And if you would, please be turning
to Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9 and I'm going
to read verses 27 and 28. and as it is appointed unto men
once to die, but after this, the judgment. So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. I've entitled this message, Made,
not imputed. We've heard a lot about imputation
and we've heard a lot about made as it concerns scripture. Let
me start out by asking a couple of questions. What was man made? We read in Romans that man was
made sin. Romans 5 19 says, for as by one
man's disobedient, many were made sinners. This same verse
also says that many were made righteous. So by the obedience
of one shall many be made righteous. What was man imputed? If a man
is not in Christ, then that man or woman is imputed their sin
because that is what they are. But if they are in Jesus Christ,
then that man or woman is not imputed their sins. They are
a part of that many who is made righteous. But scripture also
declares we are imputed righteousness if we believe. Romans 4 verses
6 through 8 reads, 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. I know I've given this analogy
before and I want to give it again. when I have some money
or a check and I take that with a deposit slip to the bank. Once
the bank has that, then it is imputed to my account because
I've given them or had what was needed to allow them to impute
it to my account. But we have just read that there
are some who are not imputed their sin. Imputation, as thought
of in accounting, thinking about the analogy I've given, the bank
putting that to my account is not the real money. They are
just accounting the money to me since I gave them the real
money or the check. Let one of the checks I give
them bounce, and I will learn quickly from them what they will
impute to me. I think it's like negative $35
or something like that. Not that I'm experienced in that,
mind you. But imputation is not the real
thing. It's just a making in the book
of it being there. I know I've said that in order
to impute something, there must be something real. Yet we read
that we are not imputed sin, even though that is what we are. If we are imputed our sin as
it pertains to scripture, then we would have a problem. Because
in having this on our account, we would have to suffer death,
right? There is a reason why God breathed
those specific words that he did not impute our sin to us,
even though we are in fact sin itself. Some men still say we
were imputed Adam's sin, but that's just not true. We will
receive wages for what is on our account, so to speak. We
have a deposit slip for our sin, and if we are not in Christ,
that is put to our account. We will receive the wages for
those sins, and that wage is death. Romans 6.23 says, for
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is one or the other for mankind. It is either death or life in
Jesus Christ. When it comes to the wages of
sin, I have definitely earned them. I am glad through Christ
that this is not imputed to me, because if it were, I would yet
have to die. Although I've earned every bit
of those wages because I have the sins to prove it, I will
not see a bit of those wages if I am in Christ. Now the scripture
says the wages of sin is death. So death must come somewhere,
right? It has already been earned. This
is the wage of sin and God will not at all acquit the guilty
or the wicked. God is not unjust. He will not
condemn a righteous man and the unjust will die. He will not
just sweep sin under the rug. as if it never happened, it must
be dealt with. Nahum 1.3 says, the Lord is slow
to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord hath his way in the
whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds are the dust of his
feet. So if God is holy so that he
cannot and will not just sweep sin under the rug, how is it
that some are not imputed sin? How are those sins dealt with?
2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21 reads, for he, that is God, hath
made him, that is Jesus Christ, sin for us, who knew no sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. I know there are
those who gasp when you say Jesus Christ was made sin. Although
that is what the word of God says exactly, right there in
that passage, 2 Corinthians 5.21. It says he was made sin. So what
does that mean? It means he was made sin. Those
who gasp at those who say he was made sin and not imputed
sin, although the scripture never anywhere says that Jesus Christ
was imputed our sin, it nowhere says it outright, and it does
not teach it outright anywhere. I've not found it. I'm not gonna
say I've done an exhaustive search for that, but I just have not
found it. I want to make sure everyone
understands me. I know there are doctrines which
we use terms that are not found in scripture. And let me give
you a couple. The sovereignty of God. The word
sovereign or sovereignty is not found in God's word, but it is
taught in scripture. Turn with me to Isaiah 14. Isaiah
14. Isaiah 14, 24 through 27. Isaiah 14, 24. The Lord of hosts
hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have fought, so shall it come
to pass. And as I have purposed, so shall
it stand. That I will break the Assyrian
in my land, and upon my mountains tread him underfoot. Then shall
his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off
their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed
upon the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched
out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed,
and who shall disannul it? And his hand is stretched out,
and who shall turn it back? This certainly teaches that God
is sovereign, because it says he does as he pleases, and no
one will stop him. Now another one, and some are
really not gonna like this one, but the word rapture is never
used in scripture. Rapture means to carry away or
to catch up. 1 Thessalonians 4 verses 16 and
17 reads, 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 deity 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. The word for shall be caught
up means to seize, to carry off, claim for oneself, to snatch
out. So rapture is taught in the scripture. So I know we do have words that
we use that are not found in scripture, that is, That's not
the case with imputation though, because the word is used in scripture. And whether something is or is
not imputed is taught. But nowhere is it taught concerning
sin and Christ. Let me also say, I know some,
when terms in scripture are used by Arminians or unbelievers,
they do not want to use those terms simply because they, unbelievers,
use them. But this is really stupid logic
when you think about it. Most people read the Bible, even
unbelievers, and some may read it even more than believers.
Does that mean we are not going to read the Bible because they
do? They say or do, meaning unbelievers, not according to knowledge. Believers,
by God's grace, say or do things according to the knowledge given
them of God. Now all that to say this, the
word imputed is used in scripture. But nowhere is it used in saying
or teaching that Christ was imputed our sin. It does not say it or
teach it. I've heard some say that because
it says in 2 Corinthians 5, 19, and if you would, let's go to
that verse. 2 Corinthians 5, 19. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 19.
And it reads, 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. But some have, I've heard some
say that from this verse, from that verse right there, that
God was not imputing trespasses unto us, that because he said
that, it means he was imputing our sin to Christ. If that is the case, why does
it not say that instead of saying he was made sin? Why did he not
move the writer to use the Greek word for impute so that it reads
he imputed our sins to him? Who knew no sin that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him? Since he moved the
writer to use the word impute as it concerns him not imputing
sins to us, did God want to make us guess? Or is God trying to
confuse us? Does it take some special gift
from God to know what God is saying in his word and only some
men have this ability? No. So why does it say he was
made sin and does not say he was imputed our sin? Because
God said he was made sin and that is exactly what he meant. That's nothing more, Joe, than
eisegesis, putting something in the text that is not there.
They say it implies he was imputed sin. But I will go with what
God had them put there, he was made sin. Think about it, we
as believers and other believers who are located around the world,
we speak out against those who put in a text or pull out of
a text something that's not there. Yet when it comes to this verse,
2 Corinthians 5.21, there are some, and maybe even I did this
at one time, want to change it to something a little different
than what God says. Because this flesh thinks that
what God says is too harsh. We should proclaim God's word
just as it says it with no apology for God. And no trying to soften
it because some may be offended. Don't try to add to it either.
It says what it means and means what it says. We, as those who
believe in a sovereign God who is sovereign over man, sovereign
over heaven and earth, sovereign in salvation, would also watch
for those who say things or teach that are not directly taught,
or you can say said in scripture. If someone starts talking about
man's free will, we all know and we'll do what we can to stop
those lies from being told. This is an obvious one, of course,
but there are others as well. What about Jacob have I loved
and Esau have I hated? There are those who say the word
hated means loves less. Romans 9.13 says, as it is written,
Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. I just want to
ask you, is God imperfect? We don't often think about how
imperfect we are. When God says something, we being
imperfect as we are, should take God to mean exactly what he says. Jesus Christ says in Psalms 139
and 22, it says, I hate them with perfect hatred. I count
them my enemies. Now this is Jesus Christ saying
this, who is in our stead. But this can be us as well in
Jesus Christ. But God, even in hate, he does
it perfectly. So when he says he hates someone,
then he hates them. And there is nothing but perfection
in it. If you say he loves someone less,
you are saying God is less than perfect. So now let's look at
the word made. Jack, I know you can take some
pieces of wood and put something together to make things, or like
we did with the house, cut down trees and saw them up and then
build a house. It was not a table or a house
before, but we made it into something else by putting these things
together. This made that it is talking
about in 2 Corinthians 21 is not the same kind of made as
that that I just described. The kind of mate it is talking
about there is something being made something entirely different
than what it was before. It was water and it was made
wine. Nothing was put together to make
something else, it was just made something different than it was.
We are told or shown this very thing by Jesus Christ himself
when he gave the example of what would happen at the appointed
hour. And we've heard this before, Walter had two messages on the
Cane of Galilee miracle. This is in fact specifically
what he was showing us by the water being made wine. First
in chapter two of John it says, in John 2.4, Jesus saith unto
her, woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet
come. And then in verses 11 of John
2, this beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee
and manifested forth his glory and his disciples believed on
him. So Christ said his hour had not
yet come, but then it says he did this miracle to manifest
forth his glory. It is clear he is talking about
manifesting forth his glory in that hour that had not yet come.
That hour that he would hang on that tree. But then we read
in John 12, let's turn to John 12. John 12 verses 23 through 27. John 12 23 and Jesus answered
them saying The hour is come that the son of man should be
glorified Verily verily I say unto you except a corn of wheat
fallen to the ground and I it abideth alone but if it died
it bringeth forth much fruit and He that loveth his life shall
lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep
it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him
follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be. If
any man serve me, him will my father honor. Now is my soul
troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour,
But for this cause came I unto this hour. So this is where we would see
His glory. That glory that it was talking
about manifesting forth, His glory. When He made the water
wine, He made the water into something totally different than
what it was before. When it was made wine, it was
no longer water, but wine. But not just any wine. It was
aged wine. Wine that would take years to
be what it was. That good wine that the ruler
of the feast said was good wine. Jesus Christ did this to show
the glory of him dying on that cross and the death he should
die being made a curse and sin for us. This he manifested forth
by this miracle and this is what he wrote in his word to reveal
this unto us. This is the example Christ gave
for this. So this is what we go by, not
the opinions of man, no matter who they are. He did not tell
the ruler of the feast to just account that this was made wine.
He made the water wine. He did not cause them to think
it was wine. He made the water wine. He did
not tell them to pretend it was wine. He made the water wine. God Almighty does not say, He
does not say He put our sin to Jesus Christ's account, or that
is imputed our sins to Jesus Christ. He tells us He made Him
sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God
in Him. Now if you would, turn with me
to Leviticus, Leviticus 16, Leviticus 16. Leviticus 16 and seven through
22. And he shall take the two goats
and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon
the two goats. One lot for the Lord and the
other lot, the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat
upon which the Lord's lot fell and offer him for a sin offering.
But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall
be presented alive before the Lord to make an atonement with
him and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. And Aaron
shall bring the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself,
and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and
shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself.
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from
off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense
beaten small, and bring it within the veil. And he shall put the
incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the
incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that
he die not. And he shall take of the blood
of the bullock and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy
seat eastward, and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle
of the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill
the goat of the sin offering that is for the people, and bring
his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did
with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy
seat and before the mercy seat. And he shall make an atonement
for the holy place because of the uncleanness of the children
of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins,
and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation that remaineth
among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall
be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth
in to make an atonement in the holy place until he come out,
and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household,
and for all the congregation of Israel. And he shall go out
unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement
for it, and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of
the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar
round about. And he shall sprinkle of the
blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it,
and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. And
when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle
of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live
goat. And Aaron shall lay both his
hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all
the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions,
and all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and
shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. and the goat shall bear upon
him all their iniquities into a land not inhabited, and he
shall let go the goat in the wilderness. I know that was a
long passage, but I wanted to read that. We read here in Leviticus,
there were two goats. One was for the Lord, it says,
and one was the Lord, is how I'm gonna say it. That's what
it typifies. This scapegoat was presented
to God alive for an atonement. This goat would be let go in
the wilderness. Christ was the fit man because
no one else could have done this. That word fit means timely. Now
we can look at that word in a few ways as it is in this type. Christ
was timely in that he came at the purposed hour that he was
sent for. Christ was quick to carry out the will of the Father.
Christ had what it takes to carry out what was needed. This goat
was taken to a land not inhabited. This goat was let go. As far as we can tell from scripture,
the goat was never seen again. I believe this pictures Christ
taking our sins as far as the east is from the west. Jesus
Christ was both the sacrifice to God and our scapegoat. The just for the unjust. He died
and was dead three days and three nights. Romans 6 and verse 23
says, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. He was made sin, died
the death. I should have died because he
was sin. But after taking our sins as far as the east is from
the west, he arose from that grave victorious in life, raising
us with him. Oh, what a sweet sound that this
is in the ears of sinners. He suffered and died for me,
and for you if you're in him. This is that one that Dazeman
betwixt us, the one who could touch man and not be defiled,
but he was the spotless lamb of God. He could also touch God
and not be consumed, because he is God. In that he brings
us to God, having clothed us in his righteousness. Oh, what
a glory. I've said this before, but there
have been some who have said in order for something to be
imputed, there must be something real behind it. I do not disagree
with this statement still yet. I don't disagree with that. But
we see from scripture that there are some who have been made something,
but are never imputed that. God does not put sin on our account. And I thank God for that. If
it were put to my account, I would have no way to get it off my
account, so to speak. Think about it. If you give a
bank your deposit slip with your money and they do not put it
on your account, can you spend any of that money? Is it of any
value to you? It is the same here when we're
talking about our sin. Thank God he was pleased to never
put it on my account. Imputing that to me makes it
forever mine. In this case, I'm glad I cannot
use it and that it is of no value to me. But as we have seen, there
is a reason why this is so. He did not just overlook our
sin. Jesus Christ took our place being
made sin for us. Who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. The wages I earned,
he was paid because he was made the very thing that I am. As
we think about our text in Hebrews, and we think about the penalty
of sin, having the wages of death, then we read this passage, 2
Corinthians 5, verse 21. We know, as it is the crux of
the gospel, that Jesus Christ took my sin in his own body,
in my place, so that he would suffer the death that I should
have died. So we see sin brings death. The
wages of sin is death. But what about life? What does
having life mean, if you will? Galatians 3.21 says, is the law
then against the promises of God? God forbid, for if there
had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. It first says life, but then
it says righteousness should have been by the law. My point
is, where there is life, there is no sin. There is nothing but
righteousness. I want to ask you something else.
Is Jesus Christ dead? The wages of sin is death, the
scripture says. Jesus Christ did die, but he
arose from that grave. And I'm telling you, this is
a beloved thought in my mind. that the Lord arose from the
grave having life, and guess what else the scripture says?
We rose with him. Scripture says that Christ died
for the ungodly. Romans 5, 6 says, for when we
were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. Christ is not dead any longer.
He lives and any life I might have, any life I might see is
in him. So if he has life now, he is
not receiving the wages of sin anymore. If we believe the scripture,
then we must believe he received my or your wages if you are in
Christ, because God is just and will not at all acquit the guilty.
Christ on the cross said it was finished. If he was made sin,
and he was, scripture tells us he was, because of that sin,
he died. But he arose, and where life
is, there is no sin. So what was Christ doing those
three days and three nights in the grave? I do not have a thus
saith the Lord for this. It's just my opinion. Although
I know what I'm about to say is true regardless of whether
it happened then or not. When he was in the grave, I believe
he was taking our sins as far as the east is from the west.
Psalm 103.12 says, As far as the east is from the west, so
far hath he removed transgressions from us. But he arose from that
grave and is no longer dead, nor is he any longer accounted
with the transgressors, because he has no sin imputed to him. There is no sin on his account
because he was never imputed our sins but made sin for us
and carried that sin as far as the east is from the west, never
to be seen of God again. I heard a preacher say that Jesus
Christ is the only one that would have any words, any wounds on
him in glory. And I agree with that. This is
that which he will show his people, the perfect, spotless Lamb of
God, who was triumphant over death and arose from that grave.
He no longer has sin, and our text tells us when he returns,
there will be no sin. He took it away. I just find
it strange that it would say that about Jesus Christ. He will
return a second time without sin. Those who gasp at those
who say he was made sin, and that not by imputation, but because
he was made the very thing I am. I gasp to think about sin being
imputed to him, as that imputation is in God's accounting book,
and God does not fudge his books. Christ died and then arose. Jesus
Christ paid the full payment for sin, being made sin for us. Who knew no sin? And he died
the just for the unjust. He literally, really died. So the penalty has already been
paid. What need is there to have it on the books? It has been
taken as far as the east is from the west, never to be seen again. God will certainly never see
it, and I will one day really know this when I see him as he
is. His dying was good enough to pay the ransom. There is nothing
left to keep on the books or to impute. Yes, that price to
be paid was paid in full in him declaring to us, paid in full,
it is finished. On the tree dying the death that
we should have died. But he being God had power over
death. He arose from the grave victorious. Life from the dead. So we being
raised with him have newness of life. But he is so spotless
and has all power that he was able and was the only one able
to do this thing. What does it say in 1 Peter?
1 Peter 3 and verse 18. For Christ also 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. There is no need, as it will
be for some, who, if they die without Christ, they must die
eternally to pay for their sins. He was the spotless Lamb of God,
the perfect sacrifice, that one who, doing this, was able to
satisfy God and yet bring his people unto himself, who is God,
giving them eternal life in him. My brothers and sisters, This
is the gospel. This is that which is my hope,
that his arm, which is my salvation, has took my place, being made
a curse and sin for me. Dying the death, I should have
died. Then having taken my sins as far as the east is from the
west, and raising victorious from the grave, and me with him,
cloaking me with his righteousness. No longer do I have the garments
of my own righteousness to stand before him, but true righteousness,
which is the righteousness of God. I was made sin, but I was
never imputed that sin. Why? Because he was made sin
for me. Him dying once for all time. Hebrews 10.10 says, by the which
will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. Once for all time, He is not
continuing to die for my sin, else He would not be the perfect
spotless Lamb of God. But He died once for all time,
for my sin, taking it away completely, never to be seen of God again.
There is no sin imputed to Christ because He took it away, nailing
it to His cross. If you are in Him, your sins
are gone, even though we see them from time to time. God in
His Word reveals to us in Hebrews 9.28, so Christ was once offered
to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall
He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Romans 6.9
reads, knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no
more, death hath no more dominion over Him. And then in Acts 2.24
we read, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of
death, because it was not possible that he should beholden of it. I preached a message at La Jona,
Colorado, at Paula's mom's. It was called God Said. We read
in Genesis 1, God said several times. Each of those times after
that was written, it also reads just after that, and it was so. God tells us in his word, all
scripture is given by inspiration of God. So that means what God
says is so because God breathed all scripture. He says that,
that is, God says Christ was made sin. So it is so, amen. Dear Lord God, the glory of your
works, oh dear Lord, we can't even tell the half of it. Enable
us to see Christ in all things and all these things we ask in
Christ's name, amen.