Foundations For Your Faith Lesson 2 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NIV The Imputation of a Divine Righteousness Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 carefully, several times, and then answer the following questions from the verses as noted. 5:17 In Christ is one of Paul s favorite expressions. What does it mean to be in Christ? Look up 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 What does in Adam mean here? What does in Christ mean here? How does one get in Adam and in Christ? What does it mean that the one in Christ is a new creation? List at least 5 things included in the new has come for you as a believer. 5:18 Who is the source of salvation? Define the word reconcile. Is it correct to say God reconciled Himself to man? Why? 5:19 What does not counting our sins mean? (KJV says not imputing ) How can God remain a righteous Judge, and not count our sins against us when we have actually done them, and the punishment is certainly due. Does this mean that God overlooks our sins? Does He pretend we aren t guilty? 5:21 Put the word sin and righteousness on the diagram below. The diagram is a graphic way to understand verse 21. (Memorize this verse) Jesus Christ as He is in Himself The Sinner as he is in himself IMPUTATION Jesus Christ on the cross The Believing Sinner in Christ
Quiz on Lesson 2 Foundations for Your Faith 1. True or False We are put in Adam as soon as we commit our first sin? 2. True or False God reconciled Himself to man 3. 2 Corinthians 5:21 describes a double imputation. Describe both. 4. When did each of these imputations takes place? a. b. 5. Fill in the biblical word for the theological definition below. Falling short of the glory of God That which demands the payment of death The noun which refers to the payment itself The term which refers to the action of paying The acceptance or satisfaction brought about by the payment The transferal of the payment to one s account The clearing of the account as paid in full Agreement restored between the offended party and the offender
Teacher s Guide Foundations For Your Faith Lesson 2 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 The imputation of a Divine Righteousness Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 carefully, several times, and then answer the following questions from the verses as noted. 5:17 In Christ is one of Paul s favorite expressions. What does it mean to be in Christ? To be positionally located in Christ so that God sees me in vital, living relationship with Him. When God sees me, He sees me in Christ therefore He sees me as being holy and righteous. Ephesians Chapter 1; the concept in Christ is used in about 16 times. Romans 8:1 all of our glorious salvation experience is wrapped up in this idea Look up 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 What does in Adam mean here? There are three kinds of death: Physical, Spiritual, and Eternal (2 nd death) I take my position in the human race as directly located within the realm of Adamness. All that constitutes Adamness belongs to me by inheritance. Adam passed down to me a sinful nature, condemnation, spiritual death, blindness, rebellion, condemnation. I cannot escape my connection to Adam since I am in him just by the reality of being human. What does in Christ mean here? I take my position as a child of God as directly located within the realm of belonging to and being included in Christ. All that constitutes in Christness belongs to me by inheritance. Christ gives to me a new nature, justification, spiritual life, sight, humility, salvation. I cannot be seen as anything other than in Christ because of the reality of the New Birth and the Work of the Holy Spirit connecting me to Christ as my salvation. How does one get in Adam and in Christ? Think of it in birth terms I get in Adam at the moment of conception to be human is to be in Adam for all mortals. Christ became human without being in Adam: by bypassing the Adamic seed through the miracle of the virgin conception. (Romans 5:10-12) I get in Christ through the miracle of the New Birth.
Make a list from Romans 5:12-20 and see our old and new inheritance ADAM CHRIST Physical life Spiritual life Old Nature New Nature Sin Righteousness Death Eternal Life Guilt Forgiveness Shame Confidence Condemnation Justification Hell Heaven What does it mean that the one in Christ is a new creation? I was an old creation, corrupted by the fall of Adam, born into this world. But being in Christ, I am not the same anymore. I am changed. I am created new, a new creation by God s own direct and sovereign act of regeneration. Generate to create, to give life to Regenerate to create anew, to life to again List at least 5 things included in the new has come for you as a believer. New Life new creation Romans 8:1-2; Galatians 6:1 New Birth John 3:3-6 New Family Ephesians 2:15 New Nature, purpose Ephesians 4:24 New Power Phil. 4:13 New Authority Col. 3:10; 2 Timothy 3:16 New Battle 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 New Name Rev. 2:17 New Guest 1 Cor. 6:19-20 New Home John 14:1-6 New Destination Romans 8:29-30 5:18 Who is the source of salvation? GOD, and GOD alone Jonah 2:9 - "salvation is of the Lord." 1 Cor. 1:30; John 1:12-13 We are the recipients of the Message and Ministry of reconciliation, but not the Means of reconciliation. (Reconciliation is of God ) Define the word reconcile. To remove the hostility between enemies and restore agreement. To bring opposing parties back into harmony. Is it correct to say God reconciled Himself to man? NO. Why? Reconcile indicates movement parties moving back to a middle point of agreement. But God never moved in the first place. God has no need to move, to compromise His standards, or to apologize for wrongdoing. God cannot take any blame. The blame belongs totally on man. Man couldn t remove either the sin or his
own antagonistic and rebellious nature. So God did what only He could do. He, on His own, removed the debt of sin, paid the price, accepted the penalty He himself would pay through His son, and then send the Spirit to change the hearts of men and draw them to Himself in the New Birth through the gospel. IT IS ALL OF GOD! You and I did not come to God for salvation because we were smarter, more reasonable, nicer and more broadminded sinners! No! We came to God because God reconciled us, God created us anew; God gave us life, repentance, faith and reconciliation. 5:19 What does not counting our sins mean? (KJV says not imputing ) God did not charge our sins to our account and demand from us the payment. How can God remain a righteous Judge, and not count our sins against us when we have actually done them, and the punishment is certainly due. Because He paid for the sins through His Son. The debt has been paid. The punishment has been meted out. Nothing has been left undone according to the perfect righteousness and justice of God. What does "imputing" mean? To place into the account of another. Do you have an imputation card? (Credit Card) Ex. Val needed a coat. Her father gave her his credit card and told her to purchase, to his account, the coat that she wanted. Who got the coat? Who got the bill? Why? Imputed! And he paid it! 3 imputations: 1) The sin of Adam is imputed to his posterity. Rom. 5:12-14 2) The sin of man is imputed to Christ. 2 Cor. 5:21 3) The righteousness of God imputed to believers. 2 Cor. 5:21 Does this mean that God overlooks our sins? NO! He put every last one of them on His blessed, holy Son. Does He pretend we aren t guilty? NO! He actually and truly imputes the perfect righteousness of His Son to us so that we are truly cleansed, truly forgiven, truly absolved, truly declared righteous with a righteousness He gives to us.
5:21 Put the words sin and righteousness on the diagram below. The diagram is a graphic way to understand verse 21. (Memorize this verse) Righteousness Jesus Christ as He is in Himself Sin The Sinner as he is in himself IMPUTATION Sin Jesus Christ on the cross Righteousness The Believing Sinner in Christ God remains just in that He demands a penalty for sin, and that penalty was satisfied in His Son Jesus Christ on the cross. On this basis, He transfers my sin to the account of Christ and transfers the righteousness of Christ to my account. The debt has been paid and I am declared righteous by God Himself. God never overlooked or ignored a sin John 19:30 - Tetelistai, "It is finished" Col. 2:13-15 When did these imputations take place? 1) My sin was imputed to Jesus Christ on the Cross, at the cross 2) His righteousness was imputed to me at the moment that I believed. What God plans for in eternity must take place in time! KEY Definitions: SIN LAW RANSOM Falling short of the glory of God That which demands the payment of death The noun which refers to the payment itself REDEEM The term which refers to the action of paying PROPITIATION IMPUTATION JUSTIFICATION RECONCILIATION The acceptance or satisfaction brought about by the payment The transferal of the payment to one s account The clearing of the account as paid in full Agreement restored between the offended party and the offender