I have been tossing around ideas circling the covenant of works and imputed righteousness for a long while. I have one question to ask? Are we imputed with Christ's merit of law keeping? And achieve positive righteousness/salvation by Christ fulfilling the Covenant of works for us. (Traditional view)
Or are we imputed His image, the very image of God, which is shown to be righteous by Christ's works in his life? This image is the image of new humanity and of God. The covenant of works could be considered the covenant of image bearing, which we then pass ourselves because of Christ already proven character which we share in likeness. Obedience/righteousness is seen as the result of having such in degree and promise (now) but completely when it is in fact (transfiguration and heaven).
Is imputation via imputed likeness to the source or via imputed results from the source? It is to say, "Is the quality of a Good tree or of Good fruits imputed?" Good trees will certain produce good fruits in due season. Good fruits come from Good trees. This is outside of original sin but still it has similarites there also. Guilty by union/likeness to Adam or by just the results of his sin. Is imputation symmetric on both ends.
For considering the image imputation we must also hold this:
"What we will be has not appeared but we know we shall be like Him. (Christ, when He changes us and creation like a garment.)
This is close to the already but not yet of scripture. It is also closer to Anselm on addressing Adam on what he owe God prior the fall. A debt of Honor opposed to strict legal obedience.
Let it be known that this imputation of an image remains just as forensic for the image is such to the person. The image of God can also be tied to existence of the spiritual nature of man. Yet, it does not deny indwelling sin or imperfection of that image.
Any thoughts to sway me a direction on this Theological dilemma? Some reformed sources are not the most precise. Especially in saying that when God sees us he sees Christ. Or other times it is Christ's merit. Since the judgments concur, these two are hard to separate in scripture from each other. They are not mutually exclusive lines of thought. I know one of these imputations occurs within substitutional double imputation. I have begun to lean towards image imputation rather than christ merit imputation. That might be just because of my prior favoring of understanding of Anselm's substitutionary atonement. It may also flow from my hatred of anything that is close to works righteousness of a law, even for Christ. I have looked into covenant of works for this reason and see little scriptural guidance there. Federal headship with its simplicity would likeness opposed to imputed results. I have played with this idea of separation of judging Good trees or Good fruits in other fields. They both bring different systematic baggage.
