3. God (a) does not impute the sin of Adam to his children, nor (b) does He impute the righteousness of Christ to a Christian.

(a) In Ezekiel 18, God clearly teaches that a man dies for his own sin, not his father's; and that it would be wholly unrighteous to blame one man for the sin of another. (II Chr. 25:3‑4.)

(b) Neither is the righteousness of Christ imputed to anyone; it is Christ's death which is imputed, suffered on our behalf. The moral perfection of Christ cannot be imputed to anyone; but it is imparted as we obey Him. Each man will receive the reward of his own deeds. (II Cor. 3:18, 5:10.)

N.B. The Greek word dikaiosune has two meanings: (a) Justification when brought to trial by the Law; this can take place in two ways; 1. The evidence shows you not guilty; and you are discharged; 2. The evidence shows you guilty, but you. or someone else, pay the penalty. Thus the convict who has done his time is "justified" and no longer a convict: it is libellous to speak of him as such! (b) A moral character which deserves praise because, so far from breaking the Law, it goes the "second mile."

"(a)2" is the condition of the sinner when saved; he is "freed from the Law." But God wants him to live so that he becomes "(b)" and is "saved with glory." (II Tim. 2:10, I Peter 1:17, Heb. 2:10.)

4. It is not true that God is angry with us, for our "fallen nature", and would be justified in condemning us to Hell for it. Out of this slander upon the justice of God has arisen the erroneous practice of Infant Baptism, which is an attempt to counter the supposed danger by means of Baptismal regeneration. If it were true that we were so born that sin is inevitable, not only would repentance be impossible, but we should have a perfect excuse for our sin, and could not possibly feel guilty. Historically and practically the doctrine that sin is inevitable always leads to this very frame of mind, an acquiescence in it as a regrettable necessity: humanum est errare! God, of course, could not and does not, condemn us for what we cannot avoid; neither could men repent of actions which were forced