Luther said, Christian righteousness is what God imputes to us apart from own works. Christian righteousness is passive righteousness while all others are active. If I tried to fulfill the law myself I couldn’t trust in what I’d accomplished, neither could it stand up to the judgment of God, but I rest only upon the righteousness of Christ which I do not produce but receive. God the Father freely gives it to me through Jesus Christ.
I don’t produce it, I receive it. It’s not active righteousness it’s passive. I receive it, I don’t develop it. It comes to me. Or as Richard Hooker said: "Such are we in the sight of God the Father as is the very Son of God himself. Let it be counted as folly or frenzy or furry whatsoever, this is our comfort, this is our wisdom we care for no knowledge in the world but this. That we have sinned and God has suffered, that God has made himself the sin of man that men were made the righteousness of God. What wonder what mystery in this appointment shine. My breaches of the law are his and his obedience is mine."
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