Imputed Righteousness and Your Soul

There are essentially three ways that the doctrine of the imputations of Christ righteousness can be used to preach to the believers soul and cultivate and sustain a love for God and a focus on God. First, we need to move away from our subjective tendencies to listen to our feelings but instead look upward to behold Christ as our righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30) who has fulfilled all righteousness for us on our behalf (Rom. 5:19). As we focus on this reality by beholding Christ, we will be transformed and become more like Him (2 Cor. 3:18).
Second, we should identify our tendencies to be legalistic, self-righteous, and favor-seeking and put them to death by preaching the doctrine of imputed righteousness to ourselves (Phil. 3:8-9). Ultimately it is not what we do for God, but what God has done for us (2 Cor. 5:21). Our righteousness can never be associated with ourselves because it is Christ’s, given to us by a sheer sacrificial act of divine grace (1 Cor. 1:26-31). Also, when we try to seek the favor of others, especially God, we need to remind ourselves that God’s demeanor towards us will never shift because by faith we have been justified and received the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 8:31-39).
Third, we should speak the doctrine of imputed righteousness into our souls when Satan is trying to lead us to self-condemnation. If we find ourselves thinking that we are not saved because we can’t earn it, we should agree with that thought and say, “You’re right; I can’t earn it, but Christ has earned it and given me His righteousness” (5:12-19). If we find ourselves thinking that God looks down upon us with disappointment, we should dismiss it and tell ourselves that Christ bore the disfavor that God once had for us and He gave us His righteousness so that there is now no condemnation (Rom. 8:1).

Here is a video of Sinclair Ferguson talking about some of the glories of the doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ: