Again with the imputation of Active Obedience

This is a great calvinist statement, but it crystalizes my questions about how we explain the so-called “imputation of the active obedience of Christ.”  I’ll insert numbers.

We believe that Christ, by his obedience and death, fully discharged the debt of all those who are justified. By his sacrifice, he bore in our stead the punishment due us for our sins, making a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice on our behalf. By his perfect obedience he satisfied the just demands of God on our behalf, since by faith alone that perfect obedience is credited to all who trust in Christ alone for their acceptance with God.

OK, I have no doubt that Christ’s faithfulness through all his earthly life, and also his faithful rule at God’s right hand, is imputed to us.  It simply seems a consequence of Jesus’ headship.

But look at the “needs” that IAO is alleged to meet.  The first sentence above is fine, but the third sentence effectively cancels out the claim that Jesus, by his sacrifice “bore in our stead the punishment due us for our sins, making a proper, real, and full satisfaction to God’s justice on our behalf.”  No, according to the last sentence Christ death on the cross did not satisfy “the just demands of God on our behalf.”  On the contrary, that was only done when, in contrast with his sacrifice, Christ’s “perfect obedience is credited to all who trust in Christ alone for their acceptance with God.”

As I said, I don’t find it possible to conceive of Christ’s obedience not being imputed to believers. Paul is clear that Jesus was raised “for our justification,” and that resurrection was a verdict that Christ lived an utterly faithful life.  The fact of imputation of His active obedience is not in doubt.

But there has to be some way of explaining it that does not dethrone the cross of Jesus.  Reading that third sentence carefully, it makes Christ’s death a mystery.  If God’s “just demands” for sinners could be met by the imputation of “perfect obedience” then what was left over for His Death to satisfy?

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