KenH
Well-Known Member
Two Sides of the Gospel Coin
Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
As long as man has existed, he has sought to approach God through his own efforts and by his own devices. This was first seen through Adam and Eve seeking to acceptably cover themselves before God with fig leaves of their own design.
As it was then, so it is now, whereby man has crafted a theology that is amenable to their natural, yet sinful imaginations. They foolishly hold that the biblical commands to be holy, or sin not, simply mean to try harder, or to be more sincere.
The wages of sin is not death in this religious soup, but repentance and a redoubled effort to do better. The religious zealot is told that they must become progressively more and more sanctified in order to be acceptable before God. One hundred percent of the responsibility for this so called new creature is placed on sinners in their working, willing and doing.
This is neither good news, nor is such man-centered, self-righteous idolatry found anywhere in scripture.
The great good news of the gospel is that Christ alone has accomplished the entirety of salvation by Himself. He has established an eternal, perfect righteousness through His obedience unto death and imputed that righteousness to every soul He represented.
On one side of this coin is that God, through Christ, does not impute sin to His sheep. To impute simply means to charge, or decree a thing to be so. So then it can now be legally and judicially that "There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus". (Romans 8:1)
Every sin that could ever be charged to the child of God has been charged to his representative substitute and Christ bore ALL of those sins in His body on the tree.
On the other side of this coin, the entirety of His righteousness has been imputed to their account and they are rightly and judicially declared to be the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) This is the only just ground on which salvation can exist before a thrice holy God.
This is glorious good news for sinners who find neither strength, hope, nor life in their own efforts, but have been brought to rest in the finished work of Christ.
The non-imputation of sin along with the imputation of Christ's eternal righteousness are two sides of a coin that forms the very foundation of God's only gospel. This is the only gospel whereby God can be just and yet justify the ungodly. The flesh will ever and always point to self, while the child of God has been graciously brought to look to Jesus Christ, who is our life.
Adam and Eve, according to the nature of their flesh, attempted to cover themselves with the works of their own hands, BUT GOD CLOTHED THEM with coats of skins. How glorious the thought to be clothed with the righteousness of my Redeemer and to be eternally found in Him.
Romans 4:5-8
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
- written by Kenny Dyess, a brother in Christ and a dear friend of mine
Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
As long as man has existed, he has sought to approach God through his own efforts and by his own devices. This was first seen through Adam and Eve seeking to acceptably cover themselves before God with fig leaves of their own design.
As it was then, so it is now, whereby man has crafted a theology that is amenable to their natural, yet sinful imaginations. They foolishly hold that the biblical commands to be holy, or sin not, simply mean to try harder, or to be more sincere.
The wages of sin is not death in this religious soup, but repentance and a redoubled effort to do better. The religious zealot is told that they must become progressively more and more sanctified in order to be acceptable before God. One hundred percent of the responsibility for this so called new creature is placed on sinners in their working, willing and doing.
This is neither good news, nor is such man-centered, self-righteous idolatry found anywhere in scripture.
The great good news of the gospel is that Christ alone has accomplished the entirety of salvation by Himself. He has established an eternal, perfect righteousness through His obedience unto death and imputed that righteousness to every soul He represented.
On one side of this coin is that God, through Christ, does not impute sin to His sheep. To impute simply means to charge, or decree a thing to be so. So then it can now be legally and judicially that "There is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus". (Romans 8:1)
Every sin that could ever be charged to the child of God has been charged to his representative substitute and Christ bore ALL of those sins in His body on the tree.
On the other side of this coin, the entirety of His righteousness has been imputed to their account and they are rightly and judicially declared to be the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) This is the only just ground on which salvation can exist before a thrice holy God.
This is glorious good news for sinners who find neither strength, hope, nor life in their own efforts, but have been brought to rest in the finished work of Christ.
The non-imputation of sin along with the imputation of Christ's eternal righteousness are two sides of a coin that forms the very foundation of God's only gospel. This is the only gospel whereby God can be just and yet justify the ungodly. The flesh will ever and always point to self, while the child of God has been graciously brought to look to Jesus Christ, who is our life.
Adam and Eve, according to the nature of their flesh, attempted to cover themselves with the works of their own hands, BUT GOD CLOTHED THEM with coats of skins. How glorious the thought to be clothed with the righteousness of my Redeemer and to be eternally found in Him.
Romans 4:5-8
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
- written by Kenny Dyess, a brother in Christ and a dear friend of mine