There is a doctrine that is quite popular in many Christian denominations, the doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Rightly understood and presented this doctrine is one of the most glorious and awesome doctrines in the whole Bible. But when misunderstood and perverted this doctrine can spell eternal death to all those who believe and accept it.
Simply stated this doctrine teaches us that in lieu of our sinfulness and alienation from God upon our surrender to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior the merits of Christ’s perfect sinless life is credited to us. God the Father then sees the believer as totally pure, holy and righteous without any taint of sin. Full fellowship with Him is then possible. But, as with every other profound truth of scripture, Satan has perverted and corrupted this doctrine. Satan’s clever counterfeit doctrine of Christ’s imputed righteousness assures the believer that this imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ extends throughout the believer’s life, at all times and in every circumstance. Thus, God always sees the believer as righteous and pure even if that believer is a liar, a thief, an adulterer or worse!
Those who accept and believe Satan’s counterfeit doctrine are playing with fire, the Gehenna fire of hell! The Most High God of glory is then viewed as a God who winks at sin. He supposedly permits His sons and daughters to live life as they please for the most part. A holy life is not expected of them or commanded by God as He already sees them as holy, righteous and pure regardless of how sinful they might be. And that,my friend, is a doctrine of demons.
The scriptures clearly state that fully surrendered believers are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation (Greek, hilasterion, pronounced hil-as-TAY’-ree-on, “atonement”) through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, through the forbearance of God” (See Romans 3:24-25). Yes, Christ’s shed blood is accredited to us in lieu of our PAST sins. God does not forgive future sins on credit. If all our future sins are wiped out from the moment we surrender to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then one could become a rapist, a serial killer, or even an apostate and still be viewed by God as holy, righteous and pure! How absurd! Some might argue, “Well, a truly converted believer would never be guilty of rape, or murder or become an apostate.” Does that mean a believer would never tell a lie, or shoplift some small item? Sin is sin. Any sin brings defilement.
Those who say God does not see a believer’s sin or sees even a sinful believer as holy and pure show forth their profound ignorance of God’s word. When Ananias and his wife Sapphira lied to Peter as to the price of a piece of land they had sold God saw two liars and struck them dead on the spot. (See Acts 5:1-11). When Jesus looked upon the seven congregations of Asia Minor He saw their sin and uncleanness and rebuked them for it, commanding five of the seven to repent! (See Revelation chapters 2 and 3).
Why would God command believers, “Be ye holy, for I am holy” if He already sees us as holy and if the holiness and purity of Jesus Christ has already been shed upon us or imparted to us? (See 1 Peter 1:15-16).
Friends, you better wake up lest you stand before your Lord at the judgment only to hear Him say “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity!” God help you to understand.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley