Daniel and the King's Law Part III

Daniel and the King’s Law Part III

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said to Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

The forth thing to be considered is the fact that: God must deliver: for, “The things that are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27) King Darius had labored to set Daniel free from the sentence of the law, but the result is that “they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. Such must ever be the result of man’s attempts at justifying himself in the sight of God by his own works of righteousness. For, our best and most holy performances, that is, “all our righteousnesses” are only filthy rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). As the Apostle Paul wrote: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: (Romans 7:18), the Psalmist also writes “And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” (Psalm 143:2). We are warned by the Apostle Paul: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: (as many as seek to be justified by their own works of law keeping are under the curse of the law, writer) for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Galatians 3:10).  

The reason we are cursed if we seek justification by the deeds of the law, is that our deeds of law keeping are not unto perfection, for we are not capable of keeping the law of God perfectly. As an example: we are commanded to love God, with our whole heart, and the children of God do love God: but, not perfectly, there is yet remaining love of self, love of family, and love of other things. We love God because He first loved us, (I John 4:19) but now, we do not love God as we will when sin in our members is no longer a problem for the family of God: that will be our state after we are raised in His likeness, until then we will love according to the portion of grace given us by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:7). The same is true of our faith, it is imperfect, we do believe God, but, there is still unbelief in us, there are still doubts of various kinds, this is sin in our members, (Romans 7:23) the faith of the children of God is justifying faith, though it is imperfect, it is the object of faith that justifies; that is, it is Christ Jesus who is the object of faith: the children of God are justified by His blood and righteousness alone (Romans 5:9). “Through faith we understand” how, we are justified by Christ’s shed blood and His righteousness (Hebrews 11:3): therefore do we rest in Christ alone, and not in our faith, but, through fatih.

God requires perfect righteousness for those who would come to Him, God must receive them on a just ground; and by a just ground is meant; they must be justified from all things in the sight of God (Acts 13:39), they must be counted not guilty of any infraction of the law of God. Those who would come to God must be accounted free from any and all forms of offence of His holy, just, and good law: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10). Therefore those who would come to God must: as it is written, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48). This perfection in the sight of God is by faith of Jesus Christ, who has made an end of sins and has brought in everlasting righteousness; not for himself but for those given him in the covenant of grace before the foundation of the world (Daniel 9:24-26). The everlasting righteousness brought in by Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God (Romans 1:17), and the only righteousness that is accepted by God as the justifying righteousness of sinners. This righteousness of God, is received by faith: faith apprehends it, by faith sinners understand the worth of it, by faith sinners rest in it, by faith sinners glory in it, by faith sinners hope in it, and through faith sinners are justified by this righteousness of God. The righteousness of God, is wholly outside the sinner; and is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6) Himself. The righteousness of God is imputed to the believers account; and accounted their own righteousness by God Himself. Clothed in this righteousness we meet, the measure we must meet, which is perfect righteousness of God in Jesus Christ, for, it is written “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31). God hath set a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by our Lord Jesus Christ; “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (a satisfaction of the law and justice of God, for the acquittal of those who flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope that is set before them in Christ Jesus, writer) through faith in his blood,” (Romans 3:25) and what horrible wickedness it is in any man who hath done despite to the spirit of grace, (Hebrews 10:29), by not trusting the finished salvation that is in Christ Jesus for the salvation of his soul. ”For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29).

Sinners must appear at the judgment of God; and give account of the deeds done in the body and of every idle word (Matthew 12:36), there is but one place to hide in the day of judgment, and that is in the Rock Christ Jesus: as the LORD said to Moses “And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:” (Exodus 33:22). This picture is typical of the church being hidden in the Rock of Ages: Christ Jesus, with God’s own hand of perfect righteousness protecting them from the glory of His vindictive and inflexible law. Have you fled from your own righteousness and works to lay hold on Jesus Christ? His name, Jesus shows us His humanity, that He is the friend of sinners; and the name of His office: the Christ of God, shows us that He is the God appointed Mediator between God and Man, there is no other way of approach but in Him, who, is the friend of sinners; and who, has power with God on the behalf of sinners. But some one may, worry, thinking, but I do not know that I am the elect of God, nor whether God hath predestined me to eternal life! To that it may be said: although you do not know if you are the elect of God nor whether you are predestined to eternal life, yet you do not know who the elect are: nor do you know that God has not chosen you, and predestined you to life eternal. We do know that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners, (I Timothy 1:15) and therefore if in your own eyes you see that you are a sinner, then perhaps Christ Jesus has come to save you, for the Holy Ghost teaches fallen men that they are sinners, and causes them to groan under the pressure of their sins. Have you any pressure of sin, weight of sin, burden of sin? Do you know that you stand condemned in court of God? If that is your case, it is good news, for the world goes on by these things uncaring and unknowing, but the children of God are taught these precious things.  Another thing we know is that “whosoever believeth on our Lord Jesus Christ hath everlasting life, for it is written: “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47). Sinner: do you believe that Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him (Hebrews 7:25)? If so then you must flee “for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us:” (Hebrews 6:18). Flee from the things that you think you can do to bring salvation, and simply trust Christ Jesus who is God’s Salvation. Flee with all haste possible from your own righteousness and works, and come to Jesus Christ empty to be filled, naked to be clothed, filthy in sin to be washed, bring nothing with you that is of yourself, do not bring any offering of your own will; for God’s people are made willing in the day of His power (Psalm 110:3). Do not come pleading your faith, for your faith is spurious, the faith of God’s elect, is the gift of God. Do not come thinking your repentance will save you, for repentance, like faith, is the gift of God. (Acts 5:31). Come to Jesus Christ alone as the sole Savior of men, for He “quickeneth (gives eternal life, Writer) to whom He will.” (John 5:21).  But yet, doesn’t the presence of desire for life indicate the presence of life already, for the dead do not desire anything; and a willingness to seek Christ Jesus, from whence have you that? For it is written “there is none that seeketh after God” (Romans 3:11). And the fact that you desire the Christ of God, as Savior, and will be satisfied with none else: does that not declare that you believe on Christ alone for all Salvation; and if that is true, why do you doubt that God has saved you? Do not these things prove your election of grace? So, you may ask, what is next to be done? To which may be answered, rest: rest, in the finished salvation of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 4:11). “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28).  Do not try to improve on the salvation wrought out by Jesus Christ, for that would prove you have not known Christ. Do not try to make yourself more secure in Christ for that cannot be, none are in Christ in part, for those who are in Him were chosen in Him, and sanctified in Him, and justified in Him before the world was made. If God the Holy Ghost has enabled you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, for all your salvation: then trust Him alone, leave all of self out of the picture, come to God in Christ Jesus, who alone, is the Savior of sinners. To continue in Part IV.

See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com  hear the gospel preached at www.13thst baptist.org  webcasting live at listed service times.          

       

AJ Ison

Daniel and the King's Law Part IV

Daniel and the King’s Law Part IV

Daniel 6:22

My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Our fifth observation is that the lions, which represent death; and which, the enemies of Daniel intended to use against him: were turned on them, unto death, while the lions were turned to peaceful cohabitants unto Daniel.

First then we shall, as the Lord will, observe that death is made a friend of the people of God. Second we shall see the justice of God preserving the life of God’s elect as taught in this type.

First then, how is death made a friend of the people of God? Death is made a friend to the people of God through the fact that they have been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:3) and in that death in Christ, the punitive retributions of the law of God toward them is at an end. To the children of God death is release from the sorrows, sufferings, troubles, toils, and failures of this life. For the children of God, death is release from sin in our members, which war against the soul (Romans 7:23) and to the children of God death opens the door to the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not to say that the people of God do not have a natural dread of death, for it’s pain, it’s sorrows, it’s sufferings, and it’s separations from loved ones; but that natural death opens the way to a much better world, and a much more abundant experience of eternal life.  

The God of Daniel shut the mouths of the lions. The lions represent death in this type, so that, in type, God has shut the mouth of death for His elect. Death can no longer devour the children of God. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4). Death is but a shadow to the children of God, for the substance of death, that is, the just and eternal indignation, and fury of God: caused by sins committed against Him and His law, are put away in the body of Jesus Christ, “who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:” (II Timothy 1:10). For the children of God the separation of soul and body is but the shadow of death; for, our glorious Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, has conquered the grave, and spoiled death of His prey. As the Son of God has declared by the Prophet Hosea: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” (Hosea 14:13); and the Apostle Paul has written; “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15:54-57). The Prophet Isaiah has written: “ Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” (Isaiah 49:24-25).

Christ Jesus came to this world to “destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” (Hebrews 2:14). Satan is said to have the power of death, in that, he deceived our mother Eve, to sin, and through her Adam was tempted to sin, and did sin in the partaking of the forbidden fruit. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12), that is, all men have sinned in Adam, who is the covenant head and spokesman for the race of men; and who sinned in the room of all the race of natural men. Our Lord Jesus Christ took hold of death, in His death, and broke it’s power to hold the souls of men, by His resurrection from the dead. Thus did Christ Jesus destroy the power of death, and in that destruction, Christ destroyed him that is said to have the power of death, that is, the devil. Now Satan is permitted to harass the children of God, for their good (Romans 8:28-29; Ephesians 1:11) but he cannot destroy them.

The children of God are “dead to the law by the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4) and therefore “dead to sin” (I Peter 2:24) in two ways. First legally: the law cannot condemn the children of God because they are crucified with Christ under the law already: whether they are Old Testament, or New Testament saints. This occurred in the decree of God before the foundation of the world (Revelation 5:6; 13:8; Ephesians 5:30; I Corinthians 12:27), but the debt must actually be paid; and so it was at the cross. In the reckoning of God, and as set before us in the gospel, Christ Jesus with all His members in Him was nailed to the cross under the sentence of God’s vindictive justice, fully enduring the curse of the law: (Galatians 3:13) such that, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Those who are, the members of Christ are not condemned by the law; and have been found not guilty under the law, and therefore justified by the law and made the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:21). Those who are justified by the law, are by the precept of the law, entitled to eternal life (Leviticus 18:5; Galatians 3:12; Romans 10:5). Christ Jesus, with all His members in Him, have fulfilled the law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-18; Daniel 9:26) and therefore He, and they in Him, have “right to the tree of life” (Revelation 22:14). Secondly: The children of God are “dead to sin” (I Peter 2:24; Romans 6:2) for, “sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14). “The motions of sins” are by the law (Romans 7:5), that is, the law is a provoking energizer of sins through the corruption of human nature, which corruption entered by the fall in Adam. Now therefore, in the children of God who are not under the law because they are dead to the law in Christ, their corruptions and depravity are less provoked, through the sin provoking law, and less energized, more passive, yet not absent; (Romans 7:23): grace gives a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26; Hebrews 8:10), which is not enmity against God and His law, (Romans 8:7) but rather loves God, because He first loved us (I John 4:19) and the new heart has a new desire to please God, this is the new nature. Not a Deified being, but a sinner who loves God, and earnestly desires fellowship with God in Christ, (I John 1:3) and is therefore a willing loving servant of Jesus Christ (Psalm 110:3; Philippians 2:13). To such persons sin cannot be imputed (Romans 4:8) for all their sins, past, present, future, sins of thought, word, deed, attitude and desire have been punished in body of Jesus Christ and put away forever (Ephesians 2:15-16; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 9:26). Therefore the children of God are kept in perfect peace and rest, whose mind is stayed on Jesus Christ  (Isaiah 26:3), but when those children look away from Christ crucified for any portion of hope, and begin to look at themselves for any good thing, then their peace is ruined, all hope is lost, until they repent of that evil of self-righteousness and return to looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

The sting of death is sin, for, after death there is the judgment: as it is written: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27). All those who appear at the judgment of God, with no Mediator, there, appearing in their own person; with their mouth stopped by the law of God, (Romans 3:19) trembling and speechless before the August Majesty of God; (Matthew 22:12) and having rejected the sin atoning death of Christ, shall reap the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) which is death eternal, the second death. It is written; “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14) The terrors of the law of God, the knowledge of sin imputed, the assurance of a judgment and vindictive justice, are the tormenters: of dying men who have not availed themselves of the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dying men, many times turn to the, Christ of their understanding, and make a profession of faith, thus soothing their conscience in the hour of death; but, whether the Christ of their understanding is the Christ of holy writ, is most unlikely, though not absolutely impossible (witness the dying thief, Luke 23:42) but very unlikely. The Christ of the scriptures reveals himself through the preaching of the gospel, so that those who wait until the hour of death to call upon the name of Christ, know not the Christ who reveals himself through preaching. As it is written: “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching (what the world of the ungodly call foolishness verse 23, writer) to save them that believe.” (I Corinthians 1:21; see Romans 10:13-17) “Faith cometh by hearing” those who will not hear the preaching of the gospel, shut themselves out from the faith of Jesus Christ; and, through their own stubborn pride and self will shut the doors of hell upon themselves.

Second to be considered is the fact that the justice of God, makes provision for the life of children of God who have fulfilled the law in the body of Jesus Christ. As it is written “And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them. (Galatians 3:12) and again “(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” (Romans 2:13). And then again it is written: “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11).  And “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.” (Romans 3:19). Therefore from these scriptures we learn, that no son of Adam is able to fulfill the law of God in his own person; and that the law commands that “the man that doeth them shall live in them” the man that fulfills the commandments of the law shall live by his obedience, so that, if we must be justified in the eye of the law of God by our personal obedience of the law we must perish, no exemptions, no exceptions. But the children of God are not, and never have been, in themselves, as far as the law of God is concerned, for they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world; and the law looks upon Christ and His people as one: therefore they are and ever have been in Christ Jesus as members in Him, as members of His mystical body the church (I Corinthians 12:12, 27). Because of this union in Christ, the church in Jesus Christ, does with Christ, what Christ does in Himself: when Christ fulfilled the law of God (Matthew 5:17-18) the church obeyed in Him, when Christ was crucified under the penalty of the sins of His members, His members were crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20) When Christ was raised up from the dead the church was raised up with her Head: as it is written: “But God, is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in  heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” ( Ephesians 2:4-6). 

When God shut the lion’s mouths, their mouths were shut to Daniel, there was no hurt in them for Daniel, but they dwelt peacefully with Daniel through the duration of the darkness. But in the morning when the light came, the enemies of Daniel were cast into the den of lions, with their wives, and children. And for Daniel, death was swallowed up in victory, so it is even now for the children of God: for, the separation of the body and soul of the children of God is but, to sleep in Jesus, as it is written: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the truth of the gospel preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.  

AJ Ison      

Christ Hath Redeemed Us

Christ Hath Redeemed Us

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 every one that hangeth on a tree:

The Greek word rendered “redeemed” in our English, is pronounced ex-ag-or-ad-zo according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance; and it means to buy up, i.e. ransom; fig. rescue from loss. “The first, and very idea of redemption is to buy out, or deliver, what was lost or forfeited, and this by giving a full and equivalent value for it.” (R. Hawker)

Christ hath redeemed us: The statement is absolute: Christ hath redeemed us, the meaning of the words is not that Christ has possibly redeemed us, but that Christ hath absolutely redeemed us. The concept is not that Christ hath redeemed us, if we do certain things, but that Christ hath certainly and absolutely redeemed all that group of persons that are described as “us”. The “us” are in view in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, where it is written: “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;” (Revelation 5:9). It must be observed that those who sung the new song are the redeemed out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, these are the “us” who were redeemed.  They are redeemed out of every kindred, and so, not every individual of the kindred’s, and tongues, and nations, and peoples, were redeemed, only the group that were seen singing the new song; and that is the church of Jesus Christ. Who then, is the church of Jesus Christ?

The church of Jesus Christ is all that group of particular persons who were chosen by God the Father in Jesus Christ in eternity past, and predestinated unto the adoption of children of God: as it is written “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Ephesians 1:3-5). These particular persons were predestinated, as well, to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, for it is written “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). These were redeemed from among men: it is written: “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. (These had not committed fornication with the great harlot (Revelation 17:1-6; 18:1-3 false religion; writer) These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb (Revelation 14:4).  These particular persons were chosen to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (II Thessalonians 2:13). In eternity past God the Father chose a people to “the adoption of children” and “to be conformed to the image of His Son” and to “salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit” so that, in time, God the Holy Ghost visits the chosen of God, and gives them eternal life, with a new heart, and a new spirit, (Ezekiel 36:25-27) so that they are made willing in the day of His power (Psalm 110: 3). These who were chosen of God were, “sanctified (set apart, writer) by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, (they were kept safe and secured in Jesus Christ from eternity past, writer) and called: (effectually brought out from among the world of the ungodly, and in their experience brought to knowledge of their union in Jesus Christ) (Jude verse 1).

From the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, the curse of the Law is eternal death, everlasting ruin, unending punishment, under the contempt, and wrath of Almighty God. From this curse, Christ hath redeemed us. The guilt of the sin of those who God chose in Christ was imputed to Christ, for “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). So that Christ Jesus “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” (I Peter 2:24). Because the curse of the law has been fully exhausted on Jesus Christ, He having endured the curse of the law, there remains no condemnation (Romans 8:1) for “us” His elected people. Their sins are cast behind the back of God, (Isaiah 38:17), into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19) “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our sins from us (Psalm 103:12). 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” (II Corinthians 5:21). The church of God is the mystical body of Jesus Christ; and Christ Jesus is the head of that body (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18). Because of the indissoluble union that unites the Head and the body: the justice of God sees them as one, so that it is just that the Head, Christ Jesus should bare the sin of the body, His church, and that the righteousness of the Head should be the glory of the body, His church. So that Christ Jesus was made to be sin for us, that is, the sin of the church was imputed to Him, laid on Him, (Isaiah 53:6). He bare our sins in his own body on the tree (I Peter 2:24), He justified many, by bearing their iniquities and putting them away (Isaiah 53:11), He bear the sin of many, in His own body on the tree (Isaiah 53:12; I Peter 2:24). The guilt of the church having been borne away in the body of Christ: and His perfect righteousness having been imputed to their persons: therefore the church of God is made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus according to the purpose, will, and love of God for His elect.

For it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree, How real are the imputations of God? And how real is the union of the Head of the church, to the body? The realities of both are put in perfect focus at the cross. The union of the church, to Jesus Christ: which was established by God Himself, in the everlasting covenant of grace, and according to the united will, love, and purpose of the Three Persons of Godhead, is that bond by which Christ Jesus has declared the sin of the church to be imputed, His, saying “O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over my head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me,” (Psalm 38:1-4) see also Psalm 69 throughout, and Psalm 22. Christ Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us”; and had no sin. Sin was not imputed to Christ Jesus because He had any part in any act, or nature of sin: but because of eternal union with the church, He had sin reckoned to His account, imputed to Him, accounted of the justice of God to be His, charged to Him because of the union that exists between the Christ of God, and His body the church. If that were not so, the Apostle Paul (speaking for himself and whole elect family of God) could not have said, “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20): nor could the same Apostle have said: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:4-6). The eternal union of the Head Christ Jesus; and His body the church is that truth, that allows the justice of God to impute sin from the church to Christ Jesus the Head of the church, and to make the church to be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth (Romans 8:32-33). The justice of God demands that all those for whom Christ Jesus died, must certainly be given eternal life, Christ Jesus died for those who were chosen of God in Christ, and given interest in the everlasting covenant of grace, these are they who are the “us” that Christ redeemed. Jesus Christ has taken their place before the law and justice of God, He has satisfied that justice, and that satisfaction is testified to by the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and His session at the right hand of God, all things subject to His dominion, and under His Sovereign rule, save He who put all things under Him. And because of the finished salvation that Jesus Christ has provided for His elect they are and shall absolutely be saved. Where sin is found, death must reign, and therefore sin being found on the Christ of God, by imputation alone: death had dominion over Him for a short time (Romans 6:9). But Christ having brought in everlasting righteousness for all those in union with him in death, and their sin being put away, through His death, the justice of God requires that they must be given life. For, “the man that doeth them shall live in them” (Galatians 3:12; Leviticus 18:5; Romans 10:5).  These are the “us” to whom the whole Bible is written, the elected family of God, in Christ. And it is this “us” alone who Christ redeemed by His precious blood. And so this “Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. (Isaiah 45:17).

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AJ Ison