Words We take for Granted (Part 3)
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor 5:21
What did Jesus come to do? I can tell you that He didn’t come to give you your best life now, or to give you some purpose in life. Jesus came to do this one thing - to please the Father. Look at how Paul starts this verse by saying “He (Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us (You, me). How does that make you feel? How’s that for a purpose? I say that because we are (the entire whole world), by nature: deceitful, lovers of self, haters of God, blasphemers, prideful, disobedient, lustful, covetous, and just downright wicked. If you disagree with me, I suggest you read the first three chapters of the Book of Romans, because what I just explained about our natural state is written down clearly for all to see by the apostle Paul.
Once you have read those chapters, you will be amazed and humbled by the next word that is often taken for granted. It’s the word “imputation”. The Bible dictionary defines this word in this manner: the sin of Adam is imputed to all his descendants, i.e., it is reckoned as theirs, and they are dealt with therefore as guilty; the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that believe in him, or so attributed to them as to be considered their own; and our sins are imputed to Christ, i.e., he assumed our “law-place,” undertook to answer the demands of justice for our sins. Through Christ Jesus coming to this earth and being the propitiation and our substitute, we (the saved, the born again, the regenerate) have Jesus Christ’s imputed righteousness upon us. When the God of all creation looks down from Heaven, He sees Mike Andrews as righteous; He sees holiness; He sees satisfaction. This is ONLY because of Jesus standing in front of me, because as Paul said “nothing good indwells in my flesh” and then he goes on to say “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord...” Rom 7:24-25. I am still that same wretched sinner; the only difference is that I have been given the covering of Christ because of what He has done on the cross. He has placed His righteousness upon me. I say that because of what Paul says next “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus)”.
We are declared righteous before a holy and perfect God! Doesn’t that just blow you away? But you say to yourself, ‘I read Romans and it says we are wicked’! I know, but this is what imputation has done for us. This is what this gift of sovereign grace has done for you and me if you have repented of your sins and put your faith in Christ Jesus ALONE and no one else. Jesus will only impute His righteousness on those who believe, you cannot be covered by righteousness through Mohammad, Buddha, Mary, or any other false god created by man. Any unconverted person, any person who denies that Jesus is Lord does not have His sovereign protection. They are still under the judgement that is yet to come, which ends in a place of separation from God, eternal torment, and burning with fire and brimstone. The only reason I can escape such a terrible place and the wrath of God is not because I am a good person, or I deserve Heaven. It is only JESUS and His imputed righteousness which stands and makes intercession for a sinner like me. The Bible says my High Priest intercedes on my behalf “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. This is my righteousness and this is your righteousness if you have humbled yourself before the foot of the cross through Jesus. This is necessary so that we can become a new creation, born again in the righteousness of God in Him - in Jesus my propitiation; my substitute; my imputed righteousness. It has pleased the Father to look at me as clean because of His Son’s love for me. Do you have Christ standing in front of you as your Advocate to the Father?
What did Jesus come to do? I can tell you that He didn’t come to give you your best life now, or to give you some purpose in life. Jesus came to do this one thing - to please the Father. Look at how Paul starts this verse by saying “He (Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us (You, me). How does that make you feel? How’s that for a purpose? I say that because we are (the entire whole world), by nature: deceitful, lovers of self, haters of God, blasphemers, prideful, disobedient, lustful, covetous, and just downright wicked. If you disagree with me, I suggest you read the first three chapters of the Book of Romans, because what I just explained about our natural state is written down clearly for all to see by the apostle Paul.
Once you have read those chapters, you will be amazed and humbled by the next word that is often taken for granted. It’s the word “imputation”. The Bible dictionary defines this word in this manner: the sin of Adam is imputed to all his descendants, i.e., it is reckoned as theirs, and they are dealt with therefore as guilty; the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them that believe in him, or so attributed to them as to be considered their own; and our sins are imputed to Christ, i.e., he assumed our “law-place,” undertook to answer the demands of justice for our sins. Through Christ Jesus coming to this earth and being the propitiation and our substitute, we (the saved, the born again, the regenerate) have Jesus Christ’s imputed righteousness upon us. When the God of all creation looks down from Heaven, He sees Mike Andrews as righteous; He sees holiness; He sees satisfaction. This is ONLY because of Jesus standing in front of me, because as Paul said “nothing good indwells in my flesh” and then he goes on to say “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord...” Rom 7:24-25. I am still that same wretched sinner; the only difference is that I have been given the covering of Christ because of what He has done on the cross. He has placed His righteousness upon me. I say that because of what Paul says next “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus)”.
We are declared righteous before a holy and perfect God! Doesn’t that just blow you away? But you say to yourself, ‘I read Romans and it says we are wicked’! I know, but this is what imputation has done for us. This is what this gift of sovereign grace has done for you and me if you have repented of your sins and put your faith in Christ Jesus ALONE and no one else. Jesus will only impute His righteousness on those who believe, you cannot be covered by righteousness through Mohammad, Buddha, Mary, or any other false god created by man. Any unconverted person, any person who denies that Jesus is Lord does not have His sovereign protection. They are still under the judgement that is yet to come, which ends in a place of separation from God, eternal torment, and burning with fire and brimstone. The only reason I can escape such a terrible place and the wrath of God is not because I am a good person, or I deserve Heaven. It is only JESUS and His imputed righteousness which stands and makes intercession for a sinner like me. The Bible says my High Priest intercedes on my behalf “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1. This is my righteousness and this is your righteousness if you have humbled yourself before the foot of the cross through Jesus. This is necessary so that we can become a new creation, born again in the righteousness of God in Him - in Jesus my propitiation; my substitute; my imputed righteousness. It has pleased the Father to look at me as clean because of His Son’s love for me. Do you have Christ standing in front of you as your Advocate to the Father?
Comments
1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19 For it is written: "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND BRING TO NOTHING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRUDENT."
1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
1Co 1:22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
1Co 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
1Co 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
1Co 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
1Co 1:29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
1Co 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
1Co 1:31 that, as it is written, "HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD."
But, what the heck, perhaps you want to destroy wisdom, perhaps you would rather have the foolishness of the foolish because they tithe more (than the standard 10% that's in the dictionary because they're even more foolish than the fools who tithe at all).
I'm sorry that I have offended you with my writings; please, that's never my intention (considering that this is MY blog. You come to my blog and you post such angry remarks without even knowing who I am, and you tell me nothing about yourself. You seem to think in your logic “I will go to this guy’s blog, insult him, and call him an idiot”. If that’s what true wisdom is, then I want to stay foolish. I don't know anything about you, other than you hate Christians and hate God for some reason. See, nature and its logic wants to tell us that such lashing out is a result of perhaps you being hurt once in your life; you weren’t hugged enough as a child; or you were left out when kids were playing sports; or you were picked on at school; or you lost your dog or cat. This is what man’s wisdom wants us to believe – it’s all due to something else, no personal responsibility. See, if I talk about drinking and the dangers of it, then psychologically perhaps I have a drinking problem. That’s man's wisdom. But see, I don't follow the wisdom or philosophy of this postmodern world (supposing that there is not absolute truth).
Quantum, I trust the Bible for wisdom not because it’s a crutch, or I might make money from others (that tithing you referred to). I trust the Bible because He is God and I am man. He is the Creator and I am the created; I am a sinner whose heart is wicked and disobedient. The only reason I’m saved from Hell and His wrath is only by His saving grace (unmerited). It is only through Jesus Christ and His finishing work on the Cross. Why? Because 500 different people (different races, languages, nationalities) said they saw Him after His resurrection, and this was one of many prophecies fulfilled precisely, according to the scriptures. But you don't want to believe that, right? Because you can’t figure it out, or can’t explain it through reason. You’re not supposed to - He is God and we are NOT. If we could figure it out, He wouldn’t be much of a God. He wants us to be amazed and humbled by the grace that He gave by taking our place on the cross. When you open a newspaper do you believe everything that is written down in it? Is there a war going in the Middle East? Is there murder and rape happening in North America? Are we in financial trouble economically? You will believe those stories or headlines in the news, but you refuse to listen to the wisdom that comes from the Bible. Why? Because you say all the writers are dead. That is foolishness my friend, not wisdom. Sorry if I seem sarcastic to you but I feel that this is the only way to speak to you because you don’t really want to listen to true reason. I will be praying for you that the Lord gets hold of your life because you sound like a smart person who is educated and searching for answers. I am not a theologian or a language scholar. I am a man whose heart has been transformed by the power of the Gospel. I am a man who is a pastor and I have one message for you: QUANTUM, you must look to the cross and humble yourself at the feet of it! The Bible says “the fear (adoration, reverence, awe) of the LORD is the beginning (all things start here) of knowledge (wisdom, understanding, logic), but fools (the prideful ‘ME’ generation) despise wisdom and instruction.” Prov 1:7
1:1) The world of mathematics is all-logical and without error, and there can only be one all-logical entity.
1:2) Wisdom comes from trial and error, which is how the scientific method operates.
1:3) Wise folks anchor their beliefs on the sound foundation of mathematical logic and use the established scientific method for discovery, while foolish people anchor their beliefs on the authority figures of current or previous times.
1:4) Objective evidence is what supports or destroys theories, not blind faith, so let nobody say they have the truth without logical rigor
1:5) Be not swayed by the evils of subjectivity, for a reward is its promise and a life of anticipation is its game but irrationality is its snare, and its venom stuns humanity at the very soul.
1:6) If we say we believe something, yet we do not have any proof, then we have deceived ourselves and the truth is not in us
1:7) Let no man or woman esteem another man's or woman's thoughts as being above the realm of logical inquiry, so that nobody can boast of divine inspiration as a source of insight
:P