Todd's Road Grace Church would like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd Nybert. We are located at 4137 Todd's Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at 9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services. For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com.

Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. in Proverbs chapter 17, verse 15. Let me read this verse of scripture to you. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord.

Now, think of this verse of scripture in human terms. What if there was a judge who justified wicked, guilty men? They committed a crime, and the judge would say, well, I'm a merciful judge. I'm going to justify you. I'm going to clear you of that guilt. and puts that criminal back out into society. What would you think of a judge like that? Why, he's a corrupt judge. He's an unjust judge. He needs to lose his office if he does something of that nature. And then we read of him that condemneth the just. What if someone was not guilty and the judge says, you're guilty, I'm condemning you. Once again, that would be an unjust judge. We would not have a judge like that. They were corrupt.

Now, think of those two concepts, justifying the wicked and condemning the just. And let me read this verse of scripture again. He that justifieth the wicked and condemneth the just Even they both are abomination to the Lord.

Now in this verse of scripture, Lord is capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D in the King James Version. And when the translators translated it, they thought the name Jehovah to be too sacred to write down. And I like the idea of that, although I'm not sure that that's what was meant to take place. His name is Jehovah. Even they both alike are an abomination to Jehovah. Jehovah the self-existent one. That's what his name means. This is the name of God. Jehovah the self-existent one. He has no needs. He is utterly independent.

Now this name is taken from the name he gave Moses from the burning bush. I am that I am. Self-existence. The burning bush that could not be consumed did not need the energy of the wood to continue to burn. self-existent, independent. That speaks of the independent one, the God of glory. God is one God in three persons. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. He has no needs. This is what his attributes are. Because he's sovereign, he has no needs. Because he's all-powerful, he has no needs. Because he's all-wise, he has no needs. Because he's eternal, He has no needs because he's immutable. He can't change or mutate because he's immutable. I am the Lord. I changed. Therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.

He has no needs. You know what that means? He doesn't need you. He doesn't need me. Nor does he need you to do something before he can act on your behalf. He doesn't have to wait to see what you do before he will act. He is utterly independent.

The Lord, Jehovah, now Jehovah, the father, Jehovah, the son, and Jehovah, the spirit. made a covenant with one another before time began. It's called the Council of Peace. It's when God the Father gave God the Son a bride. That's eternal election. According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. And the Son agreed to make the way for God to be just and justify them. They're going to be fallen. They're going to sin. and their salvation I'm depending on you to take care of. You're to make the way for me to remain just and yet justify people who are sinful and God the Holy Spirit said I'll give them life so they will believe the gospel.

Now in our text he that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are an abomination to the Lord. Now, there are two types of people mentioned, the just and the wicked. He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just. There are only two kinds of people in this world. The just, usually translated the righteous, the righteous and the wicked.

Now in Genesis chapter six, verse five, we read these words, and God saw. May I emphasize that what he sees is what really is, not what you and I see, what he sees. And God saw that the wickedness of man, me and you, was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil. continually, not even talking about his works right now. He's talking about the thoughts of the heart, only evil continually.

In the next chapter, he said this with regard to Noah. He said in Genesis chapter seven, verse one, thee have I seen as righteous before me. in this generation. Now, what did he see in mankind? And I guarantee you, Noah was no better than them. He was a man. But yet God says, thee have I seen as righteous before me in this generation.

Now, there's only two kinds of people, righteous, sinless, wicked, sinful. And that doesn't mean counted righteous, even though we're not. It doesn't mean counted wicked, even though we're not. That means literally, really, truly righteous before God. and literally, really, and truly wicked before God, the righteous and the wicked. Me and you are in one of those two demographics, righteous before God or wicked before God.

Blaise Pascal made this statement. All of the righteous believe themselves to be wicked. and all of the wicked believe themselves to be righteous. That's so.

Now, what does Jehovah find an abomination, abhorrent, grievous to his holy soul? Let me read the text again. He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just Even they both are abomination to the Lord, to Jehovah.

Now, this addresses the question that only the Bible answers. In Job chapter 25, Job, they tell me is the oldest book in the Bible. older than the writings of Moses, Genesis through what is known as the Pentateuch. Somebody says, well, how do you know? Well, wealth was measured by gold and silver with Abraham. It was only measured by livestock in the book of Job. So I've been told that the book of Job is 300 or 400 years older than the writings of Moses, beginning with Genesis 1.1.

But this question is addressed in the oldest book in the Bible, Job 25.4. How then can man, sinful man, be justified with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold, even to the moon, and it shineth not, yea, the stars are not pure in his sight, how much less man, that is a worm, and the son of man, which is a worm. How can man be just with God when man is sinful and God is holy and righteous?

How can a holy God justify a man who is sinful? If God condemns a man that's just, that would mean God would be an abomination to himself. If he could condemn a man who really was righteous, that would be an unjust act on God's part. What would you think of a human judge who committed, who justified a man who was unjust? You'd say, well, he's unjust, the judge is. If God condemn the man who was innocent, you'd say, well, that would be wrong for God to do something like that. It would. It would. And the Lord tells us plainly, If somebody condemned somebody that's just, or somebody justifies somebody who's wicked, that is an abomination to the Lord. That is stated so plainly in this passage of scripture.

Now, here's something that I'm dead sure about myself, and I'm dead sure about you too, because the Bible teaches this. In myself, I am a wicked man. Now I pastor a church, I've been faithful to my wife, I pay my bills, I've not robbed any banks. All that being said, I know I am a wicked man, and you are too, because that's the way we're born into this world, with a fallen, sinful nature. You don't need to teach children to sin. It comes natural. You don't need to teach them to be selfish. It comes natural. There are no good people, the wicked, or estranged from the womb. They go about as soon as they be born, speaking lies. David said, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and sin did my mother conceive me. Because of the fall of our first father, Adam, we were born into this world. It's called original sin. We were born into this world sinful.

Now, I know that about myself. And I know God is just and righteous and holy. How can he then justify me when I am sinful? That is the question that only the Bible answers. Now, I realize that there are some people who think that that's a dull and uninteresting subject. It's not even an issue, but it's an issue with God. How can God be just and justify somebody that's not just when he said, I will by no means clear the guilty. That's in the book of Exodus chapter 34. I will by no means, under no circumstances, will I ever clear a guilty man. And yet my own heart condemns me as guilty, knowing about my sinfulness, my sinful motives, my sinful thoughts. And I'm not talking about the way I used to be. I'm talking about the way I am right now. How can God be just and justify somebody like me or you?

Well, the answer to that question is found in Revelation 13, verse 8. We read of the lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world. Before there was a creation, Before there was a sun or moon or stars or universe, Christ is called in God's holy word, the lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world. Now, the whole Bible is interpreted in light of that one verse of scripture. This is God's eternal purpose. Christ was a lamb slain from the foundation of the world. God created the universe for Christ to be the Lamb slain in time. The fall of Adam happened for this reason, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. This is God's eternal purpose. Before there was a sinner, there was a Savior. Before sin had been committed, there was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. All of God's elect were viewed in Him and never viewed independently of Him. How I love to think about that. Before time began, Christ is the Lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world.

Now, what's the reason for death? Christ was slain before time began. What's the reason for that? There's only one reason, sin. Before I was even born, before there was a universe created, Christ was the lamb slain. He put away that sin in the mind and purpose of God and made it to where I'm not guilty. And not only is he the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, he's the lamb raised from the foundation of the world. He didn't stay dead in eternity. He didn't stay dead in time when he was raised from the dead. Christ put away my sin. Christ made it to where I am not guilty. And that was already done before the foundation of the world. So God's elect have always been viewed by him as perfect and righteous. Their sins have been put away. And this was all done in eternity.

And you know in eternity future, when time is no more, we're going to be praising the Lamb who was slain. Do you remember in Revelation chapter 5 when no one was able to open that book? But who opened the book? The Lamb having been slain. The Lamb slain was all in eternity past, He'll be all in eternity future, and He's all now. That's how God can be just and justify the ungodly.

Now, let me read a scripture from 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21. This is the very heart and soul of the gospel. So please listen carefully. For He, God the Father, hath made Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be sin. Who knew no sin, He had never sinned, yet God made him to be sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Now, when the Lord was on the cross, darkness covered the planet. Scripture says the whole earth was covered in darkness. And this was a darkness that might be felt. I can imagine how terrified people were when the sun quit shining, but this lets us know that there's no way you and I can really understand what was going on on the cross when he was made sin. This was a transaction between him and his father. And I want to be very careful as we consider what this verse actually says. One commentator said, the great fear with regard to this verse is to say too much about it or to say too little about it. I don't want to do either.

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. For he hath made him to be sin for us. Now, who's the us? That's important. Who's he talking about? Is that talking about every man to ever live without exception? No. It's talking about those he died for. The same us that Paul spoke of in Romans 8, 31, when he said, if God be for us, who can be against us? 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's God that justifies. The us is the elect. Those he chose before time began.

Now I realize man's religion says that Christ died for all men without exception and made salvation available to all men, but it's up to you to accept him or reject him. Your salvation is ultimately in your hands. That's not so. That's not so. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, the elect, those the Father gave Him before the foundation of the world. Matthew 121 says, Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. For He God the Father has made Him to be sin for us.

Now, only God the Father has the authority to do this. Do you know He can take your sins and remove them from you and put them in His Son? That's what took place on the cross, who His own self bear our sins in His own body on the tree. God's the only one that can do that. You don't have anything to do with this. This is not your work. He by himself purged our sins. I remember one time I heard a preacher who was caught in some kind of scandal and he was questioned about a sin and he said rather glibly, I put that sin under the blood. You can't put your sin under the blood. Only God can do that. For he hath made him to be sin. Now Christ never sinned in his person. He knew no sin. He's God. He can't sin. He's incapable of sin. He didn't sin before the cross. He didn't sin during the cross. He didn't sin after the cross. He's the holy, harmless, spotless lamb of God, but God made him to be sin.

Now, what all that means, I can't possibly describe, but he came to know sin. He never committed sin. But think in Gethsemane's garden. He has that cup come before him, and he begins to sweat great drops of blood. And he says, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Now, what was in that cup? Somebody says, well, it was the wrath of God. Well, that's certainly included. But what was in that cup was the sins of his people. He was going to drink into His own body the sins of His people.

Now, He never committed sin, but He was made sin. And He experienced everything about sin, but the commission of it. He experienced the separation, being forsaken by his father. He experienced the guilt. He experienced the shame. My sin became his sin. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame. He experienced the shame of sin. My sin became his sin.

Now I wanna read you a passage of scripture from Psalm 40. And we know that this is the Lord speaking because it's quoted by the writer to the Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 10. This is the Lord Jesus Christ, him speaking. When he opens this psalm, he says, I waited patiently for the Lord. He's the only one to ever do that. Me and you haven't done it. In verse six, and this is what is quoted in Hebrews chapter 10 as the words of Jesus Christ. Sacrifice and offering that it's not desire. Mine ears hast thou opened. Burn offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, lo, I come. In the volume of the book, it's written of me. I delight to do thy will, O God. Yea, thy law is within my heart. And this is Christ speaking.

Now, verse 11, Jesus Christ says to his father, Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord. Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me, for innumerable evils have compassed me about. Mine iniquities, mine iniquities, not Todd's that were imputed to me, mine iniquities, my sin became his sin. That's what it means when the Father made him to be seen. My iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I'm not able to look up. They're more than the hairs of my head. Therefore, my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me.

My iniquities became his. And just as truly as he was made sin, for he had made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Now, listen to me. When God saves me and brings me into heaven. He's going to be giving me exactly what I deserve because I have the righteousness of God as my personal righteousness. And I will be justified. He won't be justifying the wicked. He's going to be justifying the just, the righteous. And if a man goes to hell, God is going to be condemning the wicked. But here is the fact, God It's an abomination to God for man to justify the wicked and to condemn the just.

In the gospel, God has made the way. for me to be saved in a way where I deserve to be saved because I'm just. I have the very righteousness of God. What about your sin? Christ put it away and I have no guilt. I'm going to read a passage of scripture from Isaiah chapter 53, verse 10 says, yet it pleased the Lord to crush him. to bruise him. It pleases the Lord because this is his eternal purpose. He glorifies himself, makes known his attributes, but this is how he saves his people.

It pleased the Lord to bruise him. He had put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul, that's what was going on on the cross, and shall be satisfied. God is satisfied with what Christ did and satisfied with everybody he did it for.

By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many. And here's how he'll do it. For he shall bear their iniquities. Don't you love the righteousness of the gospel? righteous are justified and the wicked are condemned. Thank God for His Gospel.

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