Imputed or Infused - so what?

[Gotterdammerung]

So who cares whether righteousness is imputed or infused? I don't think the average joe christian in any age really tripped over whether he had imputed or infused righteousness. So, why do theologians agonize over this? According to RC Sproul in his book "Getting the Gospel Right", evangelicals and Catholics really don't agree. So what? Reformers say it's either/or, why not both/and???

[Frumanchu]

Matters of doctrine invariably work their way out into everyday Christian life and belief. It is very important sometimes to understand why we believe what we believe, and why a particular view that may "seem right" in fact is not.

We are not saved by our doctrine, but rather by our faith. Nevertheless, it is important to know what that faith is in. For instance, if you don't believe in the perfect sinlessness of Christ, you may not understand that you are actually denying that He was an acceptible sacrifice.

[Jack Armstrong]

Jam 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

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for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Rom 4:10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had yet] being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
Rom 4:12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which [he had] being [yet] uncircumcised.
Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

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So what? Reformers say it's either/or, why not both/and???

The matter of faith is the crux of my spiritual quest.
I am determined to seek what the truth of God's Holy Word is!
I think it does matter what the meaning of "IS-is!"
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Therefore Rom 4:14 - (12) For if they which are of the (k) law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

(12) A double confirmation of that reason: the one is that the promise cannot be apprehended by the law, and that if it could it would be made of no effect: the other, that the condition of faith would be joined in vain to the promise if it could be apprehended by works.

(k) If they are heirs who have fulfilled the law.

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im·pute ( P ) Pronunciation Key (m-pyt)
tr.v. im·put·ed, im·put·ing, im·putes
To relate to a particular cause or source; attribute the fault or responsibility to: imputed the rocket failure to a faulty gasket; kindly imputed my clumsiness to inexperience.
To assign as a characteristic; credit: the gracefulness so often imputed to cats. See Synonyms at attribute.

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in·fuse ( P ) Pronunciation Key (n-fyz)
tr.v. in·fused, in·fus·ing, in·fus·es
To put into or introduce as if by pouring: infused new vigor into the movement.
To fill or cause to be filled with something: infused them with a love of the land.
To steep or soak without boiling in order to extract soluble elements or active principles.
To flavor or scent (a liquid) by steeping ingredients in it: “He would infuse... vegetable oil with the pungent taste of scallions” (Nina Simonds).
To introduce (a solution) into the body through a vein for therapeutic purposes.

I see by definition that God imputes righteousness to those He finds faithful, He credits it to our account.
If He was to Infuse "righteousness" then He would be changing our very being into something we are NOT!
God is a gentleman, He allows us to have free will.
We (I) are not wind up dolls or robots for God to inject full of His perfection. By giving free will God then allows the cream to more or less come up to the top of the bottle!
I fore one am very serious about Just exactly what is written in the Bible .
You may go on and use what ever words you wish in you "version". I choose to find out what God intended & what God is attempting to teach me! In fact it may be the most important thing in my life!
Thank you for asking .
Jack Armstrong...the All American Boy!

[Frumanchu]

Jack, if you get a chance, read Sproul's Faith Along: The Evangelical Doctrine of Justification. It deals very specifically with the differences between the Reformed Protestant view of imputed righteousness and the Roman Catholic view of infused righteousness.

[Frumanchu]

Sorry, the title of the book is Faith Alone, not Faith "Along"