Why is the imputation of righteousness important?

The imputation of righteousness, as described in Romans 4, emphasizes that believers are accounted righteous before God not by their own works but through faith in Jesus Christ. In the account of the demoniac, after his encounter with Christ, he is seen clothed and in his right mind, symbolizing the transformation that occurs when righteousness is imputed to a sinner. This doctrine assures believers that their standing before God is secure because it rests on Christ's perfect obedience rather than their imperfect efforts.