You Wouldn't Believe My Income Statement!

Romans 4:1-12

SUBJECT: SALVATION/ IMPUTATION

THEME: When we trust Jesus Christ as Savior, God gives Jesus credit for our sins, and He gives us credit for Christ’s righteousness. Yes, our sins are imputed to the Son of God who paid for them all at Calvary. 

Basically, Imputation means charging, ascribing or reckoning something to a person’s account. This study affords us a peek into God’s ledgers! You will not believe what God credited to my account!

In our text, there are a number of fascinating instances where the word impute or equivalent terms appears. Some of these occurrences are, “COUNTED” (Rom. 4:3, 5); “RECKONED” (Rom. 4:4, 9, 10); and of course, “IMPUTED” (Rom. 4:11, 22, 23, 24, 5:13). The idea is assigning, calculating or accounting a responsibility…a credit…a guilt…a debt...or a value to another person. Do you know what God’s ledger records on your account? What’s on your income statement?

LESSON:

I.               How Does Imputation Specifically Relate to Salvation?

There are three distinct theological truths in the Bible directly related to the concept of imputation.

     A. IMPUTATION RELATES TO HUMANITY’S GUILT BEFORE GOD

The Imputation of Adam’s sin to his descendants. Romans 5:12-19, tells us God imputes the guilt of Adam’s sin to all humanity: “by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners,” (Rom. 5:19). “By the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation” (Rom. 5:18). “By one man’s offense death reigned by one” (Rom. 5:17). This idea is sometimes referred to as “original sin,” and Paul makes reference to it in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22.

Rom 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13, (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

           1.  Adam’s Relationship to the Human Race as the Federal Head (The Representative of All Mankind When He Sinned)

When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, we all sinned with Him. We all received credit for his sin and are guilty of that sin; therefore, we all will suffer physical death. Death is the evidence that we all are guilty of the sin of Adam. When our Federal head sinned God condemned him and every one he represented; we all receive credit on our spiritual accounts for Adam’s sin.

ILLUSTRATION: Whenever the Federal Head of the U.S. Make a statement, a claim, or a commitment to the UN, he automatically obligated each of us Americans regardless to our individual opinions or views.  The entire country will be charged with that commitment or responsibility in the eyes of the UN.

           2.  Adam’s Relationship to the Human Race as the Seminal Head (We Were Organically a Part of Adam When He Sinned)

Seminal means seed, and the entire Human Race was actually a part of Adam when he sinned therefore we are literally and individually guilty of committing this sin with Adam or IN ADAM.

Rom 5:18, Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19, For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

1 Cor 15:22, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

BIBLE ILLUSTRATIONS: GEN. 9:20-29, HAM’S SEED IS CURSED BY NOAH. Noah’s grandson Canaan is cursed for the sin of his father Ham. All the seed or off spring of Ham through Canaan were credited with the sin of Ham and will suffer condemnation because of Ham’s sin. WHY?  Because Ham is the Seminal Head of Canaan.

JOSHUA 7:16-26, ACHAN BRINGS JUDGMENT ON HIS FAMILY AND ISRAEL BECAUSE OF HIS SECRET SINS of theft, lust, greed, avarice, and deception. In the administration of punishment for Aachan’s sin everything and everyone connected with him was blotted out of Israel! Likewise God condemned the whole human race because we all are guilty of actually being IN ADAM when he sinned.

ILLUSTRATION: When my sisters, brother, and I were children, we would misbehave from time to time doing things that Mom and Dad had zero appreciation for. There were occasions when only one of us kids did something wrong, but all of us would receive a spanking! Why? Well, because we allowed the other to get into mischief. The failure of one was imputed to all of us. Somehow this never seemed fair to me….

     B. IMPUTATION RELATES TO PLACING BELIEVERS’ GUILT ON CHRIST

The Imputation of the Believer’s Sin to Christ. In addition to guilt imputed from Adam’s sin, each individual is also charged with guilt for his or her personal sins. This is what Paul, the apostle, describes as “not imputing their trespasses to them,” 2 Cor. 5:19.

           1.   All Mankind Is Guilty of Sin IN ADAM and for Personal Sins

Eccl 7:20, For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Rom 3:19, Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

           2.  The Sin of Adam Was Not Imputed to Christ Because of His Virgin Birth

The Lord Jesus’ supernatural conception and birth freed Him from the guilt of Adam’s sin.

Isa 7:14, Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matt 1:20-25, But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21, And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22, Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24, Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25, And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Jesus did not receive the guilt of Adam’s sin because he is not the seed of man (Adam) but the very Son of God.  Man receives his sin nature from his father and not his mother!  A Baby in its mother’s womb does not receive its blood type from its mother but from its father!

           3.   The Sinless Life of Christ Gave Him a Spiritual Account of Complete Righteousness. His sinless life qualified him to be our Savior. The fact that He committed no personal sin means He had zero sins counted against Him.

Rom 5:17, For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Rom 5:18-21, Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19, For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 21   , That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

           4.  In Christ’s Substitutionary Death, He Willingly Accepted Credit for All Sin onto His Spiritual Account and Paid for Them All, but only Believers are Saved. This was entirely a voluntary act of love by Christ.

1 John 2:2, And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (Also see John 3:16 and Romans 1:14-17)

2 Cor 5:18-19, And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19, To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2 Cor 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 Pet 2:24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Isa 53:5, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isa 53:11, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

     C. IMPUTATION RELATES TO CREDITING CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS TO BELIEVERS

The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to the Believer (Rom. 4:6). “Blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works” is the theme of Romans chapter 4.

                1. Righteousness Was Imputed to Abraham

Rom 4:3, For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Rom 4:5, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

                2.  Righteousness Was Imputed to David

Rom 4:6-8, Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

                3.  Righteousness Was Imputed to Paul                     

Phil 3:8-9, Yea doubtless, and I [Paul] count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Through a perfectly holy and righteous lifestyle, Jesus became the “Holy One and the Just” (Acts 3:14). He clearly lived up to the high ideals conveyed in God’s perfect Law—Jesus obeyed them comprehensively and entirely (Rom. 5:19). Because of faith in God credit for these qualities is imputed to us “who believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Rom. 4:24).

                  4.  Every Believer Is Counted Righteous When He Believes God.

Rom 10:9-10, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

This is how we received the credit of Christ’s Righteousness on to our Spiritual Account!

II.            What Are The Benefits of Imputation?

Salvation is assured, we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, we are fully accepted by God on that basis, and we can never be condemned for our sin. Shame and disgrace may be our history, but it is not our future. No, we are not perfectly righteous in our behavior, but God gives us credit for righteousness because we believe Him…because we believe the Gospel. Imputed righteousness is static and does not change based on our behavior. It is our constant status before a holy God. Sanctification, which is quite different, is still practical righteousness a matter of growing in grace. This is righteousness imparted and not a right standing before God imputed.

      A.  I AM ASSURED I AM NOT CONDEMNED IN CHRIST

Rom 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (See also Rom. 8:32-34)

      B.   I AM CONFIDENT I HAVE CREDIT FOR CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS  

Rom 1:16-17, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  (See also Romans 5:1-2).

      C.   I AM ACCEPTED AS I STAND IN THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD

Jude 1:24, Now unto him [Jesus Christ] that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

We can stand in God’s presence because Jesus has imputed His righteousness and holiness to us through His sacrificial death on the Cross. Confidence, peace, assurance, satisfaction, and acceptance are the blessed results of imputed righteousness!  

           

CONCLUSION:

IMPUTATION: Charging or reckoning something to a person’s account. Imputing is the act of adding something good or bad to the account of another person.

1.  The Sin of Adam Was Imputed to the Human Race

2.  The Sin of Believers Was Imputed to Christ

3.  The Righteousness of Christ is Imputed to the Believer

In 1990, God placed my sins…every one of them without a single exception…past present and future sins…on Jesus Christ! All I did was placed my faith in Him after hearing the Gospel. From a heart of godly sorrow, I cried out to God for forgiveness for my wickedness and sins. God imputed my sins to Jesus. The same Lord Jesus who went to Calvary and there paid for all sin and offers forgiveness to anyone who will accept His perfect payment. He is literally alive again having completely defeated death, sin, hell, and the grave. In his sacrifice for our sins and resurrection, He soundly defeated Satan and broke the power of sin for those who trust Him. Beloved, because we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel, God ascribes to each believer perfect “righteousness,” the very righteousness of God. We become fully acceptable to God when we accept what He did for our salvation. This is our new standing before a holy God. Jesus takes credit for our awful sins, and we receive credit for His perfect “right-ness” before a holy God. Is there anyone else willing to say to the Lord Jesus, I believe you…I accept your payment for my sins…please put my sins on your account?

Because of Imputed Righteousness, God accepts me and loves me, as His very own Son, Jesus Christ!

IF YOU NEED TO BE SAVED THEN TRUST THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOUR SIN, AND IN TURN RECEIVE CREDIT FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!

The Ascension of Christ

Text: Luke 24:25-27, 45-51; 1Cor. 15:12-23; Acts 1:1-3, 10-11; Eph. 4:7-10; Heb. 2:9; 7:22-28

Memory Verses: 1Tim. 3:16                                                                

Theme: We believe the Lord Jesus literally arose from the dead and ascended back to Heaven.   

Aims: I hope to deepen your convictions, fuel your worship, and enlarge your appreciation for the resurrection and ascension of Christ. May God help each of us to respond appropriately to Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Relevance:

Why is the  Ascension of Jesus Christ so important?

 Much of the Lord Jesus’ ascension will remain a mystery if we don’t understand what He did and why He did it. We need to know what Jesus did and why He did it, or these acts will be shrouded in mystery. He and the significance of these events will remain a puzzle to us. We will not have as much personal trust in Him, as much appreciation for Him, or as much confidence in sharing Him with others as we could have.

It is important for us to understand what Jesus is doing now so that we don’t feel alone and helpless as we live, and so that we don’t get the impression that things are out of control and God doesn’t have a plan that He is working out. God does have a plan.

Why do we need to know about the ascension of the Lord Jesus?

If we don’t believe what Jesus accomplished, the consequences are much the same as the ones that were mentioned in previous studies. We are at odds with the Bible, we deny either the need for salvation or the possibility of salvation, we lose all hope for guidance in this life and for life after death, and we have no encouraging words to share with others who are seeking the answers to life’s most difficult questions.

Introduction:

   The ascension is the dramatic departure of the risen Lord Jesus from earth to heaven for the benefit of Christians. Our Lord Jesus’ ascent marked the end of His earthly humiliation, His return entrance into Heaven, and the beginning of His heavenly exaltation as the God-Man. The limitations of His full glory have been removed and His essential brilliance is obviously visible (Acts 9:1-8; Rev. 1:9-20).           

Lesson:

I.              The Ascension & Present Ministry of Jesus Christ—Where is Jesus Today?

Now that He occupies His rightful place at the Father’s right hand, He can fulfill and execute other vital ministries on behalf of His people, through His churches, and in the world at large.

A.    The Fact of Christ’s Ascension—How can we be sure Christ has ascended to God?

1.Biblical statements of Christ’s Ascension (Mark. 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9).

                                                                    i.            Christ literally, bodily, physically, traveled back up to heaven.

                                                                  ii.            The point and place of departure was from the Bethany side of the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12).

                                                                iii.            Christ defied the natural laws with His gradual upward movement—he did not suddenly disappear and His ascension was not long.

                                                                iv.            The ascension was necessary because of the nature of His resurrection body, to present His redemption blood to the Father in Heaven once and for all (Heb. 9:11-14), to provide an explanation for where the body of Christ is after His resurrection (Acts 2:29-36), and in order that Christ might become the ideal Object of universal worship for the entire human race.

2.Christ anticipated His ascension and spoke specifically of it (Jn. 6:62; 7:32-36; 20:17)

3.Christ ascended to a place—Heaven itself (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11; 7:55-56; Jn. 14:2-3). In addition, He literally passed through the Heavens (Heb. 4:14; 7:26; Eph. 4:10), the domain of evil principalities and powers who inhabit the heavenlies (Eph. 6:12).

4.Christ was exalted and honored in Heaven as the God-Man (Jn. 17:5; Acts 2:33; Phil. 2:9; 1Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:4; Rev. 5:12). Upon Christ ascension, God gave Christ the place of power and authority at the Father’s right hand (Eph. 1:20, 21).

B.     The Fact of Christ’s Present Ministry—What is Jesus doing in Heaven?

1.Biblical statements of Christ’s Present Ministry (Rom. 8:34; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12, 13; 12:2; 1Pet. 3:22)

2.Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven (Heb. 1:3; Eph. 1:20-21; 1Pet. 3:22).

3.Presently Christ’s ministries include High Priest, Savior, Model, Head of the Church, Advocate, Intercessor, and Lord of all.

C.    The Purpose of Christ’s Present Ministry—What does Christ current ministry mean to us?

1.To be our Forerunner (Heb. 6:19, 20). Christ’s ascension foreshadowed our future ascension into heaven with Him (1Thess. 4:17). A “forerunner” was like the herald announcing the coming of a king; it implies that others will follow. We will follow Him to Heaven some day.

2.To prepare a place for believers (Jn. 14:2). His ascension assures us that our final home will be with Him in heaven.

3.To share and extend His authority to believers over the universe in a limited way (Eph. 2:6; 6:12; 2Cor. 10:4).

4.To give spiritual gifts to His followers (Eph. 4:10-14). Christ like a mighty Warrior conquered and spoiled His enemies and shares the booty as gifts to His own people.

5.To offer encouragement to His followers and a Model for running the Christian race patiently by faith (Heb. 4:14-16; 12:1-3)

6.To Intercede as our Great High Priest (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 4:14-16; 7:25-27; 8:1; 9:24). As our faithful High Priest our ascended Lord sympathizes, aids, helps, and gives grace to His people as they need it.

                                                                    i.            Acting as our Intercessor because of the weaknesses and frailties of believers (Luke 22:31, 32; Heb. 7:25)

                                                                  ii.            Acting as our Advocate because of the sins of believers (1Jn. 1:9; 2:1; Heb. 9:24; Rev. 12:10). Christians enjoy peace, hope, and security because Christ is their Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1).

7.To send the Promise of the Father—the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:16-18; 16:7-15; Acts 1:4; 2:33)

8.To lead and care for His churches—He is the Head of the Body (Eph. 1:20-23; 5:26, 29; Rev. 1:10-3:22)

9.To work through His people (Jn. 14:12)

10.        To wait until His enemies are subdued (Heb. 10:12, 13)

Conclusion:

As the little chorus goes, “He paid a debt He did not owe, we owed a debt we could not pay.” We have one hope: Forgiveness. And that hope lies in Jesus. No, His life was not meaningless. His was not the futile eruption of an overzealous optimist. He is God, who came to earth and became a man and died in our place for our sins. Because of that, we can know God and be with Him forever through faith in Christ. When we repent believing the Gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as payment for our sins, we are rescued from the eternal sufferings our sins deserve and afforded a relationship with God. Forgiveness of our sins is secured, a new eternal home in Heaven is ours, and peace with God is assured. How wonderful! What words can we use to say “Thank You” to God? What can we do to show our appreciation? Giving back to Him the life we owe is the only measure complete enough. Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ accepting Him alone as your Savior? 

JESUS: The Substitutionary Sacrifice

GEN. 22:1-14; ROM. 4:24-25

SUBJECT: THE CROSS OF CHRIST

THEME: We can be delivered from the eternal suffering for sin by accepting God’s provision of a substitute and sacrifice, Jesus Christ.  For indeed Christ was delivered for our offenses.

RELEVANCE:  Christ died in our place, bore our sins, paid the penalty due our sins; and all this not by force, but willingly (Jn. 10:17, 18). The blessed truth is that something happened to Christ, and because it happened to Christ, it need not happen to us. Christ died for our sins; we need not die for them if we accept His sacrifice.

INTRODUCTION:

Genesis 22:13, And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

I want you to notice that last phrase, “Abraham…offered him up for a burnt offering in THE STEAD OF HIS SON.” This is a substitution of one in another’s place. Now the word substitute or substitutionary....is not found in the Bible. Although throughout the whole of the Bible it is implied. You cannot read the Bible correctly without seeing it as a book about a substitute. What did Abraham find, when he found the ram, and took Isaac off that altar and laid the ram there instead? He found one to be sacrificed in Isaac’s place. That actually is the definition of a substitute; one to take the place of another. Or as William Evans states: “one life given in the stead of another.” All through the Bible we can find this reoccurring. 

LESSON:

I.  Like Isaac, We All Were Sentenced To Death…by God.

Read Gen. 22:1-3, 9-10, thoughtfully. It was God who required this offering…the Lord issued this sentence of death for Isaac.

A.  ULTIMATELY, EVERY PERSON MUST FACE THE REALITY OF DEATH AND HELL.

I want to make a statement, and I don't want you to reject the rest of the message when I make this statement. I want you to read on till you get the entire account.

I'd like to say, and I'm scripturally correct in saying it, that everybody will go to hell! Everybody everywhere will end up in hell without Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice! 

There is entirely zero hope of escaping hell outside of the Substitute—a Substitute that God provides himself. Now Thank God that He has provided the Substitute! Christ died in our place, bore our sins, paid the penalty due our sins; and all this not by force, but willingly (Jn. 10:17, 18).  The blessed truth is “that something happened to Christ, and because it happened to Christ, it need not happen to us. Christ died for our sins; we need not die for them if we accept His sacrifice.”

Genesis 22:13, And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

  

 B.  THE ISSUE OF HELL AND DEATH HAS TO DO WITH JUSTICE, ORDER, AND FAIRNESS.

1 Peter 3:18, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

That will move me right into the need of a substitute. Why did we have to have such a substitute? Why are we in such a mess today? And why is the world in the shape it's in, that we need a substitute of this magnitude.

   1.  Justice Because Man in Adam Acted Independently of God.

Genesis 2:16-17, And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.   (Rom. 5:12)

         A. When Man Sinned, Justice Had to Be Administrated.

Otherwise the world would have ended there in chaos, and confusion and destruction.

Some of you work in different positions, or labor jobs in your town or city. No doubt some of you work in places of businesses, and you can appreciate this principle. Let's just say, for instance, that you're building a skyscraper in the downtown area, and you have a disagreement with the boss. You know he is the boss. No question in your mind; he signs your paycheck, but you fall out with him.

Then you begin to gossip behind his back, and you begin to rail on him and assassinate his character, and you begin to be lazy and careless on the job. In other words, you don't care what your boss says to do, and you simply are not going to do it. What will happen to the job? Well, you will infect everybody around you, every one you share your frustrations with. And in addition, you will bring that job to a standstill. The point is, judgment and correction must be executed by the person in the position of authority or chaos will ensue in that situation.

This is true among men; it is how the world turns. How much more is it true in relation to God and His government of the world and universe! God gave a holy mandate that man must recognize His absolute authority, and operate under that authority. It is our part to depend upon God, and trust Him for wisdom and knowledge in all good things. The idea that God is “too loving to punish sinners forever in hell,” simply is not true. He demands justice! As a good and perfect Judge, He cannot require anything else

In affect God says to the man—“If you act independently, if you eat of that tree, in the day that you eat thereof ye shall surely die." You and I know the story. Adam ate; Adam died spiritually, and chaos came into this world, and it was not long before they had a murder in the first family. The first recorded crime after the fall is a homicide.

          B.  Christ Willingly Received Our Punishment That We Might Be Free.

1 Peter 3:18, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

This is truly wonderful news for us all! You do not have to go to hell in person, or by yourself; you can go in the person of a Substitute—Jesus Christ. When I began thinking about this, my, how it caused my heart to warm in praise to God! I never will have to go to hell! I will never, never, never have to go there, because Jesus has taken that suffering and punishment for me. Yes, we are guilty of sin and deserve hell, but Jesus voluntarily took our penalty upon Himself at Calvary.

   2.  Justice Because There Is No Forgiveness Without Blood Sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:22, And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

       A.  Essential.  It is universally true that sin never has been, and never will be forgiven, except in connection with, and in virtue of the shedding of blood. There is not the slightest evidence that any man has ever been pardoned except through blood shed for the remission of sins.

This theme appears in the Bible from cover to cover. When Cain and Abel made sacrificial offerings to God, the offering that was accepted by God was the blood sacrifice of a lamb (See Gen. 4:2–5).

The sacrifices that atoned for sin under the Law of Moses were blood sacrifices. In like manner, the blood of Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary is the sacrificial, substitutionary, all-sufficient atonement that takes away our sins. These concepts are important to our understanding of the forgiveness made available to us through the death of Jesus Christ.

In the divine arrangement there is no principle better established than this, that all sin which is forgiven is remitted through the blood of the atonement; a principle which has never been departed from hitherto, and which never will be. It follows, therefore:

          1.  That no sinner can hope for forgiveness except through the blood of Christ.

          2.  That if people are ever saved they must be willing to rely on the merits of that blood sacrifice.

          3.  That all people are on a level in regard to salvation, since all are to be saved in the same way. 

          4.  That there will be only one song in heaven-the song of redeeming love.

       B.  Sacrificial. Jesus gave His life on the cross as a sacrifice. He WAS NOT put to death by the Romans or the Jewish leaders. While Jesus did have human murderers that day, He actually fulfilled the ancient plan of God that day on Calvary.

           1.  Jesus Voluntarily Gave His Own Life as a Sacrifice. 

On the contrary, Jesus appeared in history to “put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26).  He was not forced, but He willing sacrificed Himself. Therefore, God is not unfair or unjust for condemning His Son to bear the sins of mankind.

           2.  Jesus Literally Submitted to God’s Plan.

Jesus gave His life, as an act of His own will conforming to the Father's will, as the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). Before there was a need for salvation, God already had a plan to deal with sin!

       C.  Substitutionary. Jesus took our place on the cross. He died in your place and in my place and in the place of everyone you know (1 Pet. 3:18). The penalty for sin is death. And we are all sinners. Unless One who was pure and righteous took our place and suffered the penalty for our sin, we would have to bear that penalty ourselves. The apostle Paul explained this in Romans 3:10–19. Jesus willingly suffered and died in the stead of absolutely undeserving guilty humanity everywhere. He suffered our hell for us all that day.

C.  EVERY PERSON IS HELPLESS TO ESCAPE THIS DEATH IN THEIR STRENGTH.

Romans 5:6, For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Man could cover his own sins personally only if he suffer eternally the penalty of death in the Lake of Fire.  Man could never do this and be saved too. Since man could not save himself, God stepped into a hopeless situation and provided a substitute in Jesus Christ who provided the eternal satisfaction for sins demands. We literally were “without strength!” There is nothing we can do to escape hell and deserve heaven! We have no such strength.

  1. This Basic Concept Was Illustrated Back Some 4,000 Years Ago, in the Sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham.    Gen. 22:9

  2. Most of Us Put Ourselves in the Position of Power and Immediately Enter Into Abraham’s Struggle to Obey God’s Command.  But, have you ever pictured yourself in the position of Isaac in this situation?

ILLUSTRATION:            "Hanoi Hilton" movie.

         Major Fischer (composite of actual prisoners?) had been imprisoned since his helicopter malfunctioned just over DMZ.  During the Vietnam War.

         At Christmas dinner, winter of 1969, he was asked to give a sermonette to the other men.

         He told them:

         "When I was young, at religious school, I remember a great deal was made of Abraham and Isaac...

         How God ordered Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, his only son, his beloved child.

         Abraham stood with a knife in his hand and wrestled within himself to decide whether to believe, trust God, or to deny him.

         And I suppose that most of us identified with Abraham, wondering how we would use our ability of free choice if THAT was us.

         Well, since I've been in here I've had time to think about Isaac.

         Helpless, tied up on an altar, an audience to what might become his own death.

APPLICATION: Every person must view themselves as without strength to deliver themselves from the death penalty. Beloved, there is entirely nothing we can do to rescue ourselves from the ultimate penalty for sin—death. We must accept God’s provision and substitute—Jesus Christ our ram in the bush. (Gen. 22:13-14)

II. The Doctrine Of Salvation Through A Substitute Is Taught Throughout The Bible.  Genesis 22:13-14, And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. [14] And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

A.  THE COMMENCEMENT.  The Beginning of the Bible.

You see, this great teaching of a substitute or substitutionary suffering begins in the very first book of the Bible. The Old Testament is full of illustrations of substitution.

The Illustration of Salvation by Substitution in Gen. 3:21

Gen 3:21, Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

We have the Gospel, the Plan of Redemption through Substitutionary Sacrifice in Embryo Form:

   1.  The Plan Involves The Grace of God

   2.  The Plan Involves The Shedding of Blood

   3.  The Plan Involves a Covering with Righteousness

   4.  The Plan Involves a Substitutionary Sacrifice (innocent blood)

   5.  The Plan Involves Acceptance of God’s Salvation by Faith

B.  THE CONTINUATION.  The Central Focus of the Bible.

    1.  The Passover Lamb.  Ex. 12 & 13

Thank God that substitution is preached all through the Bible, from the Garden of Eden to Golgotha's brow. You will follow a trail of blood for every little lamb that gave it's life as the LORD passed over at midnight in the land of Egypt, and God saw the blood over the door and on the sides of the doorposts, as God had told them, “When I see the blood, I'll pass over you.” And there inside each one of those little houses, the Egyptians were dying at midnight, but the Hebrews were safe under the blood, eating that lamb.

       A.  The Passover Lamb Died Instead of Israel’s Firstborns.

The slaying of the animals (instead of the Israelites’ firstborn sons, v. 12:13) and the sprinkling of blood prefigured the substitutionary death of Christ. He is “Christ our Passover is sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7), “a Lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19; cf. John 1:29). His own sacrifice is the means whereby individual believers escape the horrors of spiritual death in hell. They had their shoes on their feet, their staff in their hand, their bags packed on their back, and they were ready to leave Egypt, because a substitute had given his life that they might get out of there free.

        B.  The Lord Jesus Died in the Stead of Sinful Humanity.

The sprinkled blood on the Israelites’ houses provided protection from death when God destroyed the Egyptian firstborn. From the verb, pass over comes the noun that designates the feast, the Passover. As the blood of an animal was the means of deliverance and of escaping death, so Christ’s blood is the means of redemption for believers (Rom. 5:9; Eph. 1:7).

Romans 5:9, Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Ephes. 1:7, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

    2.  The Lamb of God.  John 1:29

You'll find that the Four Gospels are the reality of substitution, as John said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.” And then follow that dear Lamb of God—God's own Passover—until you come to Calvary, and you'll follow him there where he dies as humanity’s substitute. And then in the Epistles you'll find the explanation of substitution—the who, the how, the what, the where and the why.

C.  THE CONSUMMATION.  The Climax and Closing of the Bible.

Then you come to the book of The Revelation, the closing section of the Bible, the consummation of all things, and you will find the coronation of the substitute. I love the book of The Revelation.

Yes, you will find Jesus, the great Substitute there: Rev. 5:6-14

Rev. 5:6, And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Rev. 5:8,  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. 9,  And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.

11,  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thou sands of thousands, Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And then he said, All that were in the sea, every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing and honour and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 

14, And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever.  (Revelation 5)

I am saying the consummation will crescendo to climax in an august coronation. It will be the coronation of divine substitute that Abraham laid hold of on Mount Moriah and placed on that altar picturing Calvary. Beloved, God will crown Jesus one of that grand occasion, and I will be there to bow down before those blessed nail-pierced feet of my Substitute. And because he's already taken my punishment, I stand here today free, declared innocent before a Holy God-Judge, and justice has still had her way.

And likewise we could go all through the Bible to preach on a divine substitute appointed that humanity might not have to face what we all must face otherwise.

The truth of Jesus as our Substitute is stated repeatedly in our Bible. The following are a few New Testament Scriptures you may be familiar with, about our substitute. You'll find substitution in --

Romans 4:25, Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 5:6, For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:8, But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

II Corinthians 5:21, For he hath made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

I Peter 2:24, Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.

Galatians 3:13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.

I Peter 3:18, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit."

You cannot escape the great teaching in the Bible that God provided a substitute. I like what Abraham told Isaac. Isaac looked around, and probably would have said, “Papa, we've got everything we need for a burnt offering; we've got the fire; we've got the wood; we've got the knife, BUT WHERE IS THE LAMB?” We need a SUBSTITUTE Papa….” And I love the answer that Abraham gave him. He said, “God will provide himself a lamb.” That could not have been truer, because beloved, God did indeed provide Himself. Jesus, God the Son, is the very Substitute who laid aside his glorious privileges in heaven, and came down to earth as a man among us, to give his life in payment for you and for me. That Substitute is none other, but God himself.

CONCLUSION:

The work that Jesus did was definitive. We no longer need to offer blood sacrifices in acknowledgment of our sin. We need only have faith in Jesus Christ and accept what He has done on our behalf. The writer of Hebrews says that God took away the first means of blood sacrifice that He might establish the second means, the sacrifice of Jesus. The sacrifice of Jesus was the only one necessary. The phrase that is used is a powerful one: “once for all” (Heb. 10:10).

What Jesus did on the cross, He never needs to do again, and neither does anyone else ever have to suffer and die as He did. He is the sacrificial, substitutionary, all-sufficient atonement for all sin.

   

1.  Come Trust the Lamb of God Today as Your Personal Substitutionary Sacrifice. The key idea of the entire passage is summarized in the name Abraham gave to the place: Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord will provide (or, “seen”; v. 14). The explanation is, on the mountain of the Lord it will be provided (or, “seen,”), v. 14; cf. v. 8).  The mount upon which we see God’s greatest provision of a substitute is Calvary and this time the Son is Jesus Christ! By faith receive Him as your personal Substitute and Provision.

2.  Celebrate Eternal Life in Christ Now.  You and I who are saved can begin today to rejoice, celebrate, and praise God for our substitutionary sacrifice, through our worship, praises, prayers, and lifestyle.   

3.  Like Abraham We Should Have an Obedient Fear of God. Through this test of Abraham’s faith God brought to light how Abraham would hold nothing back and that he did in fact fear God. To fear God means to reverence Him as sovereign, trust Him implicitly, and obey Him without question. A true worshiper of God holds nothing back from God but obediently gives Him what He asks, trusting that He will provide.  This is the basis of a truth often repeated in the Old Testament: the Lord was to be worshiped in His holy mountain by the nation. Three times a year all the men [of Israel] were to appear, ‘be seen’ before the Sovereign Lord to worship Him, bringing their offerings and sacrifices (Ex. 23:17; Deut. 16:16). The Lord would see the needs of those who came before Him, and would meet their needs. Thus in providing for them He would be “seen.” Beloved, at Calvary we see how God provided our Substitute in Jesus Christ.

                                                                                    

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

 

We must believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ in order to be saved by God’s amazing grace. Since we all are sinners by our thoughts, motives, and actions we need God’s forgiveness. If we are honest, we all would have to admit that often we do not live up to our own expectations. It stands to reason then, that we certainly do not live up to the impeccable requirements of a perfectly holy God! One thing we all correctly confess is that “nobody is perfect.” Sinfulness in each of us is why we are so painfully imperfect. We need to be saved by Jesus Christ because of our sinfulness.

Who is Jesus Christ? He is the Son of God and God the Son—the mighty Creator and able Sustainer of the entire expansive and massive universe. He became a man that He may fulfill God’s redemption plan to become the Sacrifice for the sins of all humanity. Jesus is the only Person to ever live a perfectly sinless life, and this demonstrated that He alone could make the perfectly sinless Sacrifice payment for all sins. He did this to save us from our sins. What does "save" mean? It means that upon faith in Christ and His Sacrifice, God forgives our sins, adopts us as His children, places His Spirit within us, reserves a place for us in Heaven, and grants us eternal life all for free. To be saved also means to be rescued from the eternal penalty of sin, which is everlasting conscious suffering in a literal Hell. This is why God became a man. What is the Gospel? The Gospel is the fact that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and on the third day He arose from the dead demonstrating that He was indeed God, and that He had satisfied all requirements of payment for our sins. His suffering, bloodshed, and death on Calvary's cross are the full payment for our sin, and God completely accepted Christ's payment on our behalf. Yes, Christ paid our sin debt in full!

What is meant by “believe”? To believe is to place our trust/full confidence in Jesus Christ who died in our place taking the responsibility for our sins upon Himself. To believe is to fully acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God, and the only means of establishing a relationship with God. In addition, believing is accepting the truth that Jesus Christ literally, physically, and supernaturally rose from the dead. God saves us graciously when we believe Him--what the Bible records concerning Christ. What is grace? Grace is God freely giving us salvation and forgiveness without us deserving it or earning it through our works, efforts, religious rituals, or attempts to please God. Salvation is to be received as a free gift offered by a gracious God who loves us enough to take our punishment for sin upon Himself. Now read carefully the following Bible passage because it reveals specifically how we can place our faith in Jesus Christ and receive the gift of eternal life.

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11, For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12, For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 17, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:8-13, 17)

This passage reveals that upon acknowledging that Jesus Christ is God and Lord, we trust with all our hearts that He died to pay for our sins and that God was so pleased with Christ’s Sacrifice that He raised Jesus from the dead. Presently, the living resurrected Lord Jesus is waiting to save (rescue from the eternal consequences of sin in Hell) anyone who will turn to God while believing the Gospel. Anyone who calls upon God in repentant prayer asking for forgiveness—to be saved—is guaranteed by God that He will respond and rescue them from the guilt and offenses they have amassed against Him. We can believe this and act on God’s Word by crying out to Him for mercy on us as sinners who have lived to date in rebellion against Him. God, for Jesus’ sake, will have mercy and save us if we do so!

Again faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to enter into a Relationship with GOD. There is absolutely no other means or ways for us to be saved. Read carefully the following verses because they communicate this vital truth to us most convincingly.

• ·        Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
• ·        Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
• ·        For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
• ·        Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21)

Salvation is through Christ Jesus alone. It does not matter how hard we work, sincere we are, how much we serve, how long we have been a part of some church or religious organization, or how hard we try; we cannot secure our own salvation. God can save anyone who truly turns to Him regardless of how sinful, wicked, rebellious, and offensive our lives have been to Him. We must repent (have a change of mind and heart leading to a change of direction) and come to God through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the full and complete payment for our awful sins.  Sin is vile rebellion against a righteous and perfectly holy God. It includes our thoughts, desires, and deeds! Yes, every human being, without any exceptions, stands utterly guilty before God until we receive His forgiveness.

Turn from sin and its devastating eternal consequences unto Jesus Christ to save you. Ask Him in faith to save you immediately. Turn from your past of unbelief and rejection of God's salvation and use your faith to embrace Jesus Christ fully as your Lord and Savior. In faith cry out to God and ask Him to forgive you for your sin; ask Him to give you eternal life because you accept Jesus Christ. God will save anyone who comes to Him on His terms. This is His solemn promise to you. Turn to God through faith in Christ today!