2 Cor. 5:21:
“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.”
Much can be said about this verse, but suffice to say, the Gnostics (Reformed theology) teach that sin is a substance and is transferred from one person to the next. Sin is not a substance, it has to do with moral choices. The Bible describes sin as a transgression against His law and conscience (1 John 3:4; James 4:17).
What Reformed theology would have us believe is that Jesus literally became sin itself. Jesus couldn’t because He knew no sin. He was always undefiled and still undefiled. He was not guilty because He was not a transgressor of the Law. If sins were imputed to Him whether by own fault or imputation, the guilty is still punished and would not be considered “suffering” as the Scriptures says He did.
Reformed theology says that what happened on the cross was that Jesus made a “swap.” Ungodly teachers like Charles Stanley, Chuck Swindoll, John Piper, Chuck Swindoll, Ray Comfort, Erwin Lutzer, Tony Evans, John McAuthur, Pat Robertson, Ed Young, Billy Graham, Josh McDowell, John Ankerberg, etc. etc., really want us to believe this traditional teaching that has nothing to do with the Bible. This swap would look like this:
So we are to believe that whatever sin you or I committed or would have committed in the future, is all placed on him. Friends, don’t believe this lie. Jesus did not become sin itself; the Bible is clear that he was a sin OFFERING. There was never a time, nor shall be, where Jesus will be found with sin.
“And you know that He was manifested to take away our sin and IN Him is NO sin” ( 1 Jn. 3:5)
The Bible clearly tells us that Christ was an OFFERING for sin. (Isa. 53:10; Heb. 9:13-14; 9:28; 10:10). He was a SACRIFICE to God for a sweet -smelling aroma. (Eph. 5:1-2). These verses also affirm, Christ NEVER became sin on the cross, which means, when God viewed His Son on Calvary He saw NO sin. (Isa. 53:7; 53:9; Acts 8:32-33; Heb. 4:15; 1 Pe. 2:22-23).
There was no exchange taking place, no magnificent transfer or imputation that took place on the cross, or that he took our place, or was our substitute. He simply gave his life up as a ransom. (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:6)
Jesus did not become sin. The Scripture declares, ‘He (Jesus) was manifested to TAKE AWAY our sins, and IN Him is NO sin’ (Matt. 1:21; 2 Co. 5:21; 1 Jn. 3:5)! This is why God could accept Christ precious blood and sin-offering as a sacrifice for the sins of the WORLD. (Lev. 22:20; Ex. 12:5; Jn. 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 1:19; 2:24; 1 Jn. 2:2)
Reformed theology would have us believe that “impute” means “transfer” of character. NEVER.
Please read very carefully what John the apostles says. Apparently he comes against this teaching of “Jesus’ righteousness imputed” and warns us not to be deceived about this matter.
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he [Jesus] is righteous.” (1 John 3:7)
Those who hold to Reformed theology would have us believe that once a person says some magical prayer and make a mental assent, that they are saved forever, regardless of their conduct afterwards. According to them you are now “covered.” Jesus “has your back,” so to speak. What happened to you at that moment, they will tell you, is that Jesus transferred (swapped) his moral character to you and your moral character was transferred to him. Where it concerns you, God now suffers permanent moral blindness to your conduct from that point on. Any future sins you commit God will not be able to see (since all future sins are covered, according to them), only Christ. Even if you deny and depart from the faith, God will not see it. He will ignore those sins because you have the supposed “imputed righteousness of Jesus.”
We have all heard the question, “When you stand before God on judgment day, on what basis will God allow you into heaven?” The answer? “Nothing I did, but because of what Jesus did. God won’t see me, he will only see his Son.” We have all been programmed to answer like robots this unbiblical teaching. It’s a lie. Nowhere in the holy word of God does it tell us this will happen on judgment day. Listen to what Lutzer says about Jesus’ perfect life imputed to us:
“It is also that God looks at us as if we have lived lives of perfect obedience. He sees us as being loving, submissive, pure. He sees us having done everything Christ has done.
“The righteousness is unchangeable.
“The righteousness is permanent.”
So what it really comes down to is that it does not matter what Jesus taught about the workers of iniquity. A believer who departs from the faith and goes back to practicing homosexual behavior is covered because God only sees Jesus’ perfect life over him. The homosexual is seen as loving, submissive, pure. The same is said of the drunkards, the adulterers, liars, the thieves, fornicators, sorcerers, etc., they are all covered because they once made a profession of faith and are now eternally secure. They are safe from any future harm because they had Jesus’ moral character (righteousness) transferred to them and it is unchangeable and permanent! Oh the fallacy of such demonic teachings!
Character and practice can never be separated. (1 John 3:7) Obedience cannot be transferred nor morals exchanged. The word “impute” does not mean transfer. Can anyone transfer honesty to a thief or courage transferred to a coward and their character transferred to you?
Impute simply means to ‘count’ or ‘reckon’. It NEVER means to transfer character.
The famous verse quoted to try and prove Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to us is taken from Rom. 4:6-8:
“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.”
Paul is quoting David’s 32nd Psalm (32:1-2) where David needed to REPENT before the Lord and confess his sins before God could forgive him. (Ps. 32:5)
All Romans 4:6-8 is saying is that one is spiritually blessed if he is described like that, which applies to those who are forgiven of their sins when they come to God in faith and repentance.
The Bible shows that the pardoning of our sins is the SAME as the imputation of righteousness.
An example of this can be taken from our legal system. If you receive full pardon, you are treated as though you have never broken the law when in fact you did. But now your record is erased. You are free and clean of your past offenses (Rom. 3:25; 2 Peter 1:9). This is what the Bible declares. When a person comes to Christ, seeking his mercy in repentance and faith, God grants him mercy and forgives all his sins. Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all the sins we have committed up to that point and are covered. The sinner whose faith leads him to obey God is fully accounted righteous before God.
And what is imputed? It is his FAITH (not the obedience of Jesus) that is imputed to him for righteousness. (Rom. 4:5) The sinner who receives full pardon of his sins is accounted righteous on the basis of his faith.
Impute does not mean transfer. Nowhere in the Bible does it say Jesus’ moral character is transferred to us at the time of salvation. Christ’s obedience is non- transferable. (John 15:10, 14)
Scripture shows us that righteousness is a personal trait and solely belongs to the person possessing it.
Again, it is so VITAL that we understand this that we are WARNED not to be deceived in this matter.
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” (1 John 3:7)
More later….
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