What is the difference between imputed and imparted righteousness?

What is the difference between imputed and imparted righteousness?

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From a grace perspective, how would you explain the difference between imputed righteousness and imparted righteousness?

12 Comments

  • Reply October 4, 2025

    Troy Day

    John Mushenhouse Here is a concise explanation Philip Williams would not know and Rasiah Thomas Kyle Williams MAY NOT understand BUT Neil Steven Lawrence gets it

    Imputed righteousness means that believers are counted as righteous by God because of Christ’s work; it is credited to their account by faith, not by their own actions (Romans 4:6).
    Imparted righteousness refers to the actual change in a person’s life by the Holy Spirit, where God’s grace enables believers to live righteously—showing ongoing transformation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

    In short:

    Imputed = Given to you, declared by God because of faith in Christ.

    Imparted = Lived out in you, shown by your actions and transformation through the Spirit.

    • Reply October 4, 2025

      Neil Steven Lawrence

      Troy Day that sounds similar to the sanctification concept of puntiliar and linear in the  believer being made holy. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us instantly at one point, but we as believers must remain in that sanctification throughout our lives.

      Because of the limitations of human language and the restrictions of time we need these words to describe God’s action and our responses. 

      • Reply October 4, 2025

        Philip Williams

        Neil Steven Lawrence who is sanctified who isn’t yet dead to himself and the world?

      • Reply October 4, 2025

        Neil Steven Lawrence

        Philip Williams while Pentecostals believe in an instantaneous work of grace for sanctification — there is the necessity of becoming mature and full in Christ that takes a process because of the flesh (sarx) which lingers until glorification.  Paul and Roman‘s chapter 7 is all about that. 

      • Reply October 7, 2025

        Pentecostal Theology

        Neil Steven Lawrence you cannot expect Philip Williams to know what we Pentecostals believe

    • Reply October 4, 2025

      John Mushenhouse

      Neil Steven Lawrence Not all pentecostals as AG & 4 square don’t. They go with Durhams finished work. That split the Azusa street revival over 100 years ago.

    • Reply October 4, 2025

      John Mushenhouse

      Neil Steven Lawrence Not all pentecostals as AG & 4 square don’t. They go with Durhams finished work. That split the Azusa street revival over 100 years ago.

  • Reply October 4, 2025

    Rasiah Thomas

    The imputed righteousness that God has approved our faith in Christ, and the other is our self-initiative to mingle with God without any help from the Holy Spirit.

    • Reply October 7, 2025

      Pentecostal Theology

      Rasiah Thomas as long is not amputated like Junior Beasley Kyle Williams + @isara mo and Philip Williams

  • Reply October 4, 2025

    Philip Williams

    Another false Reformed distinction!

  • Reply October 7, 2025

    Troy Day

    A helpful distinction! Imputed righteousness shows God’s grace in crediting Christ’s righteousness to us by faith—our standing before God changes. Imparted righteousness empowers us to actually live out that new life through the Holy Spirit—our hearts and actions change over time. Both are essential sides of the grace God freely gives: one declares us righteous, the other transforms us to become more like Christ.

  • Reply October 7, 2025

    Troy Day

    – The original post asks: *What is the difference between imputed and imparted righteousness?*
    – **Main clarifications:**
    – **Imputed righteousness** is described as God *counting believers as righteous* due to Christ’s work—*credited as a gift* by faith, not by personal merit.
    – **Imparted righteousness** is an *actual transformation* in a believer’s life, brought by the Holy Spirit, enabling them to *live righteously* and show ongoing change.
    – Easy summary given:
    – *Imputed = Declared by God through faith in Christ*
    – *Imparted = Shown in your actions through ongoing transformation by the Spirit*

    – **Further discussion:**
    – Some comments connect these to sanctification, pointing out that believers are *made holy instantly* but also must *remain in that sanctification* through life.
    – One participant critiques the distinction as a “false Reformed distinction.”
    – Another suggests “imputed” means God approves faith in Christ, while “imparted” incorrectly focuses on self-effort without the Spirit (which is rejected in the thread).
    – A commenter notes that not all Pentecostals interpret sanctification the same—some denominations have historic differences stemming from the Azusa Street revival.

    **Overall:**
    – The thread offers both **concise definitions** and **historic/diversity context** among Pentecostals for these theological terms, with the majority agreeing on the core meaning but noting interpretative differences and nuances.

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