Would you turn back to Proverbs chapter 17? Before I read this verse of scripture, think of this in terms of a human judge. He that justifieth the wicked. What would you think of a human judge who did that? He'd be a corrupt judge, wouldn't he? He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just. What would you think of a human judge that would condemn people who were just? Why, he would be an unjust judge, wouldn't he? He would be corrupt. we would need to get him out of his position. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both, abomination to the Lord. Now you will notice Capital L, capital O, capital R, capital D, the Lord, Jehovah. The translators believed his name to be too sacred to be written down. Therefore, they translated it. Capital L, capital O, capital R, capital B, Jehovah. the self-existent one. And his name Jehovah is taken from the name he gave Moses, I am that I am. This speaks of his self-existence. He is utterly independent. He has no needs. I want you to think about how needy you and I are. He has no needs. He does not need for something to happen before he can do something. He is independent. Just as the bush that burned and was not consumed in Exodus chapter three that the Lord spake to Moses from, It didn't need the energy of the wood to keep burning. The Lord has no needs. All of his attributes are comprehended by this. He has no needs. Because he's sovereign. His will's always done. He doesn't need for anything to happen for that to take place. He has no needs because he's all powerful. Whatever he wills will take place. He doesn't need for something to happen in order for it to take place because he's all wise. He has no needs. He needs no new information. He already knows everything because he's eternal. What he was, he is. What he is, he will be eternally. Because he's immutable. He can't change. He has no needs. He doesn't need you. You need him, but he does not need you for his happiness, for his well-being. He has no needs. And listen to this. He doesn't need for you to be able to do something before he can do something for you. And this is good news. He has no needs. Jehovah the Father, Jehovah the Son, Jehovah the Spirit. One God in three distinct persons has no needs. Before time began, the three persons of the Godhead made a covenant with one another. God the Father gave God the Son a people. Jehovah God the Father gave Jehovah God the Son a bride. And he was called upon by the Father to make a way for God to be just and justify those people and they would be his bride forever. And Jehovah, the spirit agreed to give them life. Those for whom God, the father gave to God, the son to be his. And he has no needs for something to first happen before that can take place. Don't you love the independence of God? This is who he is. Now, we read in our text of that which is an abomination to this glorious God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. You know, there's none like Him. He's other. There's no one you can compare Him with. Look in Proverbs chapter 3 for a moment. Verse 32. For the froward, the perverse, is abomination to the Lord. Look in chapter 6. Verse 16. These six things doth the Lord Jehovah hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, and heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, faith that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord. among brethren, that's an abomination to the Lord. Proverbs 11, one. A false balance is abomination to the Lord. But a just weight is delight, Proverbs 12. 22, lying lips are abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight. Proverbs 15, verse eight. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. Verse 26, or verse 9 of the same chapter. Verse 9, the way of the wicked. Proverbs 15, 9, the way of the wicked. Salvation by works is an abomination unto the Lord, but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. 26, the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. Chapter 16, verse five, everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. And then we have in our text, he that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord. Now I want us to consider in this verse of scripture I just read, there are two types of persons mentioned. The just, generally translated the righteous, and the wicked. The just, the righteous, and the wicked. Now we read in Genesis chapter six, verse five, and God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. That's what God saw. You and I might not see it, but that's what God sees. But then it was said of Noah, Thee, Genesis chapter seven, verse one. This is what God said about Noah. Thee have I seen as righteous before me. Now, Noah was just as bad by nature as all those people described in Genesis chapter six, verse five, but God says with regard to this man, Noah, thee have I seen as righteous before me. Turn with me to Genesis 18 for a moment. This is when Abraham was praying that the Lord would not destroy Sodom because his nephew Lot was there. Verse 23, and Abraham drew near and said, wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? There are these two people, the righteous and the wicked. Righteous means sinless. Wicked means sinful. These are the two types of people that there are. And you and I are in one of those different demographics right now. I'm either in God's sight, righteous, sinless, perfect, or I am wicked, sinful, full of sin. And this is how God sees and how God sees is the way it is. And Abraham drew near and said, well, wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be 50 righteous within the city. Wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the 50 righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked. That be far from thee. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Now we can count on this. He will do right. Whatever he does is right. And he's not going to treat the righteous and the wicked the same way. You know, we know intuitively that God is righteous and he will reward the righteous and he will punish the wicked. Now that doesn't mean men are counted righteous, even though they're not. God won't do that. That doesn't mean men are kind of wicked, even though they're not. God will not do that. There are men who are literally really righteous before God. And there are men who are literally really wicked before God. Now I've given this quote many times, but I'm going to give it again. This is from Pascal, the French philosopher, whatever he was. He made this statement. All of the wicked believe themselves to be righteous. And all of the righteous believe themselves to be wicked. Now what does Jehovah find an abomination, abhorrent, grievous to his holy soul? Look at our text once again. He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both, abomination to the Lord. Now this addresses the great issue of the Bible. How can God be just and justify the ungodly? That is the great issue of the Bible. It's raised in the oldest book in the Bible, Job. Somebody says, is Job older than Genesis? Yes, it is. Somebody says, well, how do they make that determination? Well, it's because of how wealth was measured. In Abraham, wealth was measured with silver and gold. In Job, wealth was measured by livestock. Remember he had 7,000 lambs and 500 yoke of oxen. He was the greatest man in the East. And Job is the oldest book in the Bible. Most people think it was written some 400 years before Moses wrote the book of Genesis. But would you turn with me to Job chapter 25? Then answered Bildad the Shuite and said, dominion and fear are with him. He maketh peace in his high places. Is there any number of his armies? And upon whom doth not his light arise? How then can 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. Charles Spurgeon said, if God would ask the angels, how can I be just? and justify these sinners that are upon earth, these ungodly men and women? He said the angels have given an eternity would still be scratching their head, unable to answer this question. How can God be just and justify the ungodly? Now, God only justifies just people. If he were to justify an unjust person, he would be an abomination to himself. He only justifies just, righteous people. He only condemns wicked people. If he justified a wicked person, he would be an abomination to himself. Now the question is, how can God be just and justify a sinful man? Now, what comes very powerfully to me is I know in my soul that I am a sinful man. Do you know that about yourself? Do you believe that about yourself? That you are a sinful man or woman? How then can God, who is absolutely just and righteous, justify somebody like you when you're so unjust? Somebody like me when I'm so unjust? How can God be just and justify the ungodly? Would you turn with me to Revelation chapter 13? This answers that question. Verse seven, and it was given to him, this man who spoke blasphemies, It was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And power was given to him over all kindreds and tongues and nations and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The whole Bible is interpreted in light of that verse of scripture. The lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I love thinking about this. I don't understand it. I can't grasp it, but I believe it. Before the foundation of the world, when there was no creation, when there was no matter, when all there was, was God in the Trinity of His sacred persons. Even then, before there was ever a sinner, before sin was ever committed. There was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Now this is what God says in his word. Lamb put to death before the foundation of the world. And the only reason for death is sin. There is no other reason for death. By one man, sin entered the world, and death by sin, so that death passed upon all men. Ended all of sin. Now when Christ was slain, it was before sin was ever committed. Before there was ever a sinner, there was the Savior, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And God said, with regard to Himself, I will by no means clear the guilty. God's just. He's not going to justify a wicked man. I'll by no means clear the guilty. That sin was put away before time began, before you ever committed it. It was put away. And God's elect have always been before Him righteous and just because of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Now listen to this. The reason this universe was created was for the Lamb to be slain in time. That's God's purpose in everything. Every event that happens in history has something to do with the Lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world, coming in time to be slain. And listen to this. in glory. Turn to Revelation chapter 5. Verse 1, and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals, all the purposes of God. Nothing could be added to it. Written on the within and on the backside. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof, and no man in heaven nor on earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, weep not. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain. The same lamb that was before the foundation of the world, before time, now when there's time no more, The Lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world. This is the subject of the eternities. And it's all that counts in time. That's why Paul said, I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The Lamb slain. Now, just as he was slain in eternity, he was raised in eternity. He didn't stay dead in eternity, did he? He was raised in eternity. And in eternity future, what we just read about Revelation chapter five, the lamb having been slain, he still has the scars on his body of him being slain. Now, this is how God can be just. and justify the ungodly, the lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world. Would you turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter five. Remember He that justifies the wicked and he that condemns the just, they're both an abomination to the Lord. Now, look in verse 21, 2 Corinthians chapter five. For he, God the Father, Jehovah the Father, hath made him Jehovah the Son. If you have a King James Version, you'll notice to be is in italics. It was put there by the translators. Let's just leave that out because it's not in the original. For he hath made him sin. For us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And no one will ever be able to comprehend all that that means. I love what John Calvin said about this verse of scripture. He said, it's to be entered in with fear, the fear of either saying too much or saying too little. What a verse of scripture. I think of. When the Lord was on the cross. The earth was covered with darkness. It wasn't just in that geographical region. The scripture says the earth was covered with darkness. And that lets us know that we'll never really be able, even in heaven, to comprehend all that took place. This was a transaction between the father and the son when he was putting away the sins of his people and making this glorious way for God to be just. and justify the ungodly. Even in heaven, we won't fully comprehend it. When we're in heaven, we'll know, though, when we behold him and the scars in his hands and his feet and the scars of the wound in his side, he's going to even have that in heaven. And we'll know the only reason we're there is because of that. the only reason. You know, with regard to this verse of scripture, I've had people ask me, what's your position on this verse of scripture? I don't have a position. It is what it is. I really don't like anybody to say, well, here's my position. I don't care what your position is. What does the scripture say? That's all we want to know. It is what it is. When people talk about any scripture and their position on it, here's my take on it, or here's what I know. That reminds me of, you can read about this in 1 Samuel chapter 5, the Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant. And if you remember, they brought the Ark of the Covenant into their temple with Dagon. They set him there beside Dagon. We've got the Ark of the Covenant of Israel and they put him in there and they came back the next morning and Dagon had fallen before the Ark. And they thought something bad must have happened. So they set their God back up. The next day they come in and Dagon not only had fallen, his head was cut off and his hands were cut off. And he was nothing more than a stump. And they said, we're in trouble. And indeed they were. All of a sudden the Lord sent plagues over the place. And they sent it to three different cities trying to say, well, maybe they won't be plagued here. And that the destruction of the Lord was great at that time. And they said, here's what we're going to do. We're going to send the ark back to Israel. We're going to put it on a cart. We're going to put golden mice and golden emeralds, which were the things that he was plaguing them with. And we'll see which direction the cart goes. If he heads back to Israel, we'll know that the God of Israel did this to us. If it goes the other way, we'll know it was just chance. Well, of course, it went back to Israel. Beshemesh. And the people got the ark, and they were rejoicing. And some people said, let's look in the ark. Uh-oh. 50,000, over 50,000 people died just from them peeking into the Ark. You know, with regard to 2 Corinthians 5.21, for someone to say, well, here, watch out. Watch out. Enter this with fear. For he hath made him sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. You see, error, heresy, will either add something to the truth or it'll take something away from the truth. And that's what I fear as we look at this holy passage of scripture. that tells us how God can be just and justify the ungodly. Now, he hath made him. He being Jehovah the Father. God the Father, the only one that could do this. He hath made him sin. You couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. We don't have the authority for anything like that. He did this. I remember one time listening to a preacher who was exposed, and it was back in the 80s. He was caught in this scandal, and they said, what are you gonna do about your sin? He said, oh, I put that sin under the blood. You can't do that. Only God can do that, for he, hath made him sin who knew no sin. The Lord Jesus Christ never knew sin. You and I know it. We're familiar with it. He didn't. Holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. He never committed a sin. Before the cross, during the cross, or after the cross, He is impeccable. He is incapable of sin. To say he could sin would be a denial of his deity. He knew no sin. He was made sin. He came to know it, how? By bearing our sins in his own body. on the tree. The sins that I've committed, this is true with regard to all of God's elect, those for whom he died, the sins that I have committed, he was made to bear in his own body on the tree. They became his sins. Now let me show you that from the scripture. Turn to Psalm 40. The 40th Psalm. Verse one, I waited patiently for the Lord. Who's the only one that can be described like that? Have you ever waited patiently for the Lord? No. Unbelief set in, fear, what's happening. There's only one who waited patiently for the Lord, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. So it's clear from the opening verse who's speaking in this psalm, and he speaks in every psalm. I remember one time reading there are 22 Messianic Psalms where the Lord is the first speaker. No, there are 150 Messianic Psalms. They all speak of him. Now look in verse six. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened. burnt offerings and sin offering hath 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 my God, yea, thy law is within my heart. That's quoted in Hebrews chapter 10. Who's speaking? Only one, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look in verse 11. And this is still Christ speaking. 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 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. He didn't say Todd's iniquities that were imputed to me. He said, my iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up. He was made by God seeing, he came to know it, bearing our sins in his own body on the tree. And so when he was made seeing, listen to me, it was not the innocent being punished. It was the guilty being punished. God will never punish an innocent person. My sin became his sin. Mystery surrounds that, but it's the truth. My sin became his sin, and just as truly as my sin became his sin, Look back at our text, verse 21, 2 Corinthians 5, verse 21. For he hath made him sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made, what? The righteousness of God. This is every believer's personal righteousness. the righteousness of God, just as truly as he took my sin and made it his own. He gives me his very own righteousness, the righteousness of God. So when God justifies me, he's justifying the just. God will not justify a wicked man. He justifies the just. I'm justified in the sight of God. You remember the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The publican stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee. I'm giving you the credit that I'm not as other men are. And he talks about the things that he did and didn't do. And then the publican, beat on his breast, crying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And here's Christ's testimony, I say unto you, that that man went down to his house justified, justified, not forgiven, though he was, not shown mercy, though he was, but this is the word the Lord uses, justified. Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 53. Isaiah 53 verse 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, to crush him, Now why would language like that be used? It pleased the Lord. It delighted the Lord to crush Him. That's the language. That's the word. It pleased the Lord to crush Him. Well, let me tell you why it pleased the Lord to crush Him. Because He's the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And this is God's eternal purpose. And God knew that all of His attributes would be glorified and manifested in the crushing of His Son. It pleased the Lord because it was going to save His people. He pleads the Lord because he's going to save me to crush his son. He hath put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, and here's why, he shall bear their iniquities. Where do I fit in in all this? To him that worketh not." Are you one of those people? You see that you cannot be saved by your works. Would that be you? To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. You are relying on the glorious truth that Jesus Christ, by what he did, actually justified the ungodly and made it to where they're without sin, perfect before God's law. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Now on judgment day, God's gonna give everybody justice. If you're brought into heaven, It'll be his justice that brings you in. You're going to be getting what you deserve. And if you go to hell, if I go to hell, it will be justice. You see, God will never condemn the just and he will never justify the unjust, the wicked. Aren't you thankful for the righteousness of the gospel? He's, as Isaiah says in Isaiah 45, a just God and a savior. He'll never justify the wicked. He'll never condemn the just. Let's pray. Lord, we're so completely dependent upon you to give us hearts that rejoice in the glory of you being just and yet justifying the ungodly through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, deliver us from anything but awe at who you are through your glorious gospel. Lord, we rejoice that you'll never condemn the just, nor will you ever justify the wicked. Lord, how we're amazed that you actually made us righteous, even your righteousness through your gospel. Now, Lord, we pray that you would take what was said from your word this morning and bless it. Lord, we fear giving our own thoughts, our own opinions, deliver us from that. And Lord, wherever, whenever that is done, cause it to go away and let us only hear your word and believe your word for Christ's sake. Bless us for his sake. In his name we pray. Amen.