What is impartation?

Answer

The term “impart” means “to give, convey, or grant.” Impartation, therefore, refers to the action of giving or granting something. In the Bible, spiritual gifts are given “For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;”, (Romans 1:11); wisdom is granted “The rod and reproof give wisdom: But a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”, (Proverbs 29:15); the message of the gospel is shared “so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.”, (1 Thessalonians 2:8); and material goods are distributed (Ephesians 4:28;1 Timothy 6:18). Some translations use the term “share” instead of “impart.” The Bible does not mention the impartation of righteousness.

Most evangelicals refer to righteousness as being imputed rather than imparted. To impute is to attribute something to another’s account. The imputation of righteousness is clearly explained in passages like Romans 4:3, which states, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (cf: Galatians 3:6;Romans 4:22). The “credit” or “reckoning” that Abraham received was an imputation. Imputation is closely connected to the process of justification. When a person is born again, the righteousness of Christ is credited to that individual’s account. The doctrine of double imputation asserts that simultaneously, the sinner’s

Sin is imputed to Christ’s account.

Roman Catholics refer to infused righteousness, which should not be mistaken for impartation or imputation. Infused righteousness, in Catholic theology, is gradually acquired by the believer through obedience, confession, penance, and the other sacraments. There is no biblical foundation for the concept of infused righteousness, which contradicts the scriptural teaching that justification is by faith alone and not by works «Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. », (Romans 3:28).

Imparted righteousness is a term predominantly used in Wesleyan and Methodist circles to describe sanctification. Impartation is viewed as distinct from imputation, although they complement each other. According to Wesley’s theology, we are justified when Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us; subsequently, we begin to be sanctified when God’s righteousness is imparted to us through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, enabling us to live in a holy manner. Some in the Wesleyan tradition suggest that this imparted righteousness can lead to sinless perfection.

Possible biblical support for the concept of imparted righteousness is found in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit,” and 2 Peter 1:4, which mentions how we “participate in the divine nature.” The notion is that imputed righteousness alters our position before God, and imparted righteousness transforms our nature even as we live in the flesh. The new nature that conflicts with the flesh (Roman 7:14-25) is the outcome of imparted righteousness, bestowed upon us by God.

In conclusion, the Bible unequivocally teaches imputed righteousness,

However, the concept of imparted righteousness is not as straightforward. When individuals accept Jesus Christ as their savior, they are given a new nature—one that values righteousness and leads to good deeds. Yet, claiming that they directly obtain righteousness may be overstating the matter.