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“Righteousness” is one of the most frequently used theological terms in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old, the Hebrew word “Sadiq” is most commonly found in classical literature as a legal phrase denoting innocence. Similarly the Greek word of the New Testament “Diakaisainos”, expresses the same thought. Both words are also sometimes used to describe the quality of one’s actions. “Righteousness” then, has both an active sense (with respect to out actions) and a passive sense (with respect to our state of innocence).
Here are some distinctions: Old Testament saints (ie. Abraham) could only be “imputed” or “credited” with passive righteousness. (See Romans 4:22-25). Their faith could get them credit as if they possessed a righteousness nature, but the Old Covenant could not perfect those who came to God, which is in contradistinction to the New Covenant. (See Hebrews 7:11, 19; 25).
When you come to Christ, you do not merely receive a forgiveness of sins; You are “born-anew” of the incorruptible Word of God, and receive in your spirit a new essence or nature akin to God. You are declared innocent (not merely forgiven) and you ontologically change from being at enmity with God by nature, to being an adopted child, fully accepted and loved.
Typical evangelicalism sees the believer in a similar position as Abraham, still being a sinner, yet having forgiveness and a “hollow” righteousness; a facade that God sees us through. The Bible however, says the we now partake of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4) and we are Justified by Christ’s blood.
Most evangelicals also see Christ’s salvific work returning us to the innocence of Adam. This too, however, falls short. Adam was still a man of the earth (Adam means earth). His essence was still “Adamic”. In Christ, our essence is from God, and we are truly God’s offspring, a position that Adam did not possess. The early church was very specific in the fact that Adam partook of God’s image, yet His likeness can only be born by those who share ontologically in God’s nature.
Many Christians don’t accept the idea that they possess a righteous nature because they still sin. Although our works generally flow from our nature, outward works do not always tell the exact truth about the inward nature. Sometimes those with a righteous spirit do, by reason of habit and human frailty, commit unrighteous acts. This however, does not undue a righteous essence or nature. Consider that an unregenerate, who possesses an unrighteous nature, can sometimes do a righteous act, yet that does not make their spirit righteous. They still do not possess passive righteousness or justification.
It is a confusion between the passive and active dimensions of righteousness, that causes confusion. A “legalist” understands righteousness primarily as active. Where the Bible says that we have “righteousness” through Christ, that would mean that by following Christ, we can try to act righteously.
A proper understanding sees passive righteousness freely given to the believer at the point of conversion, (salvation of the spirit) and that righteous spirit affecting the soul (cognitive abilities, thought-life, emotions) on a progressive basis, which is otherwise called “sanctification” or “the renewal of the mind”, (Romans 12:1,2). |
