What Happened at the Cross?

When Christ died, justice was completely satisfied and wrath put away on behalf of the elect. All that remained was righteousness, which God fully accepted and for that reason Paul called it the righteousness of God. An equal and simultaneous transfer occurred: the record of my sin was transferred to Christ and the righteousness He established was transferred to my record. That transfer is the imputation of sin to Christ and righteousness to the elect. Imputation is the application of Christ's work. Christ fully redeemed and justified the elect before Almighty God. He could not have sat down if His work were yet to be applied. Christ wasn't a potential Savior but an actual Savior, not a future Savior but a present Savior. However, His work guaranteed more to come for each generation of elect until He returns: regeneration and calling; perseverance and growth in Grace; preservation and glorification. All that follows the original imputation of righteousness is called the fruits of righteousness, Phil 1:11. I must not confuse what takes place in the heart with what occurred at Calvary. People must hear the message of righteousness and it imputed. They must hear of salvation outside themselves. By this single message, we distinguish ourselves from this generation.