INCORPORATED RIGHTEOUSNESS: A RESPONSE TO RECENT EVANGELICAL DISCUSSION CONCERNING THE IMPUTATION OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IN JUSTIFICATION

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Jun 2004 by Bird, Michael F

Paul spells out this idea there: just as the verdict pronounced on Adam is shared by those who are "in Adam," so the verdict pronounced on Christ at the resurrection is shared by those who are "in him." It is because Christ is acknowledged as righteous that those who are "in him" are also reckoned to be righteous-and will be reckoned to be such on the Last Day.78

In sum, Romans 4 does not assert that one is justified because of the imputed righteousness of Christ or that God reckons faith as covenantal conformity. Instead, God regards faith as the condition of justification (reckons faith as righteousness) and justifies believers (credits righteousness) because of their union with Christ (raised for our justification).

2. Romans 5:18-19. The coming of Jesus Christ elicits an epochal transformation for believers who are no longer identified with the transgression and condemnation of the first Adam but with the righteousness and justification of the second Adam. The juxtaposition of Adam's sin and condemnation with God's gift, grace, righteousness, and life manifested in Jesus Christ dominates Rom 5:12-21 in particular. It is on Rom 5:18-19 that arguments for imputed righteousness largely depend.

In verse 18 Paul resumes the argument broken off in verse 12 concerning the contrast of the reign of the first and second Adam. In distinction to Adam's trespass and the ensuing condemnation, Christ's "act of righteousness" issues in "justifying life." The thought is repeated in different terms in verse 19 by contrasting Adam's disobedience and many being constituted as sinners with Christ's obedience and many being constituted as righteousness. Thus we are confronted with two sets of terms to explain: (1) Christ's "act of righteousness"79 and "obedience." Although some scholars contend that Christ's entire life of obedience to God is the referent, the contrast with "transgression" more readily suggests that Christ's obedience and submission to God in going to the cross are in view (cf. Phil 2:6-8; Heb 5:8).80 (2) The phrases "justifying life" and "many will be constituted as righteous" denote the saving effect of Christ's obedience. The [delta][iota][kappa][alpha][iota][omega][sigma][iota][nu] [zeta][omega][eta][final sigma] (lit. "justification of life") could be a genitive of result ("justification resulting in life")81 or epexegetical ("justification consisting of life").82 Here one should avoid either/ or equations, as both may be in mind.83 In the final reckoning, God's justifying verdict cannot be separated from its vivifying outcome (cf. Rom 1:17 [Hab 2:4; Gal 3:11]; 2:7; 4:17; 14:9). Hence, Paul speaks in 5:21 of "righteousness leading to eternal life." In Rom 5:19 the word [kappa][alpha][tau][alpha][sigma][tau][alpha][theta][eta][sigma][omicron][nu][tau][alpha][iota] ("will be constituted") is a real future as opposed to a logical future.84 Since 5:1-9, Paul has shifted his attention from the realized component of justification to its eschatological dimension. Based on usage in Matt 24:45, 47; Luke 12:14; Acts 6:3; 7:10; Titus 1:5, Piper opts for a meaning of "appointed" which then becomes tantamount to imputation.85 However, the word appears to be both forensic and refer to an actual state of affairs.86 As Schreiner comments, "One cannot separate the representative and constitutive roles of Adam and of Christ in these verses."87 Thus the forensic should not be overemphasized at the expense of the real change wrought at the terminus of the salvation event. The constitution has in mind, not the completion of sanctification in becoming morally righteous, but the eschatological re-constitution of humanity at the resurrection. As Seifrid argues, the resurrection of the ungodly comprises the incarnation of their justification. It is the formal enactment of that verdict in their own resurrection.88