been an idolater, he had no right to." Abraham's strong faith in the promise of the coming Savior, for this was essential to his faith, was reckoned to him for justification: for it is not said that any righteousness, either his own, or that of”
  12. Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 4:22: And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness - The verse is thus paraphrased by Dr. Taylor: "For which reason God was graciously pleased to place his faith to his account; and to allow his fiducial reliance upon the Divine goodness, power, and faithfulness, for a title to the Divine blessing, which, otherwise, having been an idolater, he had no right to." Abraham's strong faith in the promise of the coming Savior, for this was essential to his faith, was reckoned to him for justification: for it is not said that any righteousness, either his own, or that of”
  13. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Necessity of Grace, Art. 9: Article: Whether one who has already obtained grace, can, of himself and without further help of grace, do good and avoid sin? I answer that, As stated above (Article [5]), in order to live righteously a man needs a twofold help of God---first, a habitual gift whereby corrupted human nature is healed, and after being healed is lifted up so as to work deeds meritoriously of everlasting life, which exceed the capability of nature. Secondly, man needs the help of grace in order to be move”
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