I was thinking last night of the 'Law of Imputation' and how it ties in with other doctrines. It basically means that judicially one drop of sin equals a lake of sin so that one drop of Jesus' righteousness can equal all of God's righteousness.
"For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." - 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 ESV
Adam's sin killed him and because of that, all his children die also. Sin is imputed to them by association. We were born in Adam but if we die with Christ on the cross our past gets buried with Him and we get raised with Him as new creatures. Adam made one bad choice and we make one righteous choice.
Not all choices trigger an 'imputation' but only a rare few do. The choice to believe in Christ is one that sets the legal wheels in motion.
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." - 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 KJV
As we get older we begin to look like our older ancestors because we are 'of' them. But as we grow in Christ we begin to resemble Him more and more also. We bear the 'image' of the Heavenly. Our change seemed to be only judicial but then we begin to change from the inside out as we behold Him.
"in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality..." - 1 Corinthians 15:52-54a ESV
"But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ESV
Our failure can't kill us the way Adam's failure killed Him. Jesus' death on the cross killed that person. The person who had sin imputed to them died. Now we who believe are in Christ and it is irreversible. Nothing can change that.
"Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me." - Isaiah 49:16 ESV
No one can wipe away that writing. God won't do it. One decision caused doom and one decision can cause a person to be sealed with the Spirit forever and ever.
Thank You, God. Imputation doesn't seem fair but it is legally sound and we are so grateful that you have provided us a way back. Help us to remember the blood that bought us... today... and in the days to come. Thank You, Jesus.
--
Showing posts with label Imputation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Imputation. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Monday, April 18, 2016
Do We Have A Ninevah?
People think of Jonah as a stubborn prophet. Actually he was a patriotic man of God that had a hard time reconciling his patriotism with his calling.
"And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" - Jonah 4:11 ESV
John was appalled at Ninevah because of their heathen practices and he wanted to withhold mercy from this people group but that was not God's heart.
Do we have a Ninevah? Is there a group that has hurt our group or stands in direct opposition to it? Who are these people? Is it ethnic, religious, economic or political in nature? Do we impute sin to a whole group? Have we said, 'Guilty' in our own little court of law?
Maybe Our Nineveh is a person and not a people group. Maybe we have taken the lion's share of our blame for the difficulties we have had and placed it on a person's head and we can't minister because of it.
"The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it." - Jonah 3:6-10 ESV
I often think that these people might have turned the way they did because they knew that Jonah, a man bleached white from his time in the whale, had good reason to hate them because of past hurts but was preaching mercy anyway. God seemed to use the contradiction.
Imputing sin is the relationship killer. Declaring mercy is the bridge that heals wounds inside and out. Sometimes it isn't an easy declaration but it is a powerful one.
If we have a Nineveh it is easy to identify who they are. They thought of him, her or them shows us. But who is our God? Is it our ideology, loyalty or theology or is it the God of all grace?
People think of Jonah as a stubborn prophet. Actually he was a patriotic man of God that had a hard time reconciling his patriotism with his calling.
"And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" - Jonah 4:11 ESV
John was appalled at Ninevah because of their heathen practices and he wanted to withhold mercy from this people group but that was not God's heart.
Do we have a Ninevah? Is there a group that has hurt our group or stands in direct opposition to it? Who are these people? Is it ethnic, religious, economic or political in nature? Do we impute sin to a whole group? Have we said, 'Guilty' in our own little court of law?
Maybe Our Nineveh is a person and not a people group. Maybe we have taken the lion's share of our blame for the difficulties we have had and placed it on a person's head and we can't minister because of it.
"The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it." - Jonah 3:6-10 ESV
I often think that these people might have turned the way they did because they knew that Jonah, a man bleached white from his time in the whale, had good reason to hate them because of past hurts but was preaching mercy anyway. God seemed to use the contradiction.
Imputing sin is the relationship killer. Declaring mercy is the bridge that heals wounds inside and out. Sometimes it isn't an easy declaration but it is a powerful one.
If we have a Nineveh it is easy to identify who they are. They thought of him, her or them shows us. But who is our God? Is it our ideology, loyalty or theology or is it the God of all grace?
--
"And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" - Jonah 4:11 ESV
John was appalled at Ninevah because of their heathen practices and he wanted to withhold mercy from this people group but that was not God's heart.
Do we have a Ninevah? Is there a group that has hurt our group or stands in direct opposition to it? Who are these people? Is it ethnic, religious, economic or political in nature? Do we impute sin to a whole group? Have we said, 'Guilty' in our own little court of law?
Maybe Our Nineveh is a person and not a people group. Maybe we have taken the lion's share of our blame for the difficulties we have had and placed it on a person's head and we can't minister because of it.
"The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it." - Jonah 3:6-10 ESV
I often think that these people might have turned the way they did because they knew that Jonah, a man bleached white from his time in the whale, had good reason to hate them because of past hurts but was preaching mercy anyway. God seemed to use the contradiction.
Imputing sin is the relationship killer. Declaring mercy is the bridge that heals wounds inside and out. Sometimes it isn't an easy declaration but it is a powerful one.
If we have a Nineveh it is easy to identify who they are. They thought of him, her or them shows us. But who is our God? Is it our ideology, loyalty or theology or is it the God of all grace?
People think of Jonah as a stubborn prophet. Actually he was a patriotic man of God that had a hard time reconciling his patriotism with his calling.
"And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?" - Jonah 4:11 ESV
John was appalled at Ninevah because of their heathen practices and he wanted to withhold mercy from this people group but that was not God's heart.
Do we have a Ninevah? Is there a group that has hurt our group or stands in direct opposition to it? Who are these people? Is it ethnic, religious, economic or political in nature? Do we impute sin to a whole group? Have we said, 'Guilty' in our own little court of law?
Maybe Our Nineveh is a person and not a people group. Maybe we have taken the lion's share of our blame for the difficulties we have had and placed it on a person's head and we can't minister because of it.
"The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it." - Jonah 3:6-10 ESV
I often think that these people might have turned the way they did because they knew that Jonah, a man bleached white from his time in the whale, had good reason to hate them because of past hurts but was preaching mercy anyway. God seemed to use the contradiction.
Imputing sin is the relationship killer. Declaring mercy is the bridge that heals wounds inside and out. Sometimes it isn't an easy declaration but it is a powerful one.
If we have a Nineveh it is easy to identify who they are. They thought of him, her or them shows us. But who is our God? Is it our ideology, loyalty or theology or is it the God of all grace?
--
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
The Power To Create A Name
I was thinking of those toys that make farm animal sounds. Little children learn about animals by looking at pictures and making the distinctive sound. It's a fun game and everybody gets to make silly noises while helping a child grow.
Ducks say, 'Quack. Quack.' and they are yellow. The cow says, 'Moo' and it is big and brown and white.
What about God and people and angels? What do they say and do?
The Bible tells us what God and angels do. People are funny aren't they? Barks, growls and squeaks just don't cover it do they?
"If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;" - Psalm 130:3-5 ESV
If God named us by our squeaks and growls we would be done and if we name each other that way we also will fall short of see a person for who they are. Sentences like, 'You always do that.' or 'Why can't you ever do this.' kill relationships one inch at a time because they tell someone a standard that they do not live up to. God is not marking those things. He couldn't have a relationship with us if He did. He Is a holy God.
Grace gives us a name that God knows. Grace makes us an object of love. We name the animals but only God can name us.
Jesus gives us a good name. If we are found to be under His covering we are called blessed. We are called righteous. He names us beloved.
People will just name what they see or don't see. Fallen angels will lie and call us something purposely wrong because they hate, fear and twist. It is their nature.
We can spend the day calling things as we see them or using the labels others have made but there is a third option. We call things as God sees them. He looks at each one as forgiven and wants cleansing to come in to wash away an old identity and replace it with one that is under the covering of His Son.
--
Ducks say, 'Quack. Quack.' and they are yellow. The cow says, 'Moo' and it is big and brown and white.
What about God and people and angels? What do they say and do?
The Bible tells us what God and angels do. People are funny aren't they? Barks, growls and squeaks just don't cover it do they?
"If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;" - Psalm 130:3-5 ESV
If God named us by our squeaks and growls we would be done and if we name each other that way we also will fall short of see a person for who they are. Sentences like, 'You always do that.' or 'Why can't you ever do this.' kill relationships one inch at a time because they tell someone a standard that they do not live up to. God is not marking those things. He couldn't have a relationship with us if He did. He Is a holy God.
Grace gives us a name that God knows. Grace makes us an object of love. We name the animals but only God can name us.
Jesus gives us a good name. If we are found to be under His covering we are called blessed. We are called righteous. He names us beloved.
People will just name what they see or don't see. Fallen angels will lie and call us something purposely wrong because they hate, fear and twist. It is their nature.
We can spend the day calling things as we see them or using the labels others have made but there is a third option. We call things as God sees them. He looks at each one as forgiven and wants cleansing to come in to wash away an old identity and replace it with one that is under the covering of His Son.
--
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)