DAVID DECLARES IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS Devotion 27 of 28 The text we have expounded is to thinking, what supporting pillars are to a building. This passage holds up sound reasoning concerning the salvation of God, and keeps it from being dashed to the ground. You must understand that a lot of erroneous teaching is being offered these days concerning salvation, being made righteous, and realizing Divine acceptance. This teaching is largely based upon what men THINK the Scriptures mean instead of what they actually say. For many, the support of a theological system of thought, and the maintenance of a sectarian position, are what drives their entire approach to the Word of God. TO HIM WHO DOES NOT WORK "But to him who does not work . . . " When speaking of justification, or being made righteous, the accent must be changed from man to God. What man himself does is neither strong enough nor extensive enough to be the basis for Divine acceptance. A higher and more secure foundation is required. Hence, the person "who does not work" is not the person who does nothing, but the one who does not present his own achievements as a reason for Divine acceptance, approval, and the conferment of righteousness. BUT BELIEVES ON HIM " . . . but believes on Him . . . " This is the person whose attention has been turned from what HE can do, to who the Lord IS, and what He has done. To believe "ON Him" is to lean the weight of the soul upon the Lord -- to depend upon Him, and act in view of what He has said. This is not a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but a posture of life. In believing on the Lord, the individual is acknowledging his own guilt, as well as his inability to remove that guilt. This believing, or trust, is stimulated by the Gospel of Christ. " . . . who justifies the ungodly . . . " God is thus seen as one who exonerates the guilty, not recognizes the innocent. He is, according to the Gospel, the One who justifies those who, by nature, are unlike Himself -- ungodly. Technically "the ungodly" includes everyone. However, the person who believes on the Lord primarily perceives himself as ungodly, whether anyone else is seen in that way or not. FAITH IS ACCOUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS " . . . his faith is accounted for righteousness . . . " Because "there is none righteous, no not one," what we have done cannot be credited to us for righteousness. Instead, faith itself becomes our righteousness. Those who have faith, or are believing on Him, ARE righteous. Those without faith, or who are not believing on Him, are not righteous. It is no wonder this faith is "precious." THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE MAN "David also describes the blessedness of the man . . . " "Blessedness" is not only a state, or condition, of Divine benefit, it is one that is known. The man who is "blessed" is one who perceives his blessed condition, and glories in the Lord because of it. This is the man who is joyfully cognizant of what the Lord has done in him. GOD IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS APART FROM WORKS " . . . to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works . . . " In this case, the state of blessedness is not adequate food and clothing. Nor, indeed, is it a quiet and peaceable life, or domestic tranquility. This is a condition in which the individual is made righteous in spite of his works, and not because of them. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE INIQUITIES ARE FORGIVEN "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven . . . " Here "blessedness" is put within our reach. There is no need to speculate on the matter. "Iniquities" are "lawless deeds," or infractions of God's holy, just, and spiritual law. In every person, these are not simply a few unusual deeds. Rather, it is everything that was done apart from faith. Anything that did not flow from loving the Lord with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves, is iniquity. The staggering amount of these have been forgiven, and those who realize it know what it means to be blessed. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED " . . . and whose sins are covered . . . "Here is a truth men must fight to keep. Our sins are not covered to the devil. He continually dredges them up, flaunting them before our minds, and seeking to cause guilt to rise up within us. They are not hidden to those who have known us in the past. If they do not have a mind for the Lord, they too will call them up, charging us with not being different from others. They are not even hidden to us. Our minds can be cast down at the recollection of our foolish ways – even though they are forgiven in Christ Jesus. BUT THEY ARE COVERED BEFORE GOD. He does not remember them, thereby fulfilling the New Covenant promise, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb 8:12). This is not an accommodating view. God is not pretending our sins no longer exist. Jesus has, in fact, taken them way (John 1:29), putting them away by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb 9:26). BLESSED IS THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD WILL NOT IMPUTE SIN "Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." It is one thing for the Lord to refuse to credit sin to a person. It is quite another for the person to KNOW God refuses to do so. The person who knows this through faith is the "blessed man." He is jubilant about his condition, and thankful to God for it. – Tomorrow:
"But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." (Romans 4:5-8, NKJV)
You will note there is a total absence of this approach in our text. As you imbibe the Word of God in general, and the Gospel of Christ in particular, you will note the Spirit has absolutely no regard for the views of men. He does not seek to establish a theological position, but to so declare the mind of the Lord as to provoke faith, or believing in the Lord. That is how our text must be read.
The Spirit will not employ denominational jargon to establish the truth in our hearts. There appears to be a studied avoidance of expressions like "saving faith," "unlimited atonement," "irresistible grace," "the plan of salvation," and other similar phrases. Neither, indeed, does the Spirit anchor our thoughts to verb tenses, noun forms, nor other linguistic distinctions. Further, the Divine accent is on affirmation, not explanation. A brief summation of the text will confirm these observations.
WHO JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY
Men who wear the name of Jesus do well to ponder these things, thinking and musing upon them. It will not be long until unusual strength and benefits will be realized.
PRAYER POINT: Father, through Jesus Christ I thank you for a change in status – from being condemned to being blessed!