Acquiesce to Righteousness

Understood this way, the objectionable idea of acquitting the guilty in the term "justify" is
avoided.
The Protestant doctrine of imputed righteousness is also opposed by the doctrine of
The New Church, as explained by Emanuel Swedenborg, and is thus closely aligned
with the Roman Catholic tradition. The "imputation" of the Lord's merit is nothing but the
remission of sins after repentance. According to Swedenborg, "Mention is often made in
the Word of "the righteous," of "righteousness," and of "to be made righteous;" but what
is specifically signified by these expressions is not yet known. ...It is believed by the
heads of the church that he is righteous, and has been made righteous, who is
acquainted with the truths of faith from the doctrine of the church and from the Word,
and consequently is in the trust and confidence that he is saved through the Lord's
righteousness, and that the Lord has acquired righteousness by fulfilling all things of the
Law, and that He acquired merit because He endured the cross, and thereby made
atonement for and redeemed man. Through this faith alone a man is believed to be
made righteous; and it is believed further that such are they who are called in the Word
"the righteous." Yet it is not these who are called "righteous" in the Word; but those who
from the Lord are in the good of charity toward the neighbor; for the Lord alone is
righteous, because He alone is righteousness. Therefore, a man is righteous, and has
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