Does your church believe that when God declares us righteous, that his words are fruitful and literally make us righteous?
Papist,
My apologies in being so long in responding to this question, but I was busy with the propitiation portion of the conversation, and other things as well. I had not forgotten just had not taken the time to get back to it till now.
I'm sure their are probably differences in the details, nuances in the implications, between our views. I don't know of any specifically off hand, but I've interacted long enough with both Catholic and Orthodox to know there usually are some differences, even if vague and underlying. That said...
Yes, I believe we literally become righteous. I do believe in imputation, but I do not believe that is the sum of the work of Christ in us. I also believe in imparted righteousness, infused if you will in the regenerate heart of the believer and progressively worked out into the experience and life as we are all the more conformed to the image of Christ. I am not merely counted righteous, though I am counted such, at least initially, but I have been cleansed of sin and reborn within into a state of true righteousness and holiness in heart (see
Ephesians 4:24) which reflects in my living as I grow in grace and knowledge in the Lord.
A man who is said to have received only imputed righteousness is like unto Christ crucified, but not risen. Whereas a man who has received both the imputed and imparted righteousness of God is both dead with Christ, and to sin, and alive with Christ (resurrected), to God.
I trust this answers your question. If not then I am at a loss as to what it is you mean when you inquire if I believe God's declaration of righteousness to be fruitious.