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Romans chapter 4. We'll begin reading in verse 
1. What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found 
according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified 
by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 
For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was 
accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works, the wages 
are not counted as grace, but as debt. but to him who does 
not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his 
faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also describes 
the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness 
apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless 
deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is 
the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. Amen. Let us pray. Our Father, we thank 
you for the Word of God and for this epistle to the Romans. Thank 
you for the theology of justification by faith alone. Thank you for 
the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of his people, for 
his perfect life of obedience to the Father, his substitutionary, 
curse-bearing wrath on Calvary's cross, and his resurrection the 
third day. We thank you as well for his 
current session and the promise that he will return again in 
glory to judge the living and the dead. And may it be the case 
that on that day we would all be found clothed in His righteousness, 
that we would be accepted by God through the Beloved, that 
we would enter into that consummate glory where we would sing Your 
praises and honor You, world without end. We thank you so 
very much for the gospel of free and sovereign grace. We thank 
you so very much that you've not dealt with us according to 
our sin, you've not rewarded us according to our transgression, 
that you have removed our iniquity, you've cast it into the depths 
of the sea. And in this, Lord God, we greatly rejoice. And as we come to the supper 
tonight, as we eat this bread, as we drink this cup, may we 
be mindful of the death of Christ. May we be mindful of that atonement 
wherein he has satisfied divine justice for the sake of his people. 
We ask now that you would guide our thoughts as we study scripture. We pray that it would encourage 
our hearts that again we would be brought to worship and to 
praise and to honor Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So send forth 
your spirit now. Wash us afresh in the blood of 
the Lamb. Sanctify us by your truth. And 
we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, as we look 
at this particular section, the Apostle Paul is dealing with 
justification by faith alone, and he is showing that this isn't 
some new thing. This is not something that was 
invented by Paul. It's not something that was invented 
by the gospel writers. It was not something invented 
by any new covenant Christian, but it's always been God's way 
of salvation. If any man is ever to enter into 
the presence of God, it'll be by grace alone, through faith 
alone, and Christ alone. We know that to be the case because 
Paul appeals to two particular individuals, both in the Old 
Testament, Abraham and then David. We're going to spend our time 
tonight on considering the righteousness of David, but by way of some 
preliminary observations, notice what Paul says in verse 5. He 
says, but to him who does not work but believes on him who 
justifies the ungodly His faith is accounted for righteousness. 
If you go back for just a moment in your scriptures to the book 
of Joshua, Joshua chapter 24, it's not typically the case that 
when we think of Abraham and David, when we as God's people 
in God's church think of Abraham and David, we don't typically 
think of them as ungodly men, as the ones whom God has justified 
freely by His grace. But both were ungodly men. Both were wretches. Both were 
sinners. Both could never be accepted 
based on their works. Both were indeed foul and polluted. When you look specifically at 
Joshua 24, this is a covenant ratification ceremony at Shechem, 
and Joshua traces redemptive history up to this point. And 
if you notice at verse 1, he says, then Joshua gathered all 
the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of 
Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers, 
and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to 
all the people, thus says the Lord God of Israel, your fathers, 
including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, 
dwelt on the other side of the river in old times, and they 
served other gods. Now, I would argue that Abraham 
was taught by his father to serve those very gods. So Abraham was 
an idolater prior to his having been called out of Ur of the 
Chaldeans onto a saving relationship by God through faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ. So God justifies the ungodly. We'll consider David in a few 
moments, but back to Romans chapter 4 when we look at his appeal 
to Abraham. He speaks of his righteousness. He puts it negatively and he 
puts it positively. In chapter 4 of Romans, he says 
in verse 1, for if Abraham was justified by works, he has something 
to boast about, but not before God. See, the logic of the apostle 
is obvious. It is clear. If we are accepted 
by God based on our works, then with Abraham we have something 
to boast about before God. In other words, there's a self-congratulatory 
element. We're able to say, I've done 
this, I've accomplished this, and therefore God has accepted 
me. But notice how Paul rips that foundation away when he 
says, but not before God. In other words, no man can ever 
boast before God for their having been accepted by God. And then 
he asserts it positively in verse 3. He says, for what does the 
scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was 
accounted to him for righteousness. So the larger context, beginning 
in chapter 3 all the way through chapter 4, highlighting the necessity 
of the death of Christ in chapter 5, and then showing more of this 
doctrine of imputation wherein God credits or reckons or accounts 
to our account the righteousness of Jesus Christ Paul appeals 
to Abraham and to David. And he ends this section, this 
appeal to Abraham. Actually, the chapter as a whole 
is dedicated to Abraham. 5 to 8, with reference to David, 
is a bit of an aside to buttress the case, but the bulk of the 
emphasis in chapter 4 is on Abraham. But notice in verse 4, he says, 
now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but 
as debt. In other words, it is amazing 
grace. If it is the case that we had 
indeed worked into God's favor, then it wouldn't be a grace transaction. It would be a debt transaction. 
It would be God paying us what we are due as a result of what 
we have accomplished. So by way of introduction, realize 
that Paul is dealing with justification by faith alone. He appeals to 
Abraham. And now let's look at this case 
of David. in verses 5 to 8. I want us to 
turn to 2 Samuel chapter 22. 2 Samuel chapter 22. Just consider the righteousness 
of David as the Apostle Paul appeals to him in Romans chapter 
4. 2 Samuel 22 is very similar to 
Psalm 18. The psalm of David, or this psalm 
of David, is included in the book of Psalms. And though there 
are differences in the wording, they are, in fact, the same. 
The psalm was no doubt sung by David throughout his life. It 
is punctuated here at the end of his life, and it was prepared 
for the chief musician for inclusion into this altar so that the church 
at large throughout the ages could sing of God's great grace, 
of His great power, and of His great glory. As we look at this 
particular psalm, we see in the first place the deliverance of 
David in verses 1 to 20. David is simply rehearsing God's 
faithfulness to him in the fact that he has delivered him from 
all of his enemies, including Saul. If you read through the 
books of 1 and 2 Samuel, you will know that David was no stranger 
to difficulties, to trials, to afflictions, to hardships, and 
sorrows. And so he praises God for his 
goodness in delivering him. And then notice, secondly, the 
righteousness of David in verses 21 to 25. David writes, the Lord 
rewarded me according to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of 
my hands, He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways 
of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all 
His judgments were before me, and as for His statutes, I did 
not depart from them. I was also blameless before Him, 
and I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore, the Lord has recompensed 
me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in 
His eyes." So we're going to focus in on this righteousness 
of David. Now, in the first place, there's 
a bit of a problem when we consider this passage in light of the 
rest of 1 and 2 Samuel. In other words, if you were Uriah 
the Hittite, you might argue with David, as he rehearses here, 
his righteousness. If you were Bathsheba, you might 
argue here with David concerning his righteousness. If you were 
Absalom, you might argue with David here concerning his righteousness. Remember, Absalom was incensed 
when his brother Amnon, or rather Amnon, raped Tamar. David didn't 
do anything about this. He got upset, he got angry, he 
was infuriated by it, but he didn't intervene, he didn't wield 
his kingly power, he didn't wield his fatherly power, and that 
ultimately works out terribly in the life of David, because 
Absalom then rises up against Amnon, kills him, and then ultimately 
Absalom tries to usurp David and take over the very kingdom 
himself. So, if you were on the other side of one of these transactions, 
and you were reading Psalm 18, or David's rehearsal here, in 
2 Samuel 22, you might ask him, how can you possibly maintain 
this kind of righteousness? He says, the Lord rewarded me 
according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of 
my hands. He has recompensed me. Now, there were those certainly 
sympathetic to David on the other side that would affirm his righteousness. His good friend, Jonathan, for 
instance. Jonathan maintained David's innocence. Jonathan maintained David's integrity. Jonathan maintained the reality 
that there was no reason whatsoever that Saul should have animosity 
against Jonathan's good friend, David. Remember Abigail, the 
godly wife of the foolish man Nabal. She confesses and testifies 
concerning the righteousness of David. But most of all, we 
have the testimony of Yahweh. We have the testimony of God, 
because as Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, is the benchmark for 
wickedness in the kingdom, David, king of Israel, is the benchmark 
for righteousness. In other words, kings are measured 
against whether or not they are like David in terms of their 
pursuit. So you see the bit of a difficulty 
when one approaches such a chapter or passage like this. On the 
one hand, if you're those who have suffered under the hands 
of David, you would argue that he's not righteous. On the other 
hand, there's a great sort of team on the other side testifying 
that he is indeed righteous. So let's look at the theology 
of David. And let's see how this all squares. 
In the first place, we need to understand that David recognized 
his sin. David certainly understood his 
sin. We see it in 2 Samuel chapter 
12. After the prophet, Nathan comes to him. After the prophet 
rebukes him, David says in 2 Samuel 12, 13, I have sinned against 
the Lord. So whatever David means in terms 
of an assertion of his righteousness, he knows he's not a sinless being. He knows that he is not the holy, 
harmless, and undefiled one. He knows that he has pollution, 
and he knows that that pollution goes deep. Turn to Psalm 51 to 
see this as well. Psalm 51, just looking at the 
theology of David so we can see how he maintains his own righteousness 
and how Paul can appeal to him as an example of righteousness. Notice in Psalm 51, the occasion 
is indicated in the subscript. It says, to the chief musician, 
a psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him after 
he had gone into Bathsheba. He says, have mercy upon me, 
O God, according to your lovingkindness, according to the multitude of 
your tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions. Wash 
me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For 
I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is always before me. 
Against you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight, 
that you may be found just when you speak and blameless when 
you judge. Behold, I was brought forth in 
iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, you desire 
truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part you will make 
me to know wisdom." So David understood the doctrine of depravity. 
David understood the doctrine of sin. David understood not 
only the doctrine of sin as it's theoretically treated and applied 
to men, but he knew it experientially. He knew it in his own heart. 
He knew it in his own life. He knew it, and he confessed 
it. Psalm 130, out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord. 
Lord, hear my voice. If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, 
O Lord, who could stand? David cast himself, by God's 
grace, on the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. But it's 
imperative to understand that he had an understanding of his 
own iniquity. Secondly, David understood atonement. David understood atonement. You'll 
see where I'm going, obviously, in terms of building the case 
that the righteousness that he speaks of is in the first place 
the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus. But he understood 
atonement. Go back to 2 Samuel chapter 12. 
2 Samuel chapter 12, if we continue reading in verse 13 after David 
says, I have sinned against the Lord. Nathan said to David, the 
Lord also has put away your sin. You shall not die. Now the word atonement isn't 
used here specifically, I don't think, but the concept is present. The idea that Yahweh will put 
away your sin. But turn over to chapter 21, 
this atonement ritual at Gibeah. David was involved with this. 
It was as a result of Saul's sin that these men met their 
end, and it was indeed an atonement. We see that in chapter 21. Notice 
as well in chapter 24, as a result of David's numbering the armies 
of Israel, God brings judgment to bear upon him. And the chapter 
ends by highlighting the necessity of atonement in 2 Samuel chapter 
24, verses 18 to 25. In the Psalter, if you look at 
Psalm 65, what David says concerning atonement. In Psalm 65, verse 
1, praise is awaiting you, O God, in Zion, and to you the vow shall 
be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you 
all flesh will come. Iniquities prevail against me. 
As for our transgressions, you will provide atonement for them. 
Now, remember, David was in fact a king. David was in fact a warrior, 
but David was as well a theologian. David rejoiced. He was glad when 
they said unto him, let us go to the house of the Lord. He 
learned atonement as a boy. He learned atonement in the cult. 
And by cult, I don't mean Jehovah's Witness. I mean the religious 
operation of Israel. He learned atonement at the tabernacle. He knew what it was to come nigh 
unto God through bloody sacrifice. The necessity of atonement underscores 
the presence of sin and guilt. David understood that. The necessity 
of atonement underscores the holiness and justice of God. And the necessity of atonement 
highlights the reality that this holy God's justice is satisfied 
in the act of atonement. So, David understood sin, David 
understood atonement, thirdly, David understood the doctrine 
of imputation. Turn over to Psalm 32. Psalm 
32. We need to remember that the 
imputation of righteousness did not become a reality when Paul 
wrote Romans 4 and 5. You all understand that, right? 
Paul tells us that Adam was a type of him who was to come. Paul 
tells us that in Romans chapter 5 at verse 14. Well, Adam didn't become a type 
of Christ at Romans 5, 14. Adam had always been a type of 
Christ. The same is true with the doctrine 
of imputation. Imputation is that sort of thing 
I mentioned this morning and that vision that Joshua the high 
priest is standing before Yahweh and the devil is there to accuse 
him. and God orders that the garments be stripped off him, 
and then these new glorious robes be placed upon him. That's imputation. The righteousness of Christ is 
imputed to us. It is reckoned to us. It is accounted 
to us. It is given to us. It is constituted 
ours. That's what imputation is, and 
David understood that. In fact, Paul appeals to this 
text in Romans 4. Notice in Psalm 32 verse 1, a 
Psalm of David, a contemplation. 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 there is 
no deceit. Paul uses this particular passage 
to show, to demonstrate, and to illustrate the doctrine of 
justification by faith alone. John Murray says, what David 
spoke of in terms of the non-imputation and forgiveness of sin, Paul 
interprets more positively as the imputation of righteousness. In other words, they're two sides 
of the same coin. David, negatively, 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 there is no deceit. Paul says, blessed are those 
whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed 
is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. You see, they're 
saying the same thing. Paul is quoting David. David 
understood not only his own sin, not only the necessity of atonement, 
but he understood the doctrine of imputation. We see this doctrine 
of imputation not only in the Apostle Paul here in Romans 4 
and in Romans 5, you see it also in 2 Corinthians 5.21. I appealed 
to that this morning. God made him who knew no sin 
to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God 
in him. The doctrine of imputation is 
simple. Adam's sin is imputed to us, 
our sin is imputed to Christ, and Christ's righteousness is 
imputed to us. It's a beautiful thing, isn't 
it? You see what happens when you deny the historicity of Adam? You see what happens when you 
deny the covenantal headship of Adam? It runs towards denying 
those same truths with reference to Jesus. I had a man once say 
he didn't think it was fair that we should be blamed for Adam's 
sin. Well, I don't know that we're 
blamed for Adam's sin. The idea is original sin. The 
one stood for the many, and in him all died, so that we are 
now constituted or reckoned as sinners, but if we have trouble 
with that, then we must have trouble with the reality that 
the righteousness of the one is constituted to the many, received 
by faith alone. You see, David understood Pauline 
theology. David was, to read a later concept 
back into redemptive history, reformed. David understood it 
wasn't a transformative thing in his life. I've done many good 
things, and now the Lord will reward me. with forgiveness, 
mercy, and righteousness. As well, he understood sin, he 
understood atonement, he understood imputation, he also understood 
his appropriation of Christ by faith. Now, some would hear this, 
old school dispensationalists, we talked about them a bit yesterday 
at our theology class, and they'd say, well, that's just simply 
untrue. I mean, Christ didn't come till Matthew's Gospel. How 
in the world could somebody prior to Matthew's Gospel believe on 
Jesus? Well, as our confession teaches 
and as the Bible itself teaches, there's one way of salvation. 
It's always been by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ 
alone. What's Paul saying concerning the Old Testament scriptures 
to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 3? These scriptures are able 
to make you wise for salvation through faith in who? In Christ 
Jesus. Christ Jesus was promised in 
Genesis chapter 3. Christ Jesus was prefigured in 
Genesis chapter 4, Genesis chapter 22. Christ Jesus was talked about 
all throughout those Old Testament scriptures. Prophecy after prophecy 
after prophecy. And faithful men like David understood 
that and they laid hold of Christ by faith. So if you're here tonight, 
you've committed adultery, say like David had done, there is 
hope, forgiveness, and mercy in and through the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Dare I say if you've committed 
murder to cover up that adultery. I really hope nobody here has. 
If you have, I highly encourage you to call the RCMP and confess 
those sins or crimes. But if you have, then follow 
David to the cross. You see, brethren, I think that 
we get into this place where we forget the concept of Romans 
4-5. He justifies the ungodly. At some point in our Christian 
life, we begin to think that we were never ungodly. We've 
always been pretty decent. We've always been a step above 
others. We've always been worthy of God's 
grace. Do you understand what an oxymoron 
worthy of God's grace actually is? There is no one worthy of 
God's grace. It's grace. Isn't this Paul's 
point? Now to the one who works, the 
wages are counted as debt, not as grace. You see, brethren, 
Romans 4, 5 is a reality. Abraham was a wretch. He was 
an idolater. He was a sinful man. Just highlighting 
a few of the major events in David's life, he was a wretch. He was a terrible man. but he 
found forgiveness in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And if 
we, tonight, will eat this bread and drink this cup, we are looking 
to the selfsame Christ of David, this king. Let's just see, in 
many instances, where he is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn 
to Psalm 2. Psalm 2. Why do the nations rage and the 
people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves 
and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against 
His anointed, His Christ, His Messiah, saying, let us break 
their bonds and pieces and cast away their cords from us. This 
is the rage of the nations. Notice, secondly, the response 
of Yahweh in verses 4 to 6. Notice thirdly, the revelation 
of the decree. Verses 7 to 9, I will declare 
the decree, the Lord has said to me, you are my son, today 
I have begotten you. You see this theme? Familiar 
New Covenant themes, the Messiah, the Christ, the eternally begotten 
son of the Father. This is a psalm concerning the 
Lord Jesus. Who is it that David believed 
in? Some nebulous concept? No, a specific person. The eternally begotten Son of 
the Father, identified in the Hebrew as Messiah, in the Greek 
as Christ, the Anointed One. Ask of me, Jesus says in verse 
eight, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance 
and the ends of the earth for your possession. There's your 
backdrop for Matthew chapter 28. Jesus says, all authority 
in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and 
make disciples of all the nations. Well, how could Jesus say that? 
Because the Father gave it to Him, gifted it to Him, awarded 
it to Him based on His glorious redemptive work as the mediator 
of the new covenant. Notice in verse 9, you shall 
break them with a rod of iron, you shall dash them to pieces 
like a potter's vessel. Now note finally in verses 10 
to 12 the response of the wise. In other words, the nations rage 
against Yahweh, Yahweh holds them in derision, the decree 
concerning the son is revealed, and now David calls upon those 
around Israel and he says, be wise, O kings, be instructed, 
you judges of the earth, serve the Lord with fear and rejoice 
with trembling. Kiss the son lest he be angry 
and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. 
Our confession uses the language of receive and rest upon the 
Lord Jesus Christ. That's metaphorical talk for 
faith, for belief, for looking and living. And the same is true 
here. What does it mean to kiss the Son lest He be angry and 
you perish in the way when His wrath is kindled but a little? 
Note the benediction He pronounces. Blessed are all those who do 
what? They put their trust in Him. We are not going to heaven 
because of our performance. We are not going to heaven because 
of our good works. We are not going to heaven because 
of our law keeping. We're not even eating this bread 
and drinking this cup because we've had a banner week. We're 
going, we're eating, we're drinking because Christ died and was raised 
the third day. And by the grace of God, our 
Lord has enabled us to look and to live. Blessed are all those 
who put their trust in Him. Notice in Psalm 32, we've already 
appealed to verses one and two, but notice Psalm 32, verses 10 
and 11. Many sorrows shall be to the 
wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround 
him. How did old school dispensationalism 
ever get around these things? You were not saved by your obedience 
to the law in the Old Testament. You were saved by grace through 
faith in the Lord Jesus. He who trusts in the Lord, mercy 
shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, 
you righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart. 
Do we ever take David seriously there? Do we ever shout for joy 
because of what God has done in our hearts and in our lives? 
Let me just reflect upon it and leap up as that man who was healed 
by, through the instrumentality of Peter and John, or Peter and 
John went to pray, they met a lame man on the way. He asked for 
alms and held out his palms and this is what Peter did say, silver 
and gold have I not, but such as I have, give I thee in the 
name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk. How do you think that 
guy did that? With a spring in his step, brethren, 
with a spring in his step. For those of us who have been 
conquered by amazing grace, we're called upon to shout for joy, 
all you upright and hard. One final text under this heading, 
Psalm 110. Psalm 110. resolving the tension presented 
by David's claim to righteousness. On the one hand, there were those 
who would certainly affirm that David was not righteous. On the 
other hand, there were those who affirmed that David was, 
in fact, righteous. David, who is called a man after 
God's own heart, tells us he is righteous, and so we're resolving 
this. We're looking at the resolution. 
We have seen the recognition of His iniquity, His understanding 
of atonement, His understanding of imputation, His appropriation 
of Christ by faith. Notice in Psalm 110, 1, a psalm 
of David. The Lord said to my Lord. How did He become David's Lord? Certainly in terms of being the 
second person of the Trinity. certainly proleptically in terms 
of being the mediator of the new covenant, but he became my 
Lord, according to David, through faith. Blessed are all those 
who trust in him. This David is speaking of this 
Christ, the one to be stationed at Yahweh's right hand. He calls 
him my Lord. This is a Galatians 2.20 moment 
in the Old Testament. Remember what Paul says, in the 
righteousness I have, Or when he speaks of Christ, he says, 
who loved me and who gave himself for me. Christianity is a blessed 
religion of personal pronouns. Notice, Yahweh said to my Lord. Sit at my right hand till I make 
your enemies your footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of 
your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies. 
Your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power. In 
the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning, you 
have the due of your youth." Now notice, the Lord is sworn 
and will not relent. You are a priest forever according 
to the order of Melchizedek. You see, David's theology was 
ripe. David's theology was full. David's theology was rich in 
Christology. He knew this Christ. He knew 
him by faith. He knew him not only to be a 
king that would shatter his enemies, but he knew him as a priest. 
He knew him as the one that would, in fact, affect redemption for 
his elect. So that's the theology of David 
in a nutshell. So in conclusion, to explain 
his righteousness, it is in the first place as a result of the 
atonement wrought by Christ. Hebrews 9.15 makes a glorious 
statement concerning the atoning work of Jesus. It tells us that 
there is a retrospective effect of the cross of Christ. In other 
words, it looks back or it affects back. Hebrews 9.15 says, and 
for this reason He is the mediator of the new covenant by means 
of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the 
first covenant. that those who are called may 
receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." Isn't that a beautiful 
statement? He is the mediator of the new 
covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions 
under the first covenant. Not two ways of salvation, one 
way, and David experienced it. We have seen the imputation, 
the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Here, John Gill commenting on 
Psalm 1820, that statement we saw in 2 Samuel 22. He says, 
though it is best of all to apply it to Christ and understand it 
of His righteousness, which He, as mediator, has wrought out 
for His people. This is perfect, pure, and spotless, 
and entirely agreeable to the law of God. What will bear the 
sight of God is satisfying to His justice, is well-pleasing 
to Him, and is what He accepts of and imputes to them that believe 
in Christ, and by which they are justified from all things." 
I think Gil nails it. when he identifies David's righteousness 
as revealed in Psalm 18, slash 2 Samuel 22, as the imputed righteousness 
of our Lord Jesus. This goes along with the reality 
of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ 
alone, as I started off with. Paul's not arguing a new thing 
in Romans 4. Paul is not suggesting, you know, 
I'm the innovator of the Christian religion. I'm the developer of 
it. I'm the founder and the originator. Some pit Paul and Jesus against 
each other. Jesus and Paul taught different 
ways of salvation. Jesus was about good works and 
pleasing God and engaging in your own personal righteousness, 
and then you will be accepted. giving cold water to somebody 
that's hot and visiting the downtrodden and poor. Jesus taught justification 
by faith alone every bit as much as the Apostle Paul, every bit 
as much as did David, every bit as much as did Moses. It has 
been the one way of approach to God throughout all the ages. Our confession is right to say 
in chapter 11, paragraph 6, the justification of believers under 
the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same 
with the justification of believers under the New Testament. So David 
has the imputed righteousness of Jesus. But brethren, we have 
never taught, the Reformed have never taught, that justification 
does not always lead to sanctification. In other words, when God saves 
a sinner, they will then pursue those things that are pleasing 
in God's sight, not as a condition of salvation, but as a consequence 
of salvation. Work out your own salvation in 
fear and trembling. You can only work out what God 
has put in there. You can only do those good works 
in Ephesians chapter 2 because God, in His grace, has made you 
alive. God, in His grace, has justified 
you freely. God, in His grace, has forgiven 
you. It is as a result of that that we then engage in this pursuit 
of good works. David saw the sanctifying power 
of the Holy Spirit in Psalm 51, verse 12. Psalm 51, verse 12. Some suggest that the Holy Spirit 
wasn't in the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit was in the Old 
Testament. Notice, specifically, David's 
psalm of repentance. In verse 10, he says, created 
me a clean heart, O God, renew a steadfast spirit within me. 
Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your 
Holy Spirit from me. So this is his repentance, this 
is his confession on the occasion of having been rebuked by Nathan 
for the sin against Uriah and Bathsheba. Verse 12, he says, 
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me by your 
generous spirit. So the justification that he 
had received by grace alone, through faith alone, based on 
the atonement wrought by Christ, and that righteousness which 
was received by faith alone, nevertheless, and always will, 
produce good works. Not unto salvation, but as a 
result of having been saved. And then we see the faithfulness 
that was opposite to the apostasy of Saul. I mean, David and Saul 
are a complete contrast in terms of persons. It wasn't the case 
that one was a wretch and the other was perfect. No, David 
was a sinner, but David was a forgiven sinner. David was a redeemed 
sinner. One man says, the distinction 
between Saul and David, between a rejected king and an accepted 
one, is not that one is a sinner and the other is not, for both 
are sinners. Rather, the distinction lies 
in the very different attitudes to faith and repentance displayed 
by the two and at a deeper level still in the sovereign election 
of the one, the man of God's own choosing over the other. And I've always appreciated what 
Matthew Henry says in this connection. Though David had sometimes weakly 
departed from his duty, not weakly Monday through Friday, but weakly, 
like not strong. Though he had sometimes weakly 
departed from his duty, he had never wickedly departed from 
his God. So David was a righteous man. 
David received the righteousness of Christ, it was imputed to 
him, it was received by faith alone. He looked forward to the 
coming Christ, based on the promises of Genesis 3.15, carried along 
all the way in and through the life of David, and even beyond 
David, until the fullness of the time would come, when God 
would send forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law 
to redeem those like David who was under the law. Well, in David's 
doctrine of soteriology, we have seen the recognition of sin. 
And I know it's customary at the supper for us to feel bad 
about our sin. And I'm not suggesting that you 
should ever feel good about your sin. Brethren, we ought to not 
only feel bad about our sin, but we ought to feel absolutely 
joyful about our Savior. It becomes this time of introspection 
and depression. Becomes this time when we make 
sure we wear the black suit on Sunday. It becomes this time 
when we assume these pious errors about how wretched we are. You're 
gonna be as wretched tomorrow morning. Be happy tonight that 
your Savior went through what he went through on our behalf 
so that we can eat this bread and drink this cup and proclaim 
his blessed death and resurrection. We see the understanding of atonement 
and the understanding of imputation. I just want to read this quote 
by Martin Luther. He says, wearied at length with 
your own righteousness, rejoice and confide in the righteousness 
of Christ. Learn, my dear brother, to know 
Christ, and Christ crucify, and learn to despair of thyself, 
and to sing to the Lord this song. Lord Jesus, thou art my 
righteousness, but I am thy sin. Thou hast taken what belonged 
to me, thou hast given me what was thine. Thou becamest what 
thou were not, in order that I might become what I was not 
myself. I think that's a good way to 
approach the supper tonight. In conclusion, David was saved 
by faith in David's greater son. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for the gospel, the consistency through 
Old and New Testaments, not of a myriad of ways of approach 
to God, but one way. That seed promised in Genesis 
3, and by farther steps revealed, and culminating in the blessed 
promise of New Covenant religion. How we thank you that you have 
made us partakers. How we thank you for the atonement 
wrought by Christ. How we thank you for the doctrine 
of justification by faith alone and for the imputation of Christ's 
righteousness. Wonder of wonders that we will 
ever stand in the presence of God. clothed in the righteousness 
of another, how we thank you for this and how we pray that 
others would believe, that others would heed King David's counsel 
in Psalm 2, that they would indeed trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
that they would call Jesus my Lord, that they would see him 
as that one who is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. 
Thank you for the supper that you provide to us. Thank you 
that as the householder, you refresh us as weary pilgrims. 
May we tonight, as we eat this bread and drink this cup, yes, 
indeed, think of our own sin, but think about what a great 
Savior we have. As Newton said, I am a great 
sinner, but Christ is a great Savior. And how we thank you 
for this, and we pray in Jesus' name, amen.