Imputed righteousness refers to the righteousness of Christ being credited to believers by faith, not based on their own works.
Imputed righteousness is a cornerstone of Reformed theology, emphasizing that believers are declared righteous before God due to Christ's perfect obedience and sacrifice. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21, 'For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.' This means that when one believes in Christ, their sins are transferred to Him, and in return, His righteousness is attributed to them. This is foundational because it highlights that salvation is by grace through faith, demonstrating God's mercy and love in justifying the ungodly without works, as affirmed in Ephesians 2:8-9.
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