IMPORTANT THEOLOGICAL TRUTH 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?