Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
Experiential righteousness is the expression of positional righteousness. Part 2.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Experiential righteousness will not be expressed unless imputed righteousness operates within the framework that God has designed.
God has designed righteousness to function in the environment of the PPOG, under the direction of BD and the power of the filling of the HS. Outside of this environment righteousness does not function.
JOH 15:5
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
ISA 45:8
Drip down, O heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness;
Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness spring up with it. I, the Lord, have created it.
ISA 45:9
“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker — An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth!Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?‘ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
When Abraham reached spiritual maturity and he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, though he may not have completely understood he did not quarrel with his master.
Divine good production (fruit) is the evidence of the existence of perfect righteousness in the believer, without which he can do nothing.
“justified” – present passive indicative of dikaioo = to keep on being vindicated. Abraham’s imputed righteousness was vindicated through the evidence of his divine good works.
“faith alone” – [in our context] the believer in time who has faith but without God as the object. Abraham believed God’s doctrines after salvation and it resulted in works because the object of his faith was God.
The object of faith for salvation is the living word. The object of faith after salvation is the written word, which results in much fruit.
2 Ti 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
ROM 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness,
God has called every one of His children to live in the righteousness that they share with Him, and just like +R produced works from God (cross), so it will produce works in His children.
Rom 4 is about positional +R. Jam 2 is about experiential +R. The later cannot exist without the former and God demands the later of His children.
ROM 6:16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin [OSN] resulting in death, or of obedience [BD] resulting in righteousness?
ROM 6:19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.
The fruit inspection here is legitimate when directed towards a person who comes to you as a so-called Christian [sheep’s clothing] but has an ulterior motive [ravenous wolf] to devour you.
Thus far in Rom 6, the implication cannot be avoided that, if unhindered, the sin nature, though judged, will assert its power in the mortal body leading to temporal death.
It is also implied that its reigning is not a necessity which it would be if it were unjudged, and likewise that the responsibility is now belonging to the Christian to “let it not reign,” resulting in experiential righteousness.
The whole merit system with its appeal to human works and arrogance as represented in law relationships has passed for the Christian, and those who employ this principle of walking in self-strength are defeated because of their inability to control the sin nature (7:1-25).
JOH 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
Because we are in union with Christ we share His life, eternal life; we share His righteousness, +R; we share His priesthood, we share His Sonship, His heirship, His destiny; His election, and His royalty.
Agape type love means a complete absence of mental attitude sins — no jealousy, no bitterness, no vindictiveness, etc. It is a relaxed mental attitude that comes from the F/HS.