• Righteousness Credit

  Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Nov 16, 2008 (message contributor)

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  Tags:  Justification

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RIGHTEOUSNESS CREDIT

The meltdown in world wide economic markets is seen by many economists over the issue of the sub-prime mortgage failure in the United States. Basically, it revolves around giving credit to those who did not deserve it.

You may have received in the mail those tantalizing notices of "Pre-approved Credit—Immediate Acceptance" as advertisements for charge cards. Someone is assuming your trustworthiness to pay your debts (plus a substantial interest fee), so they extend you credit.

The gospel, on the other hand, offers us "righteousness credit" based on Jesus Christ and his faithfulness. We have not earned this righteousness that is credited to our account, nor is it based on our weak or imperfect faith. It is by God crediting or imputing his righteousness to us that we are saved. If it weren’t for his imputation, our faith wouldn’t be enough to save us. When we feel our faith is small or weak, remember that Christ’s perfect faith saves us, not our own faith.

(SOURCE: Barton, B. B. (1994). Galatians. Life application Bible commentary (94). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.)