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DOCTRINE OF THE THIRD HOPE AND SEVENTH IMPUTATION

A. Definition. The third hope is the mature believer’s confident assurance of the imputation of blessing and reward to his resurrection body at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The seventh imputation is the real imputation of eternal blessing and reward to the resurrection body.

B. The formula of the third hope and seventh imputation is X + Y + Z = the Good. X [ I/HL + I/AOS = P1 + Doctrine = Hope 1 ] + Y [ JI1 + JI2 = P2 + Doctrine = Hope 2 ] + Z [ I/EL + I/B/T = P3 + Doctrine + US = Hope 3 ] = the Good, the plan of God. Therefore, God works all of these things together for good.

C. There are three potentials.

1. The potential of salvation.

2. The potential of blessings in time.

3. The potential of blessings in eternity.

D. There are three hopes.

1. When a potential is combined with doctrine, it results in a hope. The fulfillment of one hope by an imputation results in the formation of a new hope.

2. Hope 1 is the confidence of salvation.

3. Hope 2 is the confidence of blessings in time.

4. Hope 3 is the confidence of blessings in eternity.

5. Man therefore has hope from birth to eternity. Each hope is replaced by a reality, by an imputation. When this occurs, he moves to the next hope. So the mature believer stands at the Judgment Seat of Christ with three hopes and receives his seventh imputation: the rewards and blessings of eternity.

E. There are three radicals.

1. X radical.

a. X radical combines the two imputations at birth, which produce condemnation, the potential for salvation, and the hope of salvation.

b. Condemnation must precede salvation, because man’s point of reference is the justice of God.

c. Justice must condemn before justice can bless.

d. The potential of salvation is converted into hope through cognizance of the Gospel.

e. Hope is converted into reality through faith in Christ.

f. The “+” outside of the radical is the point of faith in Christ.

2. Y radical.

a. Y radical combines the two judicial imputations to provide the potential for blessing in time.

b. The judicial imputation of all personal sins to Christ on the cross is the basis for the saving work of our Lord.

c. The judicial imputation of perfect righteousness at salvation is the basis for the imputation of blessing in time.

d. The potential of blessing in time is converted into a hope through cognizance of the pertinent doctrine.

e. Hope is converted into a reality through reaching maturity.

f. The “+” outside of the Y radical is maturity adjustment to the justice of God. 3. Z radical.

a. Z radical combines the real imputation of eternal life to the human spirit at regeneration with the real imputation of blessings in time at maturity to provide a potential for blessing forever.

b. The potential of blessing in eternity is converted into the third hope through cognizance of doctrine plus undeserved suffering.

c. All of this adds up to the “good” of Rom 8:28.

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