Alien Righteousness?

197 Pages·2015·5.99 MB·English

¯ˉTitle
 Page

Alien
 Righteousness?

A Re-examination Of The Idea That Believers Are
Clothed In The Righteousness Of Christ

Roderick Graciano

And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean;
for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Revelation 19.8
i
Copyright
 Notices

King James Version of the English Bible, © 1997 by the Online Bible Foundation
and Woodside Fellowship of Ontario, Canada.
The New American Standard Bible, © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
The Holy Bible: New International Version, © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International
Bible Society.
The New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
All Scripture citations are from The New American Standard Bible, ©
1995 by The Lockman Foundation, (abbreviated NAU in the narrative) unless
otherwise noted. Other versions are normally identified in superscript
abbreviation at the verse citation. Because The New American Standard
Bible uses italics to identify words and phrases that are not in the original
language text, emphasis is occasionally added in this work by using bold
type.
Permission

Permission is hereby given to quote, copy and distribute all or a portion of
Alien Righteousness? so long as no portion of it is sold nor used in a work
that is for sale, and so long as the author is credited along with
www.timothyministries.info as the source, and 2011 is indicated as the
copyright date. Any use of all or part of Alien Righteousness? in a work or
collection involving, or sold for, a monetary charge requires the express
permission of the author who can be contacted at [email protected] .

ii
Dedication

To the glory of our Kinsman-Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In appreciation of R. C. Sproul, John Piper and Wayne Grudem, three of my
favorite contemporary theologians, men whose hearts are wholly dedicated to
the glory of Jesus, and whose teachings and writings have the clarity that
makes them wonderfully amenable to testing by the scriptures. And in
recognition of N. T. Wright for his part in rocking the theological boat and
confirming our need to resubmit our Evangelical presuppositions about
justification to the lens of holy writ.

In
 Memory
 Of

George Eldon Ladd
who first drew my attention to the relational aspect of righteousness
through his book, A Theology Of The New Testament.

iii
Acknowledgements

I offer a special thank you to my longsuffering wife, Kaaren Joy; not a football
widow, but often a “writer’s widow.” I also wish to express my deep
appreciation to the handful of friends, particularly to Rob Firman, Jeff Reed
and Sally Sternard, who proofread the draft of this book and helped me make
dozens of corrections and improvements. Finally, to all the friends of Timothy
Ministries who make my research, writing and teaching possible, I offer my
heartfelt gratitude with the prayer that God will return the blessing to you a
hundredfold.

iv
Table
 of
 Contents

ABBREVIATIONS
 .....................................................................................
 VII

PRONUNCIATION
 GUIDE
 ...........................................................................
 X

PREFACE
 ..................................................................................................
 XI

SYNOPSIS
 .................................................................................................
 1

SOME
 IMPORTANT
 DEFINITIONS
 ..............................................................
 5

THE
 DOCTRINE
 OF
 ALIEN
 RIGHTEOUSNESS
 AS
 CURRENTLY
 TAUGHT
 .........
 9

1.
  JUSTIFICATION IS BASED UPON WORKS (ETHICAL PERFECTION). 9

2.
  JUSTIFICATION BY OUR OWN WORKS IS IMPOSSIBLE. 10

3.
  AS OUR FEDERAL HEAD, JESUS WAS ALSO OUR ETHICAL REPRESENTATIVE. 10

4.
  OUR SINS WERE IMPUTED TO CHRIST. 11

5.
  CHRIST’S DEATH AND RIGHTEOUS LIFE ARE IMPUTED TO THE BELIEVER. 12

6.
  GOD DECLARES THE SINNER JUDICIALLY NOT ETHICALLY RIGHTEOUS. 15

7.
  NEITHER FAITH NOR GOOD WORKS HAVE INTRINSIC WORTH BEFORE GOD. 17

SUMMARY OF THE DOCTRINE OF ALIEN RIGHTEOUSNESS 18

ARGUMENTS
 FOR
 THE
 DOCTRINE
 OF
 ALIEN
 RIGHTEOUSNESS
 .................
 21

1. GOD OBLIGATES US TO BE ETHICALLY PERFECT AS WE COME TO HIM. 21

2. JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS ARE NECESSARILY FORENSIC. 22

3. JUSTIFICATION HAS TO DO WITH DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE. 23

4. JUSTIFICATION CANNOT OCCUR BY INFUSED RIGHTEOUSNESS. 23

5. OUR SINS WERE IMPUTED TO CHRIST. 25

6. SCRIPTURE TEACHES IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. 27

7. PAUL HAD A RIGHTEOUSNESS NOT HIS OWN. 28

8. BELIEVERS ARE “IN CHRIST.” 28

9. IMPUTED GUILT IMPLIES IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. 30

10. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS GIVEN TO ALL WHO BELIEVE. 31

MORE ARGUMENTS FOR THE IMPUTATION OF CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS 32

PROBLEMS
 WITH
 THE
 DOCTRINE
 OF
 ALIEN
 RIGHTEOUSNESS
 ..................
 35

10. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS HIS OWN ATTRIBUTE AND ACTION. 35

9. ROMANS 5.12-19 IS INADEQUATE AS IMPUTATION’S PROOF TEXT. 44

v
8. “IN CHRIST” REFERS TO FAMILIAL SOLIDARITY. 47

7. SCRIPTURE TEACHES THE PURSUIT OF PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS. 58

6. IMPUTATION OF CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IS A REFORMATION NOVELTY. 71

5. SIN-BEARING REQUIRES NO IMPUTATION. 80

4. IMPUTATION VS. INFUSION IS A FALSE DILEMMA. 85

3. DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE AWAITS THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 99

2. JUSTIFICATION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS ARE RELATIONAL. 103

1. CHRIST CALLS US TO BE PERFECT AFTER WE COME TO HIM. 105

PORTRAYING GOD AS SELF-DELUDING PRESENTS AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM. 109

WHAT
 SCRIPTURE
 TELLS
 US
 EXPLICITLY
 .................................................
 123

ADAM’S DISOBEDIENCE BROUGHT UNIVERSAL SIN AND DEATH TO MANKIND. 123

THERE ARE RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE, NEVERTHELESS! 125

NOW THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD HAS BEEN REVEALED. 127

GOD IS THE ONE WHO JUSTIFIES. 130

WHAT THEN IS JUSTIFICATION? 133

CONCLUSION
 ........................................................................................
 135

1.
  JUSTIFICATION IS BASED UPON FAITH, NOT WORKS. 135

2.
  JUSTIFICATION BY OUR OWN WORKS IS IMPOSSIBLE. 135

3.
  AS OUR KINSMAN REDEEMER, JESUS INTERVENED AS OUR SUBSTITUTE. 135

4.
  CHRIST BORE THE SINS OF MANY. 136

5.
  IN CHRIST, WE HAVE BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD. 136

6.
  GOD RECEIVES THE REPENTANT BELIEVER AS FACTUALLY RIGHTEOUS. 136

7.
  GOD HIGHLY VALUES OUR FAITH AND SUBSEQUENT GOOD WORKS. 137

EPILOGUE
 .............................................................................................
 139

THE GLORY OF GOD IS AT STAKE. 139

THE HEALTH OF BELIEVERS IS AT STAKE. 141

WHY HAS THE DOCTRINE OF ALIEN RIGHTEOUSNESS PERSISTED? 143

GLOSSARY
 ............................................................................................
 145

BIOGRAPHICAL
 NOTES
 ..........................................................................
 157

SCRIPTURE
 INDEX
 .................................................................................
 167

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 .....................................................................................
 175

APPENDICES
 .........................................................................................
 181

vi
Abbreviations

Abbreviations
 For
 Bible
 Versions

CJB Complete Jewish Bible, © 1988 by David H. Stern.
CSB Holman Christian Standard Bible, © 2003 by Holman Bible
Publishers.
ESV The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, © 2001, 2007 by
Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
GNT The Greek New Testament, 4th Edition, © 1975 by the United Bible
Societies.
KJV King James Version of the English Bible, © 1997 by the Online
Bible Foundation and Woodside Fellowship of Ontario, Canada.
LXX The Septuagint (ancient Greek version of the OT)
NAS The New American Standard Bible, © 1977 by The Lockman
Foundation.
NAU The New American Standard Bible, © 1995 by The Lockman
Foundation.
NIrV The Holy Bible: The New International Readers
Version, © 2010 by Zondervan.
NIVO The Holy Bible: New International Version, © 1984 by
International Bible Society.
NKJV The New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
NLT Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Second Edition, © 2004 by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
RSV Revised Standard Version of the Bible, © 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of
Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
VUL The Vulgate (ancient Latin version of the Bible).

vii
Abbreviations
 For
 Bible
 Books

1Ch 1 Chronicles
Jam James
1Co 1 Corinthians
Jdg Judges
1Jo 1 John
Jer Jeremiah
1Ki 1 Kings
Job Job
1Pe 1 Peter
Joe Joel
1Sa 1 Samuel
Joh John
1Th 1 Thessalonians
Jon Jonah
1Ti 1 Timothy
Jos Joshua
2Ch 2 Chronicles
Jude Jude
2Co 2 Corinthians
Lam Lamentations
2Jo 2 John
Lev Leviticus
2Ki 2Kings
Luk Luke
2Pe 2 Peter
Mal Malachi
2Sa 2 Samuel
Mar Mark
2Th 2 Thessalonians
Mat Matthew
2Ti 2 Timothy
Mic Micah
3Jo 3 John
Nah Nahum
Act Acts
Neh Nehemiah
Amo Amos
Num Numbers
Col Colossians
Oba Obadiah
Dan Daniel
Phil Philippians
Deut Deuteronomy
Phm Philemon
Ecc Ecclesiastes
Pro Proverbs
Eph Ephesians
Psa Psalms
Est Esther
Rev Revelation
Ex Exodus
Rom Romans
Eze Ezekiel
Rut Ruth
Ezr Ezra
Song The Song of Solomon
Gal Galatians
Tit Titus
Gen Genesis
Zec Zechariah
Hab Habakkuk
Zep Zephaniah
Hag Haggai

Heb Hebrews

Hos Hosea

Isa Isaiah

vi ii
Bibliographic
 Abbreviations

ACCOS Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture
Diog Epistle To Diognetus
NT New Testament
OT Old Testament
Sir Wisdom Of Ben Sira, aka The Book Of Sirach
TDNT Theological Dictionary Of The New Testament
TDNTA Theological Dictionary Of The New Testament: Abridged In One
Volume
Miscellaneous
 Abbreviations

Ch. Chapter
et al and others
Grk Greek
Heb Hebrew
Ibid. in the same place
Ms, Mss Manuscript, Manuscripts
op cit in the work cited
V., vv. Verse, verses

Words and phrases in blue are terms that appear in the Abbreviations lists,
the section on “Some Important Definitions” (p. 5), the Glossary (p. 145),
or the Biographical Notes (p. 175).

ix
Pronunciation
 Guide

For Greek and Hebrew words in this work I have provided a phonetic
pronunciation after the word in its original form. For vowels, follow this key:

ä = a as in Father.
ā = a as in fate.
ă = a as in cat.
ē = e as in feet.
ĕ = e as in bet.
ə = a as in among.
ī = i as in bite.
ĭ = i as in bin.
ō = o as in vote.
ŏ = o as in lot.
ū = u as in cute.
ü = u as in blue.

The sound of consonants in the pronunciations should generally be
self-evident, but note that in neither Greek nor Hebrew do we find the sound
of ch as in chew. Rather, when ch is given in a pronunciation, it should be
sounded as a guttural k as in Bach.
The accented syllable in the pronunciations will be marked with a
preceding mark like this: ˈ .

x