Christians experience two types of righteousness: positional and experiential. Positional righteousness, granted through faith in Jesus, defines a believer's status before God. Experiential righteousness involves practical living consistent with this status, influenced by spiritual growth. Some Christians, however, fall into carnality, neglecting this righteousness and facing divine discipline, impairing their potential to glorify God.
Tag: God’s righteousness
Jesus’ Substitutionary Atonement in Salvation
Jesus’ atonement for sins is the basis for reconciliation, because God has judged our sins in the Person of Christ who died on the cross in our place. The death of Christ has forever satisfied God’s righteous demands for our sin and it is on this basis that He can accept sinners into heaven. The blood of Christ is the only coin in the heavenly realm that God accepts as payment for our sin-debt, and Christ paid our sin debt in full.
Theological Categories of God’s Justice
The righteousness of God refers to the intrinsic, immutable, moral perfection of God, from which He commands all things, in heaven and earth, and declares as good that which conforms to His righteousness and as evil that which deviates. The righteousness and the justice of God work together. Whatever God’s righteousness requires, His justice executes; either to approve or reject, to bless or condemn. The various theological categories of God’s righteousness include rectoral justice, retributive justice, remunerative justice, redemptive justice, and restorative justice.
A Dispensational View of God’s Righteousness
God is forever righteous and the expectation of righteous behavior from His people is a timeless truth. God’s righteousness is manifest in the laws He gives, and He always expects righteousness from His people.