“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…” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The Bible teaches a salvation that is totally outside of the sinner and conditioned entirely upon the work of the Substitute- the LORD Jesus Christ. There are two things that God has done in time, to save those that He chose in Christ, from before time.

1. The imputation of their sin to the Substitute- The LORD Jesus was sinless in His person, but God made Him to be sin by putting to His account the sins of His elect (those He chose out from all of fallen humanity), Isaiah 53:10. The sins of all His people were transferred on Him. In punishing Him, God was effectively punishing them. He so identified with their persons, that He actually answered their charges for them with His own life. WHAT LOVE!

2. The imputation of the Substitute’s righteousness to them- The LORD Jesus not only laid down His life in payment for their sin, but lived an absolutely perfect life in thought, word, and deed to answer the demands of God’s righteousness for His people. All of the living, doing, and dying of Christ were simultaneously charged to the account of every one of the elect of God at one time- upon completion of His work at the cross. The Father said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Therefore, the same must be applied to those whose names the LORD Jesus bore on His High Priestly soul. They were given Him from before the world’s foundation, and carried in Him to the cross, where God has since then graciously declared just and justified every one for whom Christ died, Romans 5:9-11.

If we are Christ’s, He is our Surety for forgiveness of sins and for righteousness. His people are not only FORGIVEN but RIGHTEOUS in, by, and through Him alone! How grateful the LORD’s people are for the truth of imputation. Does our conscience accuse us, that we are yet sinners before God, and cursed by the law of God? The charge is just: OWN IT. Yet this need not destroy our peace of conscience. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13)By Him, all who believe are completely justified, fully discharged, and perfectly acquitted from ALL things, Acts 13:19.