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.

Opening Prayer

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 that you 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.

Introduction

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 text 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 in the gospel, God does justify the wicked. And in the gospel, God in fact condemned the just. Christ was holy, 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 text 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. In 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.

The Justice of God Declared

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 responsibility, 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.

Background in the Mosaic Law

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 10 commandments in Exodus chapter 20.

Those 10 words, they're general principles. You shall not murder, for instance. You shall not commit adultery. Well, in Exodus 21 to 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 21.1, that sort of sets the stage for this case law interpretation in Exodus 21-23. 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. It 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 shall 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 judges based on the certainty of law. Notice in verse 4, if you meet your enemy's 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 not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute. And then verse seven, keep yourself far from a false matter.

Do not kill the innocent and righteous for I will not justify the wicked. So you see, you've got these laws, the law of God through Moses, his servant, which indicate that Solomon isn't making something up here. When he says, he who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the just, 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, there 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 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 a civil judge is 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, the main emphasis there is that justice must be carried out. If a man is found guilty, then he is subject to the punishment inflicted by the court. So we see this principle sustained throughout scripture.

The Problem the Gospel Presents

Now, as I said, when we look back at Proverbs 17, verse 15 especially, we ought to be reminded of what happens in the New Testament. On 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 just 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, armless, undefiled, absolutely, positively, just, and nevertheless, he's condemned. As well, Peter, in 1 Peter 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 we're 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's sin. 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. You ever wonder what it would have been like to be one of Jesus' close associates? And perhaps at times you'd say, does he ever sin? Does he ever do anything wrong?

Does he ever say anything that he ought not to say? No, he never did. Holy, harmless, undefiled, committed no sin. 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 just was condemned.

And we can't simply chalk that up to, you know, human limitation. We can't just say, well, Pilate was wrong, and Herod was wrong, and 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 son. 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 just 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 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 just 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 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 are wicked people.

We are transgressors of God's law. The apostle tells us in Romans 3, 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. 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 going to go ahead and justify that ungodly person? 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.

The Justice of God Maintained in the Gospel

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. 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 message here.

The Doctrine of Covenant

Notice in the first place this concept of covenant. Now, I don't want anybody to be bored tonight. I want you to get this. 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 the 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 covenant 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 a 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. It's called the word-concept fallacy. Though the word is absent, the concept is present. And when you look at Genesis 2, there is covenant.

The presence of the concept, though the word is absent. You see something parallel in the Davidic covenant. In 2 Samuel 7, God makes a covenant with David concerning the seed of David. Now, it doesn't say covenant in 2 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 2 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 again, some might say, well, it doesn't promise life for obedience. That is a necessary implication from the threat of death for disobedience. Dying you shall die must necessarily imply living you shall live.

So as long as Adam fulfills 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 stands for all of his posterity. And that is the teaching of the apostle Paul in Romans chapter five. 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 type 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 sin. In Adam, we all die. The concept of covenant is absolutely crucial if we're gonna 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 for now, 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.

The Doctrine of Imputation

Now, secondly, the way that we navigate through Proverbs 17, 15 without concluding 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, no, 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 apostle's 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 and unrighteousness. Paul then details the sins, the vices, the wretchedness of the Gentile. In chapter 2, Paul then deals with the sin, the vices, 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 118 to Romans 320. He changes directions in Romans 321. He says, but now the righteousness of God is revealed.

And so as he begins to explain this righteousness 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 four, he uses the word in verses three, four, five, six, 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 are no longer lawless. But having received the righteousness of Christ, we are righteous in him. 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 519. 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. 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 Spirit's 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 look at 519, perhaps constitute might be a better word or a point.

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 6.

Paul will deal with moral change in Romans 7 and 8. He'll say in Romans 13, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust. 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 3, 4, and 5. So 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. Now 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. God 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 a consequence of our having been justified freely by His grace. Again, Waters says, it refers to the change in legal or forensic status of the descendant. This isn't something you probably think about each and every day, but you 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 nod at this point. No, 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 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.

Imputation in the Old Testament

Go back to Genesis 15. Genesis 15. You 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 a pattern for future redemptive history. The Apostle Paul appeals to Abraham in Romans chapter 4. He 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. 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, and the particular account 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 sin. He'd offer up blood for the sins of Israel. He'd offer up 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 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 1620.

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 it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, 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, it's 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 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 deceit.

If you leave your finger there and turn to Romans 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 in. 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 four.

Imputation in Isaiah and Zechariah

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. You've already seen it in Genesis 15, you see it there in Leviticus chapter 6, 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.

The iniquities of us all are laid upon him. Go back for just a moment in verse six. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Now, that means 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 10, 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, then 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 rebuke 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 contexts 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 covenantally 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 he said, 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, His Son. 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

Imputation in the New Testament

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 1 Corinthians. You can turn there. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. It's a man by the name of N.T.

Wright, and he is taught, or he is a proponent of what is called the New Perspective on Paul. And N.T. Wright is N.T. 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 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 this. 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, we can disagree. And 22 years ago, my list was a lot longer, but nope, 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 8, 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. In other words, 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 1 Corinthians 1.30, But of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that, as it is written, he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. Christ is our righteousness. And we deny that, we do that to our own peril, but we do that in light of the written Word. Isn't 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 what he supplies to us. That's what the gospel is about. And then, of course, 2 Corinthians 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. It's faith. What is justification? Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us 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 Fesco 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 going to look at it next Sunday morning at 9.30. Everybody's invited. I don't know that I always offer that invitation, but y'all can come.

We got plenty of room up there, lots of empty seats this morning. It's a good time, brethren, to go through Christian doctrine, stuff that we really need to know about. But in our confession, it says those whom God affectionately calls, He also freely justifies. Not by infusing righteousness into them. vis-a-vis Rome.

See, moral 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 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 not their moral transformation. Again, it will come, but that's not the basis upon which we're 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 divines there are counteracting or contrasting what was called Baxterianism. 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 Romish.

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. 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 evangelical obedience to them 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 copy.

Now, with some differences in terms of who do we baptize and church polity and those sorts of things, but the Westminster Confession does not include what the Baptists 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 dear 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.

Three Acts of Imputation

Now, in terms of the imputation, the doctrine of... I want to close here. I don't want to keep you much longer. I feel like I've already 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, 18a. Therefore, as through one man's judgment, as through one man's, excuse me, I miswrote that in my notes.

I don't want to mess that up. Romans 5, 18a. Therefore, as through one man's offense, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation. That's the imputation 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 covenantally.

We were in Adam positionally. We were in Adam representationally and in Adam all died. And that's Paul's point. As well, notice in 519a, 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 Adam's posterity via covenant. Secondly, we have the imputation of the elect's sin to Jesus Christ. the imputation of the elect's 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 tabernacle or temple, what did the worshiper do?

The worshiper cut the throat of the animal. The priest 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, 20 to 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, 6, and Yahweh has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Probably the most famous text is 2 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 is righteous, Christ is 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.

It's Paul's point in 1 Corinthians 1. 2 Corinthians 5, John Gill comments on 2 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.

Gil says, just as Christ is made sin 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 perfection 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.

God Just and Justifier

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 to all and on all who believe. For 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 a 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 do 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 them.

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 epoch 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 sin. They were types, 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, Have you ever considered that? Have you ever thought through this? Have you ever 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 a way 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 of grace. At the cross, we learn of 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 5, drop 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.

In fact, Lloyd-Jones has a beautiful sermon called, The Cross, The Vindication of God. I commend it highly. Murray says, the description given in verse 5, 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 Moos 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 holy 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. Paul does provide the theology so that Edward Mote can write, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. It's 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

Closing Prayer

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 important in terms of our standing with You. I pray that whatever 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, in whose name we pray, amen.

Scripture References

• Genesis 2:16; 15:6
• Exodus 21:1; 23:1; 23:4; 23:6; 23:7
• Leviticus 1:4; 16:20-22
• Deuteronomy 25:1-2
• 2 Samuel 7:1
• Psalms 32:1-2; 89:3; 132:11
• Isaiah 53:6; 53:9; 53:11-12; 61:10
• Jeremiah 23:6
• Zechariah 3:1
• Acts 2:23
• John 8:24
• Romans 1:18; 2:1; 3:19-21; 3:26; 4:3-5; 4:7-11; 4:22-24; 5:12; 5:14; 5:18-19; 6:1; 7:1; 8:1; 13:14
• 1 Corinthians 1:30
• 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Hebrews 7:26
• 1 Peter 2:22