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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 48 for I'm sorry of Psalm 47 for our call to worship Psalm 47 Psalm 47 I'll begin reading in verse 1 to the chief musician a psalm of the sons of korah oh clap your hands all you peoples shout to God with the voice of triumph for the Lord Most High is awesome he is a great king over all the earth he will subdue the peoples under us and the nations under our feet he will choose our inheritance for us the excellence of Jacob whom he loves say law God has gone up with a shout the lord with the sound of a trumpet sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our king sing praises for God is the king of all the earth sing praises with understanding God reigns over the nation's God sits on his holy throne the princes of the people have gathered together the people of the God of Abraham for the shields of the earth belong to God he is greatly exalted amen well please turn in your hymn books to him number 280 hymn number 280 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] amen well let us pray our Blessed God and Holy Father we gather again on the Sabbath evening to call upon you to praise you and to worship you we acknowledge that you are God Most High that you are most glorious and wondrous and worthy to be praised and glorified by your saints we thank you for so great a salvation we thank you that you put it in our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth and we pray tonight that your Holy Spirit would aid and enable us that he would be present among us that you would cause us to approach you with reverence and with great joy that we would by grace enter into the the very courts of the living and true God that we would meet with you and commune with you and our hearts would be drawn out in love and praise and adoration we ask that you would look with favor upon this local church she would strengthen each and every one here she would bless those who are unable to be with us tonight that you would encourage your saints and cause us all to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace cause us to be a church that is full of the spirit a church that is committed to the Holy Scriptures a church that is committed to prayer to going before the throne of grace and bringing to you prayers and supplications and intercession and giving of thanks for all men we would ask Lord that even now so we have your ear that you would indeed continue with us that you would bless and strengthen us and that this night would be a time wherein the Lord God most high is present among his people here do forgive us for our sins and our transgressions cleanse us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we know that so many places in our Bibles the emphasis is not upon our good works it's not upon what we do to merit salvation because there is none righteous no not one there is none who seeks after you there is none who have the fear of God before their eyes the emphasis is always upon the Lord God Almighty the emphasis is upon your grace upon the power of your spear upon the finished work of your beloved son the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for his life and his death and his resurrection and we thank you Lord God that he has gone into the heavens before us and that he ever lives to make intercession for us and that he is our advocate with the father and even now we need that advocacy as we confess our sins and our transgressions to You Lord God when we look at that holy law reveals to us the character of a holy God and we see our own waywardness and our own proneness to wander proneness to leave the God that we love we confess our transgression of that law we confess our lack of conformity unto it even in sins of omission and Commission we are guilty and so God cleanse us now in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as well father for those who've come here tonight that are still dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that you would do what is impossible with men even that awakening of sinners and showing them their state before a holy God and showing them the christ who's altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 Father we pray that you would bless sinners that you would constrain them by grace to come out of darkness in the marvelous light to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we pray for other churches in our community we thank you that we're not alone in this city and we pray that you would bless those who are faithful in preaching the Word of God we pray that you would prosper these local bodies and that you would indeed dwell in their meds and that they would be encouraged and strengthened as they gather together for worship we pray for the Saints in Surrey and we thank you for that work and pray that you would prosper in we pray that more and more people would come from their local community to hear the truth of the gospel and to be saved by God's holy holy grace we also pray for the work and Vernon we thank you for them and pray that in your time you would provide to them a man that will labor in the word and in doctrine God we think tonight of Deanna Hutchings we ask that you would look with favor upon her we thank you for these favorable reports we thank you that you are sustaining that family and we just pray Lord God in heaven that she would be able to return home and that father whatever when treatment is necessary you would look with favor upon that and cause all things to work together for good in the lives of these family in this family we ask now that you would bless our time together help us as we sing help us when we look to Holy Scripture and do edify and strengthen your people here and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you may turn with me again in your hymn book to number 446 446 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] amen please be seated and turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 7 for our scripture reading Genesis chapter 7 the account of the flood God's flood judgment upon the earth notice specifically in chapter 6 verse 5 then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and then in verse 11 of chapter 6 the earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence so God looked upon the earth and indeed it was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth God's judgment via flood will pick up reading in Genesis 7 at verse 1 then the Lord said to Noah come into the ark you and all your household because I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation you shall take with you 7 each of every clean animal a male and his female to each of animals that are unclean a male and his female also 7 each of birds of the air male and female to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth for after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made and Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him Noah was 600 years old when the flood waters were on the earth so Noah with his sons his wife and his sons wives went into the art because of the waters of the flood of clean animals of animals that are unclean of birds and of everything that creeps on the earth two by two they went into the ark to Noah male and female as God had commanded Noah and it came to pass after seven days that the waters of the flood were on the earth in the six six hundredth year of Noah's life in the second month the seventeenth day of the month on that day all the Fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windows of heaven were opened and the rain was on the earth 40 days and 40 nights on the very same day Noah and Noah's sons ham and japheth and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the Ark they and every beast after its kind all cattle after their kind every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind and every bird after its kind every bird of every sort and they went into the art - Noah - bye - of all flesh in which is the breath of life so those that entered male and female of all flesh went in as God had commanded him and the Lord shot him in now the flood was on the earth 40 days the waters increased and lifted up the ark and it rose high above the earth the waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters and the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered the waters prevailed 15 cubits upward and the mountains were covered and all flesh died that MoveOn moved on the earth birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth and every man all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life all that was on the dry land died so he destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground both Man and cattle creeping thing and bird of the air they were destroyed from the earth only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days well a terrible view of God's judgment against sin and sinners and certainly it is sobering to consider God's enmity God's opposition God's revulsion against sin especially in light of the fact that all men everywhere are sinners there is a judgment like this in the future though it will not be an art that one enters into for escape it is rather the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ he is the means by which sinners can't escape that coming date of God's wrath and judgment and curse upon the created order for the created orders having rejected and rebelled against the living and true God in fact if you look at Genesis 7 verse 1 then the Lord said to Noah come into the ark you and all your household because I have seen that you're righteous before me in this generation Noah was righteous because he had previously experienced God's grace he found grace in the eyes of the Lord and it's on that basis that his righteousness then proceeded but if we consider the statement of our Lord Jesus in Matthew chapter 11 he as well says come come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and i will give you rest christ in the language of I think the Puritan Thomas Brooks is an art for all of God's know us if you have not come to the Lord Jesus I would encourage and exhort you to believe on em and to escape the dread and the coming judgement of our Lord God Most High well let us pray father we thank you that Christ is in fact that art for all of God's know us that in him we find refuge we find safety we find security we find blessing and God I pray that wherever this gospel is preached tonight the Holy Spirit would a tad and that sinners would be constrained to come to know the grace of our God in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ that sinners would look to him in faith that they would believe on him and that they would know the joy of being found in him not having their own righteousness which is from the law but that righteousness which is from you and it's received by faith alone we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen before our final him before the preaching of God's Word will sing Psalm actually psalm 119 M that psalm 119 mike and when you find that you can stand and we will sing together psalm 119 m [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs proverbs chapter 17 proverbs chapter 17 I'll read verse 15 pray and then we'll look at this particular passage this particular principle proverbs chapter 17 beginning in verse 15 he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord well let us pray our God in heaven we thank you for the written word we thank you for what Solomon gives us in this book of Proverbs we know it's by inspiration of the Holy Spirit we know that it's profitable for us for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and our desire is that you would thoroughly equip us unto every good work she would cause us to reflect upon this written word each and every day and God may we with the psalmist hide it in our hearts that we might not sin against you and Lord God again we pray for forgiveness for the sins that we have committed we pray for the ministry of the holy spirit that he would indeed guide us as we consider this particular doctrine and we ask these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well I want to do two things with this particular text in the first place I want to look at a declaration of the Justice of God in this tax proper and then secondly the maintenance of the Justice of God in the Christian gospel because if we understand what verse 15 is telling us and we reflect upon the gospel we might be inclined to think that God is an abomination to himself because hidden the gospel God does justify the wicked and in the gospel God in fact condemned the just Christ was wholly harmless and undefiled Christ was indeed sinless and yet nevertheless Christ was condemned as an unjust man so I think it's imperative for us to understand what the tax teaches and then look at the gospel and see how the gospel does in fact maintain the very justice of God that the Justice of God the righteousness of God is not compromised when he receives sinners unto himself that there are some crucial doctrines in scripture that help us to understand how God can be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ our Lord fact the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 4 that God justifies the ungodly so again if we just looked at proverbs 17:15 and then we mused on that particular statement we might be inclined to conclude that God was in fact an abomination to himself and so the purpose of our message tonight is to show the declaration of the Justice of God and then secondly the maintenance of that justice in the gospel now note in the first place with reference to the principle it is straightforward it is obvious it is easy to understand essentially justice must be served if a man is not guilty he isn't to be punished if a man is guilty he is to be punished and Solomon puts it this way he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord obviously the wicked should be condemned and obviously the righteous should not be condemned that is an abiding principle of God's justice Bridges says with reference to civil judges if they renege on their responsibilities he says judicial iniquity is an awful abuse of God's Authority the judge or magistrate is a minister of God for good the Lord appointed the civil government not to punish those who are innocent he appointed the civil government for the punishment of evildoers and Paul speaks to that very specifically in Romans chapter 13 now there is some background to Solomon's statement you can turn to Exodus chapter 23 Exodus chapter 23 and it's important for us to understand how exodus 21 to 23 function in the larger context of the book of Exodus you have the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20 those 10 words their general principles you shall not murder for instance you shall not commit adultery well in Exodus 20 2:23 we have what's called case law we have application of those general principles to Israel's life in the land that God was giving to them in fact if you look at 21 one that sort of sets the stage for this case law interpretation in Exodus 21 to 23 notice in 21 1 now these are the judgments which you shall set before them so he moves from the general principles of the Ten Commandments to specific concrete applications of those principles in Israel's civil and religious life and when we come to chapter 23 there are these principles of justice notice in 23 1 for instance you shall not circulate a false report it's absolutely forbidden by God we are not to bear false witness we're not supposed to circulate a false report goes on to say do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness you shall not follow a crowd to do evil nor show you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice you shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute note the wisdom of God there there is this tendency to want to show partiality to a poor man we're not supposed to the law of God is applicable to whoever irrespective of their particular economic situation the law of God is the law of God for the poor for the rich for whoever that's why Lady Justice is wearing a blindfold that's why she's holding scales in her hands the idea or the implication is is that she doesn't judge based on circumstances she bethe judges based on the certainty of law notice in verse 4 if you meet your enemies ox or his donkey going astray you shall surely bring it back to him again if you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden and you would refrain from helping it you shall surely help him with it your personal animosity to your neighbor ought not to lend itself to his losing precious property and then in verse 6 you shall you shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute and then verse 7 keep yourself far from a false matter do not kill the innocent and righteous for I will not justify the wicked so you see if you got these laws the law of God through Moses his servant which indicate the Solomon isn't making something up here when he says he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the giass both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh this is consistent this is the revelation of who God is turn over to Deuteronomy chapter 25 Deuteronomy chapter 25 the particular context here is the execution of corporal punishment on a criminal offender in other words they would be beaten if they were found guilty in a court that was the category of corporal punishment inflicted upon wrongdoers in the Commonwealth of Israel now it was done in a manner that was consistent with law God's law it was supposed to be conducted in a proper way it was supposed to be supervised it was supposed to be according to rule it was supposed to have proper proportion and limit and dignity maintained even on the part of the one that was being beaten for his crimes but if you look at 25 1 it says if there is a dispute between men and they come to court that the judges may judge them and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked in other words they do their job they justify the righteous and they condemn the wicked that's what the purpose of the civil judges for he is to justify or rather he's supposed to justify the righteous and condemn the wicked and here based on that finding notice in verse 2 then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten that the judge will cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence according to his guilt with a certain number of blows forty blows he may give him and no more lest he should exceed this and beat him with many blows above these and your brother be humiliated in your sight again that may main emphasis there is that justice must be carried out the man is found guilty then he is subject to the punishment inflicted by the court so we see this principle sustained throughout Scripture now as I said when we look back at proverbs chapter 17 verse 15 especially we ought to be reminded of what happens in the New Testament the one hand Jesus Christ is condemned Jesus Christ is condemned when it says he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just Christ was the jost that was condemned in the pages of the New Testament we find that statement in Hebrews 7:26 the Apostle writes for such a high priest was fitting for us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and has become higher than the heavens holy harmless undefiled absolutely positively just and nevertheless he's condemned as well Peter in 1st Peter chapter 2 he quotes isaiah 53:9 and he applies this to jesus and i've always found this one just amazing because typically the longer were around each other the more we see each other sin isn't that right the more that we are around each other the more that we will see each other's sin if that's a shocking statement to you you don't know much about the Bible and you probably don't have any close relationships whatsoever but as we know each other the more that we get to know each other the more that we see each other said Peter spent three years with our Lord Jesus Christ Peter spent three years with the Savior and he's able to apply isaiah 53:9 to jesus it says who committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth never wonder what it would have been like to be one of jesus' close associates and perhaps at times you'd say does he ever said he ever do anything wrong does he ever say anything that he ought not to say no he never did holy harmless undefiled committed note said there was no deceit found on his mouth we have even the pagan the pagan confirmation that Christ was in fact righteous during the passion narrative three times Pontius Pilate says I find no guilt in this man the thief on the cross recognizes that he and his brother thief deserved what they were getting but not so with our Lord Jesus Christ so as we look at Solomon's text we must conclude that the jost was condemned and we can't simply chalk that up to no human human limitation we can't just say well a pilot was wrong and Herod was wrong the people were wrong and you know that's just the way it goes we know according to the prophet Isaiah and the book of Acts in acts 2:23 that it was the father's pleasure to bruise the sign the the crucifixion of the son took place according to the purpose of God to his predetermined plan so with reference to Solomon in 1715 Jesus was the giass who was condemned but then you have the justification of the ungodly you have the justification of those that we look at in our Bibles that were not stellar men we look at people like the Apostle Paul for instance this morning we considered that he persecuted the Church of God he tried to destroy the Church of God and yet in 2nd Timothy 4:8 he says finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only but also to all those who have loved his appearing 2nd Timothy 4:8 so how do we make heads or tails of that here's a man that was ungodly here's a man that tried to destroy the church here's a man that persecuted the church here's a man that tried to bind went men and women and take them down to Jerusalem so that they might be punished he was in fact an unjust man and nevertheless he's sitting now with our blessed Savior in glory so when we look at Solomon's text in 1715 are we to conclude with reference to the Christian gospel that God is somehow an abomination to God because after all he has condemned the jaws in the person of his son and he has justified the ungodly in the person of the Apostle Paul he justifies the ungodly in the person of the Simon Peter David king of Israel what did he do he committed murder he committed adultery every single person that we look at in the pages of Scripture are guilty sinners and nevertheless they are vindicated nevertheless they are justified nevertheless they stand in the presence of God Most High so let's move from the pages of Holy Scripture to you and I we are unjust people aren't we we wicked people we are transgressors of God's law the Apostle tells us in Romans three there is none righteous no not one there is none who seeks after God there's no fear of God before the eyes of men and so nevertheless we find ourselves in this place of having been justified by God the condemnation of the just Jesus Christ and the justification of the wicked actually occur is God an abomination to himself does he arbitrarily contradict his holy law does he arbitrarily or capriciously say well you know today I'm feeling specifically benevolent so I'm gonna go ahead and justify that ungodly percent well let us hope it's not capricious and let us hope it's not arbitrary let us in fact be reminded how the scripture provides the solution to the problem that proverbs 17:15 presents so we see there the declaration of the Justice of God I want to look now at the maintenance of the Justice of God in the Christian gospel and there are three things that we need to consider with reference to this particular theme first we need to consider the concept of covenant secondly the doctrine of imputation and then thirdly the doctrine of God no probably the doctrine of God should have come first but I think I wanted to put it this way for hopefully ease of following the the message here notice in the first place this concept of covenant now I don't want anybody to be bored tonight I want you to get des because if anybody ever said you know you Christians preach about what Solomon says is an abomination to the Lord do we know why it is not an abomination to Lord do we know why that in the gospel God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus well as I said it's covenant it's imputation and it's basically grounded in who God is now with reference to covenant covenant is simply most basically defined as an agreement between two or more persons when we look at the Bible there are covenants between men but with reference to the that I'm speaking about it's God's covenant with his people and with reference to covenant it's not just that agreement typically there's a bond typically there's a promise typically there's promise of threat for violation of the covenant there is promise of blessing for fulfillment of the Covenant but also within covenant is the idea of representation and we need to get this because representation is absolutely crucial and most important when we come to consider how God can be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus God did not purpose to test every single human being rather he tested Adam he set up in the Garden of Eden a phase of probation for Adam when you look at Genesis chapter 2 there is a covenant there now typically persons when they hear that statement say but the word covenant isn't in Genesis chapter 2 but the concept of covenant is present when you take your Bible concordance and you look up the word Trinity the word Trinity is not in the Bible no sane person would then conclude that the Trinity is not in the Bible well the word concept fallacy though the word is absent the concept is present and when you look at Genesis chapter 2 there is covenant the presence of the the concept though the word is absent you see something parallel in the Davidic covenant in 2nd Samuel 7 God makes a covenant with David concerning the seed of David now it doesn't say covenant in 2nd Samuel 7 but it does so in later redemptive history as the psalmist reflects upon that situation in Psalms 89 and 132 God made a covenant with David even though the word covenant was absent from 2nd Samuel 7 as well in Genesis chapter 2 you see the elements present of a covenant you have parties God and man you have conditions obedience to the command you have a promise life for obedience and you have a threat death for disobedience now yeah some might say well it doesn't promise life for obedience that is a necessary implication from the threat of death for dis Oaks the obligations placed on him he will secure life for not only himself but for all of his posterity why because in this covenant Adam represents us in this covenant Adam is a public person in this covenant Adam scans for all of his posterity and that is the teaching of the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 5 the Apostle Paul in Romans 5 indicates that Adam was a type of him who was to come in other words Adam was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ he doesn't become a tight when Paul writes that he was a type when God made him he always functioned in that capacity to be a type of Jesus Christ our Lord so God judges us in Adam Adam is a representative who stands in our place and Adam sins and in Adam we all sinned in Adam we all died the concept of covenant is absolutely crucial if we are going to navigate proverbs 17:15 and not conclude that God is an abomination to himself now with reference to the representational character again very specifically Romans chapter 5 we're actually going to refer to that later in a bit more detail but pronounced suffice to say the Apostle highlights that reality that Adam represented his posterity in the language of the Westminster Shorter Catechism did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression the covenant being made with Adam not only for himself but for his posterity all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation sinned in him and fell with him in his first transgressions call that original sin we have inherited that we have received that it was based on the representational character of Adam who stood in a covenant of works and when he fell we fell in him so God has purpose to deal with mankind on the basis of two men Adam the first Adam the last even our Lord Jesus Christ now secondly the way that we navigate through proverbs 17:15 without concluding that saw that God is an abomination to himself is the doctrine of imputation now perhaps you don't think about the doctrine of imputation often may I suggest that you start to do so it is a most glorious and a most blessed truth that scripture sets forth now certainly we can't say everything there is to be said about the doctrine of imputation because of time and because of my level of competency but we can flesh out this doctrine so that we can see that in the gospel God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ Jesus because of the Covenant and because of the doctrine of imputation if you turn to Romans chapter 4 for just a moment actually know for probably a few moments we see this concept many many times in Romans chapter 4 now the particular word that Paul uses in Romans 4 to represent or to speak concerning this doctrine of imputation is used 11 times in Romans 4 and I would suggest that that is crucial in the Apostles argument at this particular juncture remember in 118 Paul says for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness Paul then details the sins the vices the wretchedness of the Gentile in chapter 2 Paul then deals with the sin devices and the wretchedness of the Jews in Romans chapter 3 Paul concludes in verse 19 that all men everywhere are under sin in verse 20 he says therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin so that is Paul's statement concerning the universal condemnation of all men from Romans 1:18 to Romans 3:20 he changes directions in Romans 3:21 he says but now the righteousness of God is revealed and so as he begins to explain this right Justice of God and how sinners receive this imputation is crucial to his argument the reality is is that if God does not impute if this doctrine is absent then God is an abomination to God because he is guilty of justifying wicked sinners now notice Romans chapter 4 he uses the word in verses 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 22 23 and 24 there's a point there there's an emphasis there there's theology there there's the doctrine of imputation there now the bare meaning of the word is to determine by mathematical process but from that we get reckon or calculate in fact in the New King James at verse 3 in chapter 4 they give the glosses they give the definitions and it's very helpful the word is imputed credited reckoned or counted that's what's happening we have the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us so that we are no longer unjust we are no longer wicked we're no longer lawless but having received the righteousness of Christ we are righteous in here the doctrine of imputation is one of the fundamental keys so that God is not an abomination to God in justifying the ungodly turn to one other passage in Romans 5:19 now it's a different word but the concept is similar romans 5:19 deals with imputation deals with crediting deals with reckoning in this particular instance the New King James translates the verb by made and that's not the best translation I'll explain in just a moment but notice in verse 19 for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous it literally means causes someone to experience something to make or cause but one of the problems when we use the word make is that it seems to indicate the transformation of one's character and that's not what Paul is highlighting here it's not dealing with the transformation of character we all know that there is transformation of character in those who by grace believe the gospel that is in the category of sanctification once we've been justified freely by God's grace we have received the righteousness of Jesus Christ we have been declared not guilty that is forensic that is legal that has to do with the courtroom now having received that by God's grace we enter into sanctification the life of faith grow in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that's where moral transformation occurs it's the spirits work in us whereas this Constitution or this reckoning or this accounting happens because of Christ's work for us and that is a very significant difference that we need to appreciate so when we looked at 5:19 perhaps constitute might be a better word or appointing in fact guy waters says the verb is best rendered constitute or a point the term does not speak to a moral change within the descendant of Adam Paul will deal with the moral change of the descendant of Adam who has become a believer Paul will deal with moral change in Romans sense Paul will deal with Roma moral change at Romans seven and eight he'll say in in in Romans 13 put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts the argument is not that there's no moral change but with reference to the gospel with reference to justification by faith alone the issue is not moral transformation it is the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ it is a transaction it is legal it is forensic and that's the emphasis of the Apostle here in Romans three four and five to notice in verse 19 for as by one man's disobedience many were made or constituted or appointed sinners so also by one man's obedience many will be made or constituted or appointed as righteous again once that's appointed once that is constituted once we have been justified freely by His grace the Spirit is at work in us both to will and to do gods calls us to obey and to do those things that he is working in us both to will and to do so the moral transformation is certainly there but it's consequent consequence of our having been justified freely by His grace again water says it refers to the change and legal or forensic status of the descendant again this isn't something you probably think about each and every day she should this is what Luther preached this was what was emphasized we need an alien righteousness he didn't mean you know Martians he didn't mean people living on Pluto he meant something outside of us we must have and in the gospel it is provided to us by God it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ and it is received by faith alone and that is emphasized by the Apostle as well very many times in Romans 4 but in terms of some demonstration I'd like for everybody to just not at this point now I'm kidding but it'd be nice if everybody was still with me I fear that I'm losing you it's hot I know that and this is more theological than than typical you'd think proverbs 17:15 would be but I want you to get this I want to sort of flesh this out and show you what scripture says concerning this point go back to Genesis 15 Genesis 15 we see that whole idea of crediting or reckoning or accounting or imputing in Genesis 15:6 with reference to Abraham and this becomes paradigmatic or pattern for future redemptive history the Apostle Paul appeals to Abraham in Romans chapter 4 appeals to Genesis 15:6 to make his argument that this isn't just for Abraham but this is for us as well it wasn't the case that Abraham has the imputation of righteousness but for the rest of us we need to work for it we need to try and obtain it now this has always been God's way it's why he appeals to Abraham and why he appeals to david in romans chapter 4 he does so with reference to Abraham later again in the book of Galatians but notice in Genesis 15:6 and he believed in the Lord and he the Lord accounted it to him for righteousness he believed in the Lord and he accounted it to him for righteousness it wasn't Abraham's righteousness that he had accomplished it wasn't Abraham's moral transformation but rather he believed in the offer of grace the offer of salvation the mediator even Jesus Christ and believing in him that is when it was accounted unto him for righteousness notice in Leviticus chapter 16 just to see the doctrine of imputation here Leviticus chapter 16 not necessarily the imputation of righteousness in this instance but the doctrine of imputation notice in Leviticus 16 in the particular count here is the day of atonement it's Yom Kippur it is that day when the Jews would go to the tabernacle in this instance or to the temple and the high priest would take off all of his priestly attire except for the linen garments and he alone would go into that Holy of Holies he alone with blood he would go in there three or four times he'd offer up blood first for his scent he'd offer a blood for the sins of Israel he'd offer a blood to cleanse the altar itself and after he was done with that there was another goat and they called that goat the scapegoat and the significance of the scapegoat is is quite amazing it's quite glorious so the blood of atonement washes away sin but there's also this picture there is this demonstration there is this symbol of God's having dealt with the sin of Israel in the scapegoat and notice what the high priest does in Leviticus 16 20 and when he has made an end of atoning for the holy place the tabernacle of meeting and the altar he shall bring the live goat Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat confess over at all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions concerning all their sins putting them on the head of the vote and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man the goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land and he shall release the goat in the wilderness you see its imputation as the high priest lays his hands upon the goat probably presses his hands upon the goat he confesses the sins of Israel he goes through the Decalogue forgive us for having committed idolatry forgive us for blasphemy forgive us for Sabbath breaking forgive us for insubordination of parents and authority forgive us for murder and adultery and theft and lies and and and and covetousness and he lays that on the goat the goat receives this and then the goat is driven out into the wilderness it's a beautiful picture of what is called the expiation of sin the removal of sin so the blood of atonement cleanses us that goat takes the sin away from us it's a beautiful picture of the imputation of sin in this instance now notice in Psalm 31 Psalm 31 again just fleshing out the doctrine of imputation in some concrete examples in Scripture Psalm 31 is quoted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 4 I mentioned he refers to Abraham he refers to David well here is where he refers to David in psalm 32 notice in verse 1 blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceived if you leave your finger there and turn to Roman's 4 you'll notice something interesting romans chapter 4 the Apostle Paul cites this to show us and to show his readers that this was no new thing how is it that King David who had committed transgression against God how is it that a murderer and an adulterer a wicked and an unjust man could ultimately enter into heaven it is by this truth of imputation it is by this aspect of God's dealing with his people it is the means by which God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus so he cites Genesis 15 with reference to Abraham he cites psalm 32 with reference to david to indicate that this has always been God's way this has always been the means by which sinners enter and to glory it is through the doing and the dying and the rising of our Lord Jesus Christ blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity Paul quotes that there in Romans chapter 4 now go back to the Old Testament to Isaiah 53 and just to see imputation Isaiah 53 it's not as sparse as one might think well there's a text or two in the New Testament but we can't hang a doctrine on that authority see you in Genesis 15 you see it there in Leviticus chapter 16 you see it in psalm 32 but you see it in a couple places in the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 53 verse 11 Isaiah 53 verse 11 he shall see the labor of his soul and be satisfied by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their iniquities that's what it means he the iniquities of us all are laid upon him go back for just a moment in verse 6 and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all now that means he he bears our sins to be sure but it means they were imputed to him and then notice what he goes on to say verse 12 therefore I will divide him a portion with the great he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul unto death and he was numbered with the transgressors and he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors and then Isaiah 61 Isaiah 61 verse the doctrine of imputation I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh my soul shall be joyful in my god for notice what he says he has clothed me with the garments of salvation he has covered me with the robe of righteousness it's not our righteousness it's not our moral transformation it's not our good works we are unjust we are wicked and nevertheless we are justified why is that because of the doctrine of the Covenant someone represented us and because of the doctrine of imputation God clothes us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels one more Old Testament demonstration is in the prophet zechariah zechariah chapter 3 zechariah chapter 3 demonstrates the doctrine of imputation Zechariah 3:1 that he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him and the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke you Satan the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem would buek you is this not a brand plucked from the fire now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angel I'm sure I've told you before the filthiness there isn't you know a little blotch of cream cheese on his tie filth is used in other context with reference to feces and vomit the idea isn't that he's a bit disheveled before Yahweh the idea is that he's completely undone he is filthy he is wicked he is unjust he is wretched and it's not just Joshua but in this capacity Joshua the high priest is standing for Israel the point is that Joshua represents covenant Allah the people of Israel and so these people are found out by God to be guilty but notice what occurs Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angel then he god answered and spoke to those who stood before him saying take away the filthy garments from him and to him II sad see I have removed your iniquity from you and I will clothe you with rich robes and I said let them put a clean turban on his head so they put a clean turban on his head and they put clothes on him and the angel of the Lord stood by you see that's imputation he's full of sin he's full of filth he's full of wickedness he's full of wretchedness and God says take away the filthy garments from him this is forgiveness and to him he said see I have removed your iniquity from you and I will clothe you with rich robes you see the gospel answers to that we need to be forgiven of our sins but we also need a righteousness we are forgiven because of the blood of Jesus Christ is sought it cleanses us from all sin but we need the righteousness of Christ's life and that is given to us it is imputed to us and it's received by faith alone and when we turn to the pages of the New Testament we see this emphasis not only in Romans 4 we see it also in Romans chapter 5 we see it in 1st Corinthians you can turn there 1st Corinthians chapter 1 it's a man by the name of NT right and he is taught or he is a proponent of what is called the new perspective on Paul and NT Wright is NT wrong when it comes to justification because he says that the imputation of the righteousness of Christ is a legal fiction he denies this and there are some Protestants that should know better that have jumped on this bandwagon if we don't have the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ as machen observed we're back at the tree and then it is up to us in our moral transformation to do enough to ultimately be justified you hear it in Piper there's a beginning and a final justification praise God that is not the case there is one justification it's freely by His grace that is sloppy it is fuzzy it is certainly not Pauline and for whatever reason Protestants are being led astray and they're sounding more like papists when it comes to the doctrine of justification if you do not get this if you do not get it tonight ask questions attend our studies in the morning next time this coming Sunday we're going to be looking at chapter 11 of justification in the second London confession of faith it's gold it represents solidly beautifully and gloriously the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone you cannot be wrong on death you can be wrong on eschatology you can be wrong on preferences you can be wrong on a myriad of things associated with our religion but if you get justification wrong there is no hope it is absolutely positively crucial that we get this you need to get Trinity right you need to get who Jesus is right and you need to get justification right now beyond that you we can disagree and you know twenty-two years ago my list was a lot longer but no that's it those are the non-negotiables for me now Trinity who Jesus is and justification beyond that I'm happy to disagree agree to disagree with you but we won't agree to disagree when it comes to those doctrines those are cardinal those are absolutely crucial Jesus himself says in John eight unless you believe that I am you will die in your sins we cannot toy with what scripture says concerning who God is and Christ is the second person of the Blessed Trinity who took on our humanity we can't tamper with what scripture says in upholding that blessed truth of what we call the hypostatic Union and we certainly can't be wrong on how is it that God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus the Lord's we need to know what justification by faith is all about it's not a legal fiction it is clear it is replete it is emphasized and it is the answer to the conundrum presented by proverbs 17:15 because God in the gospel does justify the ungodly it's not arbitrary it's not capricious but rather it is based on covenant and imputation theological truths that are absolutely necessary to vindicate God and to bring comfort and stability to the people of God but notice in first Corinthians 1:30 but of him you are in Christ Jesus who became for us with from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that as it is written he glories let him glory in the Lord Christ is our righteousness if we deny that we do that to our own peril but we do that in light of the written word is that this how Christ is announced in the Prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 23 when it looks forward to the new covenant era when it looks forward to the messianic reign when it looks forward to the person the Lord Jesus Christ it tells us that he is the Lord our righteousness now that just doesn't mean that he's right and he's just but with righteousness or the righteousness of Christ in that sense is what he demands from us and when he supplies to us that's what the gospel is about and then of course ii corinthians v 5 will appeal to that in just a few moments but you get the point it's not isolated it's emphasized it is a vital component of how god is not an abomination to god now the instrumentality is faith is faith what is justification justification is an act of god's free grace wherein he pardons all our sins and accepts us and as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by what by faith alone so when we go back for instance to the book of Romans and we look at Romans chapter 4 in several instances the Apostle Paul highlights belief in several instances Paul highlights faith John Fusco says Paul repeatedly places believing in antithetical contrast to working or doing we can't work or do enough in order to be saved to blot out our iniquity and to satisfy the requirements of God's holy law so what's the answer faith in Jesus what's the answer belief in him what's the answer look unto him all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is no other the answer is grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone our confession chapter 11 again we're gonna look at it next Sunday morning at 9:30 everybody's invited don't know that I always offer that invitation but y'all can come plenty of room up there the lots empty seats this morning it's a good time brethren to go through Christian doctrines stuff that we really need to know about but in our confession it says those whom God effectually calls he also freely justifies not by infusing righteousness into them be severe ohm it's immoral transformation that's what Rome teaches your justification is not only your belief in Christ but it's your conduct it's your behavior it's your adherence to the to the laws of the Church of Rome well that's no justification that's terrible it's not the infusion of righteousness but rather it is the imputation of righteousness you say well those words sound very similar pastor Butler google them and see the vast difference that's what distinguishes in many respects Protestantism from potpourri and if we don't have this understanding we need to get it because our confession is right in this matter not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by here's the word accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for anything wrought in them not for anything wrought in them that means that not their mortal transformation again it will come but that's not the basis upon which were accepted in the beloved not for anything wrought in them or done by them but for Christ's sake alone not even by imputing faith itself the act of believing or any other evangelical obedience to them the Divine's there are counteracting or contrasting what was called back Starion ism Richard Baxter taught and unfortunately he has a very popular book called the reformed pastor the book is good insofar as pastoral responsibility goes but don't make the misstep that he was a reformed pastor because his doctrine of justification was Romesh and that's what our confession is speaking against he said that we bring faith to God and it's on that basis that God then justifies us that's not what scripture says it's never grace because of faith it's always grace through faith the Apostle is conspicuous there is a pattern and he never highlights that it's because of faith that one is justified faith is the instrument faith is the hand that receives it and that faith even is given by God as a free gift back to our confession not by imputing faith itself the act of believing or any other of angelical obedience to them as there are as their righteousness and here's where the London Baptist confession this next statement is better than the Westminster most of you will know that the Westminster is what the Baptist copied now with some differences in terms of who do we baptize a church polity and those sorts of things but the Westminster Confession does not include what the Baptist's found necessary to include in this next statement because there was some difference of opinion at the Westminster assembly some of those men did not accept the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ not so with our particular Baptist brothers our forefathers in the faith notice what they say but by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole law and passive obedience in his death for their whole and sole righteousness it's on this basis that Edward mote could write his song my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness this is the theology that Paul teaches this is the theology that Jesus taught this is the theology of Isaiah and of Moses this is what the Bible teaches brethren and to jettison that is to put ourselves into very tumultuous waters with reference to our position before God Almighty now in terms of the imputation the doctrine of I want to close here don't want to keep you much longer feel like they've already oh it's stayed my welcome here but there are three acts of imputation that we find in Scripture the first is the imputation of Adam's sin to all mankind the imputation of Adam's sin to all mankind Romans 5:18 a therefore as through one man's judgment as through one man excuse me miss wrote that in my notes I don't want to mess that up Romans 5:18 a therefore as through one man's offence judgment came to all man resulting in condemnation that's the amputation of Adam's sin we weren't in the garden we weren't there we didn't eat that particular fruit no but we were in Adam covenant Allah we were in Adam positionally we were in Adam representationally and in Adam all die and that's Paul's point as well notice in 5:19 a for as by one man's disobedience many were made or constituted or appointed sinners you see it's the doctrine of imputation Adam's sin is imputed to Adams posterity via covenant secondly we have the imputation of the elects sin to Jesus Christ the imputation of the elects sin to Jesus Christ why did Jesus go to that cross because he was constituted he was reckoned he was appointed he was made a sinner again that's where we see that moral transformation isn't the point Jesus wasn't morally transformed into a sinner Jesus didn't rob a bank Jesus didn't go out and shoot somebody it wasn't transformation it was legal and forensic based on this idea of imputation the priesthood or the Levitical system in Leviticus chapter 1 when the worshiper took his animal to the saw to the tabernacle or temple what did the worshiper do the worshiper cut the throat of the animal the priests laid hands on the animal the priest then dissected the animal and offered it up to God Almighty we've already seen that imputation of the sins of Israel in Leviticus 16 22 22 with reference to the scapegoat and then you see it in the New Testament with reference to our Lord Jesus Christ we see in Isaiah 53 six and yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all probably the most famous text to second Corinthians 5:21 for he God made him Christ who knew no sin to be sin for us again it's the doctrine of imputation that's why God is not an abomination to God Christ is just Christ as righteous Christ as glorious but he's condemned why because God imputed to him the sins of the elect so that he could punish him in our stead this is the rationale behind Paul's statement as to why God can be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ and then we have of course the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the elect that's Paul's point in romans 4 it's Paul's point in Romans 5 Paul's point in Romans first Corinthians 1 2nd corinthians 5 john gill comments on 2nd corinthians 5 he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us why so that we might become the righteousness of God in him it's a beautiful transaction isn't it it is the great exchange it is the imputation of that alien righteousness our sins to him he is punished in our stead and then his righteousness to us gill says just as Christ has made sent by the imputation of the sins of others to him so they are made righteousness or righteous persons through the imputation of his righteousness to them and in no other way can the one be made sin or the other righteousness this is the answer to the problem that proverbs 17:15 introduces God is not an abomination to himself because of covenant because of imputation and ultimately because of God this all flows out of who God is God is just God is righteous God is gracious God is merciful and God is infinitely wise because he ordained the way to save his people from their sins in a manner that upholds his righteousness and demonstrates His grace he doesn't compromise one perfect at the expense of others he doesn't renege on his righteousness so that he can bring sinners into a state of favor and acceptance go to Romans 3 for just a moment and notice Paul's emphasis in this particular section beginning in verse 21 but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed being witnessed by the law and the prophets even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ who all and on all who believe but there is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God now notice being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood propitiation is another one of those great and glorious gospel words we don't have time for right now but I would suggest that at some point you get your nose into this section of Scripture ask the question what does it mean propitiation and find great cheer and encouragement to your heart but notice God set forth Christ as a propitiation by his blood through faith now notice to demonstrate his righteousness you see it's not that at the cross all we see is God's grace we do see that it's not at the cross that we alone see his love though we see that it's not at the cross alone that we see mercy we see that but at the cross God is able to maintain his righteousness and he's able to receive guilty sinners unto himself he's able to navigate between what Solomon says in proverbs 17:15 not becoming an abomination to himself because of the doctrine of covenant because of imputation and based on his own holy and excellent character so it is to demonstrate his righteousness now notice because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed now do not think for a moment that passed over the sins that were previously committed means that he winked at them or that he neglected them or that he didn't deal with that no I think the referent is this is that God received believing Israelites in the Old Covenant based on the coming of Jesus Christ he passed over that Epoque based on the reality that the mediator would come and stand in the place of Abel would stand in the place of Noah would stand in the place of Abraham because we learn in the book of Hebrews the blood of bulls and goats can never take away said they were tights they were shadows they pointed forward to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world so someone might say well based on what you're saying Paul God didn't deal with the sins of the people in the Old Testament of course he did he laid them upon the son of his love he passed over them in his forbearance because the Lord Jesus would come and ultimately receive the punishment for them but then notice again in verse 26 to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness you ever considered that I've ever thought through this never asked the question why does Paul say this because it was crucial that God maintain his godhood when he saves us from our sins that he orchestrates away so that he can be as the remainder of our verse says just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus so at the cross we learn of love at the cross we learn embrace at the cross we learn a forgiveness at the cross we learn of mercy but at the cross we learn of righteousness we learn of what God thinks of sin we learn of what God thinks of his holy law we learn of what God thinks of his perfections in terms of righteousness and justice God's grace according to John Murray he says the description given in verse five dropped down to Romans 4:5 but to him who does not work but believes on him notice the language who justifies the ungodly it occurs to me that Paul is vindicating God in this section it is that Paul is demonstrating how the cross upholds the very righteousness of God so that God can remain who God is and yet justify the ungodly fact lloyd-jones has a beautiful sermon called the cross the vindication of God I commend it highlights Murray says the description given in verse five him who justifies the ungodly is intended to set off the munificence that means characterized by great generosity and liberality of the gospel of grace the word ungodly is a strong one and shows the magnitude and extent of God's grace his justifying judgment is exercised not simply upon the unrighteous but upon the ungodly verse five is a general statement of the method of grace and is not intended to describe Abraham specifically we have here rather the governing principle of grace it is exemplified in the case of Abraham because he believed in accordance with that principle Douglas mu says the one who justifies the ungodly is justly famous as a succinct and bold statement of God's conviction that our standing with God is wholly of God's free grace so as we consider or rather as we conclude we ought to remember this morning one man has well said that Paul's theology was nothing but the explication of his own conversion he knew that gospel experientially he knew that gospel blessedly he knew that gospel and then proclaimed it to others so that they would never think that they will ultimately be received by God based on what they've done but Paul does provide the theology so that Edward mote can write my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness its covenant it's imputation and it's who God is that keeps us from concluding that God is an abomination to himself because in the gospel god condemns the just and in the gospel God justifies the ungodly if we don't have those vital components we're gonna mess up when it comes to who God is and how he saves sinners well let us close in a word of Prayer father thank you for your word thank you for its clarity on these matters that are most appropriate are most important in terms of our standing with you I pray that whatever it was confusing would be chased away by the power of the Holy spirit and the truth that Christ and him crucified is our only hope would come through loud and clear that everybody in here would be looking unto Jesus Christ in whom there is forgiveness and in whom or through whom comes a righteousness that avails with God the Father we thank you for justification by your grace we thank you for the life of sanctification and the holy spirit at work in us and we pray that even now as we go into a new week he would be at work in us and he would be conforming us further unto the image of your beloved son even our Lord Jesus Christ and whose name we pray amen you