God justifies the ungodly who trust in Him, in spite of our wicked deeds, because he will not impute them against us. This is the blessed teaching of Romans 4:6-8.
In the case of Shimei, we have a sharp contrast between God's forgiveness of sinners and David's forgiveness. We have previously seen that David never loved Shimei; that David didn't conceive of Shimei's forgiveness; and that David died and left Shimei's judgment to his son.
But God conceived of the glorious plan of redemption through Jesus' blood-shedding at Calvary. God loved us when we were unlovely. And our forgiveness is certain so long as God reigns and our Lord Jesus pleads for us!
When David forgave Shimei, that forgiveness was faulty, because Shimei's sin had never been judged. It was always lurking, unpunished and unjudged, waiting to be called back up against him. Had it been punished, then Shimei would have been free.
But praise God, our forgiveness from Him is forever perfect, because our sin has already been judged and disposed of in a proper, legal, and just manner! It has been completely judged in our substitute, the Lord Jesus.
David never provided Shimei a substitute, but our God provided us a Lamb in Jesus!
The judgment of sin in a substitute is seen in Abel's sacrifice, and the lamb God sent to deliver Isaac, in the passover lambs, in the sacrificial lambs, and in Isaiah's great prophecy of the Savior being punished for our sins laid upon Him.
God refuses to impute our sins against us because He has already imputed them against His own dear Son and judged them in Him. Thus our guiltiness is expunged forever by the Blood of Jesus.
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“ Great Sermon! ” Dear pastor, Thank you for your wonderful message. It has touched my mind and my heart. This is a rare anointing. May God bless you, your family and church. In Christ alone, Lia Leigh.
Donna Manly (1/17/2010)
from Anderson, SC
“ Great Sermon! ” I have Jewish friends who need to hear this sermon. How beautifully Pastor Hey explains the concept of the Substitute and why we need a sacrifice. My Jewish friends depend on their works and offerings (much as Cain did) to justify themselves before the Lord.They love God but they have lost their way to God.
John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
#40 - Top Played Sermon (48-Hours) on 1/18/2010
