LESSON 1, INTRODUCTION:

Yesterday I preached just one verse, almost word for word, and found it very edifying.

While the style of preaching God seems to have given me is one of Bible exposition, usually a paragraph at a time, some verses, even when standing alone, have the content of a whole paragraph, easily!

In fact, the verse we are now to study, 2nd Corinthians 5:21, is so "loaded" that untold multitudes have been saved through its message!

Here it is. "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." Again, 2nd Corinthians 5:21

Wow!

Lots of pronouns!

Six I count.

I'll capitalize them this time.  "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."

The prepositions are critical, too!

Here they are: "He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Two!

Jesus died FOR us!

That we might be placed IN Him!

What doctrine is entwined in this single statement of the Bible!

One could almost say that the whole Truth of Scripture, in microcosm, is found here.  "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."

Yes!

Today, in our introductory lesson, let's just get these pronouns properly linked to their antecedents. That's important.

"For he (God the Father) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us (human beings), who (Jesus) knew no sin; that we (us old sinners) might be made the righteousness of God in him (Jesus)."

That's it!

God the Father organized, initiated, and executed the Plan of Salvation!

Jesus the Son of God came and died ... "for" us!

The Sinless One became sin ... on our behalf!

There Salvation is made possible!

Here is, as clearly as anywhere, the doctrine of substitutionary atonement!

Jesus died in my place!

Here too is the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement!

God's wrath, always venting on sin, fell on Jesus, at Calvary! He took our sin upon Himself! So much so that He was "made sin!"

God judged Him as such ... on the Cross!

He suffered my torment, my punishment, my judgment for me! He endured the agony of my wrongdoing, though He had never once sinned, not in all time and eternity!

More tomorrow, Lord willing, as we examine this great verse word for word!

What a Saviour is Jesus!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 2, "FOR HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN:"

When it comes to the salvation of a lost soul, God is the Initiator of the whole ingenious Plan!

Our Bible Text for a few days agrees!

"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." 2nd Corinthians 5:21

The previous verse supplies the "antecedent" information we need. Paul writes: "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Then verse 21 can be exposited: "For He (God the Father) hath  made Him (God the Son, Christ Jesus) to be sin ...."

The first step in our redemption was taken, not by humanity of course, not even by God the Son, technically speaking, nor the loving Holy Spirit!

But by God the Father!

Jehovah Himself!

See it, especially the capitalized words today?

"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."

Other Scripture verifies and enhances this truth, the initiative of God the Father in our salvation!

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Yes!

"We love Him, because He first loved us." 1st John 4:19

Or even: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 has God the Father taking the first step!

The verb "hath made" in our clause today translates the Greek "poieo," meaning "to do," especially when producing something lovely, as a work of art. Or a poem, of which "poieo" is the basis!

God MADE Jesus to be sin!

Now of course this is NOT talking about some direct act of creation in eternity past! Jesus, as God the Second Person, is NOT a creation, not at all! He is eternal! Always has been, always will be! "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Or "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Hebrews 13:8 and John 1:1

God of course did create Jesus in His humanity, the Incarnate Saviour of the world, the Babe born from the womb of the virgin Mary!

But the "making" our verse has in mind occurred on the Cross of Calvary! "For He hath made Him to be sin ...."

This "poieo" action was achieved while Jesus hung that day, pierced and nailed to a cross, dying for our sin!

At some point during that six-hour Ordeal, the pivotal point of all history, God actually poured the sin of the world, every person, every age, not one exception, upon Jesus!

So identifying Him with Sin that, our Text says, He "became" sin, on our behalf!

Almost too deep to fathom, to understand!

He became the Sin Bearer! "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. For the transgression of my people was he stricken. Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin." All from Isaiah 53.

Carefully watch what this verse is NOT saying, too. Paul is not even hinting that Jesus Himself ever sinned, not once! The darling Son of God always has been, is now, and forever shall be untainted from sin! Jesus ... "who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" ... says Hebrews 7:26. He is "without sin" according to Hebrews 4:15.

Jesus, when dying, was "made" to be sin ... in order to satisfy the requirements of God's awesome Holiness, Our Lord suffering the punishment that must be inflicted on sinners, rebels against Almighty God!

Jesus so overwhelmingly, so successfully, so fully, so perfectly accomplished God's Goal at Calvary that He is said to have been "made" sin in our stead!

What a thought!

That little lamb known as the "sin offering" back in Mosaic Israel, it was so identified with sin, so tainted in God's Eyes, that it had to be carried outside the camp, burned in seclusion, separate from anything holy!

In like manner ... "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His Own Blood, suffered without the gate." Hebrews 13:12

Wow!

Or, as Scripture says, "Behold!"

"Lo!"

This is even better, "Selah!"

God made Jesus to be sin ... so that we, when washed in His cleansing Blood, could be sinless in God's very Eyes!

                                                                                 --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3, "FOR US:"

Only two words!

"For us," wrote Paul.

Yet watch how very powerful they can be in 2nd Corinthians 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."

We've just been told for whom Jesus died!

"For us!"

God the Father made Jesus to be sin FOR US, the sinless Jesus dying that we might in turn be made righteous in Him!

"For us!"

Grammatically, the preposition "for," when used with a genitive case object, as here, means just what it says, "for!" Jesus died "for" us!

It also means "in behalf of!" Jesus died "in behalf of" us sinners!

It also means "for the sake of." Jesus died "for our sakes!"

It can here too mean "about." Jesus' Death was all "about" sinners getting saved!

Also "concerning" is possible. Jesus' ordeal on Calvary was focused upon lost people, converting them from sinners to saints! They were our Lord's concern on the Cross.

Then, in the very fine print, in some Greek lexicons, these words appear, in reference to "for," spelled "huper" in Greek. Get this! "To be on someone's side! To be in favor of someone!" God, in favor of old sinners, washing them clean in Jesus' Blood, at the Cross! Now that's Grace! Reminds me of Romans 8:31. "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

In the King James Bible, "huper" is further translated "over, beyond, above, more than, exceeding," but this group of definitions apply primarily when the accusative case is used with "huper," technically not applicable here. Obviously now, "huper" is our English word "hyper!"

Jesus died "FOR US!"

And His Death is so abundantly powerful, so vast in its scope, so hyper-extensive, that one might go as far as John did, saying: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16, as if you need the reference!

"For us!"

Now, let me give you several terms we old-fashioned Bible believers have used for the amazing Truth that Jesus died "for us."

It's called the "substitutionary" Death of our Lord. The word means "to stand" (Latin, "statuere") plus "in the place of, underneath" (again, Latin, "sub"). Jesus died in my place, and yours! He stood in our place, was nailed there really!

It's also called the "penal" model of Jesus' Death. Jesus paid the price of our sin, so that we might be saved! There was guilt involved! Jesus, guiltless, took on my guilt! So much so that He was "made sin" on our behalf! In Latin "poena" means "punishment!"  My punishment fell upon Jesus, that I might go free!

This aspect of Jesus' Suffering is overlooked by the "modernists" and "post-modernists" of today! The theological liberals who no longer believe in the accuracy and inerrancy of the Word of God, of the Scriptures!

Properly Jesus' Death is also labeled a "vicarious" atonement! The word, again of Latin background, means "in the place of." The Romans' very word for "substitute" was "vicarious." Jesus died instead of you and me!

"For us!"

Then, the plural object, "us," in Greek spelled "hemon," indicates an "unlimited" atonement. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world! Really! "Jesus Christ the righteous, He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." This is 1st John 2:2. Now Isaiah 53:6. "The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Vast in its scope!

Wow!

Jesus' Death for sinners; substitutionary, penal, vicarious and unlimited!

"For us!"

Thank Him today, for dying in your stead!

                                                                                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 4, JESUS "WHO KNEW NO SIN:"

It's sometimes called the doctrine of the "impeccability" of Christ.

In Latin "peccare" means "to sin." And the prefix "in" means "not," negating its host word.  Not sinning! More to the point, not capable of sinning!

This is the essence of Paul's great statement in 2nd Corinthians 5:21, where he said of Jesus, "Who knew no sin!"

The whole verse reads: "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."

Jesus is God!

God can not sin!

Here's an example in one case!

"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation." Hebrews 6:18-19

Or, as Titus 1:2 confirms: "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."

One preacher noted that if Jesus is immutable, He must also be impeccable. If He can never change, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever," and if He is sinless now, "holy, harmless, undefiled" plus totally "without sin," then He has always been untainted in every way! Hebrews 13:8 and 7:26 and 13:11

Jesus never thought a wrong thought!

Never spoke an errant word!

Never committed a single sin!

And why is this so vitally important?

Because of Calvary!

He, perfect in every way, died for us, sin-stained in every way!

The Just for the unjust, said Peter! "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." 1st Peter 3:18

Or, precious 2nd Corinthians 5:21, again: "For God hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, (Jesus) Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Thrilling, isn't it?

Old John Newton, the godly preacher and hymn-writer, had it right. It's amazing! Amazing Grace!

Think of the absolute shock of the sinless One, "Jesus," being "made sin" on our behalf!

The "iniquity of us all" being "laid upon" our precious uninitiated-to-sin Saviour!

That's what caused His Death!

He endured our wages for us, sin-wages, what we deserved! And everyone knows, "the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23

But don't forget the rest of that glorious verse, either! "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

If Jesus were not sinless, He, according to the very Righteousness of God Almighty, would have had to die for His Own wrong!

But since He is perfect, sinlessly perfect, all is well.

Therefore, God can save sinners, He still being divinely "faithful and just," just like 1st John 1:9 says.

What a plan of salvation!

Today sometime, thank Jesus for being sinless!

That's what qualified Him to die in our stead, being the Pristine Son of God!

Glory to God!

                                                                                 --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Let me add ...

The Greek text, Textus Receptus, has "who knew no sin" like this: "ho gar me ginosko hamartia." And this clause is ultra important here, too! The Holy Spirit has placed it at the head of the whole verse! Literally translated: "For the One knowing no sin or shortcoming or ever missing God's mark."

The whole verse hinges on this opening statement! If Jesus ever sinned, even once, all other points of salvation are moot! Irrelevant! Unimportant!

A Saviour Who is a sinner can redeem no one!

A Saviour who has defeated sin and Satan and all the ensuing consequences, things like death, that One is uniquely qualified! And He is the Lord Jesus Christ!

That's what the Book of Hebrews does, in part, presents Jesus as our eminently able Saviour!

Read this and rejoice: "For such an High Priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25-26

When we're told that Jesus "knew" no sin, the verb "ginosko" is employed. We already knew He was sinless from eternity past. We suspected He was incapable of sin as well. After all, He is God!

But all that has been put to the test!

Now we're being told that as Jesus lived those thirty-three plus years on earth, from infancy to death, He never once "learned" a thing about actually committing a sin!

He never experienced a single sin!

Never even thought about falling into iniquity!

He remained totally "innocent" or "ignorant" (in a godly, reverent way) of any wrongdoing!

Paul wants us to be ignorant of sin, too! "In malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." And, "I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil." 1st Corinthians 14: 20 and Romans 16:19

And, by the way, "no" sin, "me" in Greek, pronounced "may," means just what it says! It's used in the powerful Biblical phrase "God forbid" over a dozen times!

No exception occurred!

Jesus never acquired any first-hand information about sin! Not in the experiential sense!

Not to bore you, but one more time: Our High Priest was ... "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15

What a Saviour!

What a sinless Saviour!

LESSON 5, "THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD:"

Jeremiah asked, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?" Jeremiah 13:23

Job wondered, then decided: "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." Job 14:4

Even more remarkable than a leopard changing its spots, or a person his or her very skin color, is what can happen to a sinner at the old rugged Cross of Calvary!

A sinner can be cleansed!

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." Isaiah 1:18

Paul, in 2nd Corinthians 5:21, related the change this way. "That we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

That we (sinners) might be made the pure Righteousness of God ... in Christ Jesus our Lord!

What an exchange!

My sin for His Holiness!

Hell, which I deserved, for Heaven, where He lives evermore!

Death for Life!

The whole Verse: "For He (God the Father) hath made Him (Jesus, God the Son) to be sin for us, (Jesus) Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus again)." But by now you know these pronouns.

So let's read it just like it stands in the King James Version. "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."

Amen!

Our clause today states a purpose.

Really, the purpose, for Calvary!

"That we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

The opening pronoun, "hina" in Greek, means "in order that."

Here's the Reason for the Cross!

That sinners may be saved!

Justified!

"Might be made" translates "ginomai" as a subjunctive passive verb. It can mean "to be born!" It does mean "to come into being!"

Because of Jesus' Death on the Cross, His Blood shed on our behalf, we can be "born" into the Righteousness of God!

"Born again" might be a better term!

Instantly, at the very second of belief, we are regenerated!

We "come into being" as saints of God!

What are we made?

God's very "Righteousness!"

"Dikaiosune" is a legal term. It means one has stood in court, having been carefully examined, and declared "right" before the law!

To be made God's Righteousness, as strange sounding as it may be, literally means "to be as right as God!"

My old sinful record has been purged, and in its stead is placed God's Holy unblemished chart!

I am made perfect ... in Jesus!

The whole "dike" root of Greek words, its entire semantic domain, is thought to be derived from a verb, "deiknuo." It means "to show!" Or, "to put on display!" Maybe also "to give proof, evidence" in a case!

God, having made us righteous, through Jesus' finished Work on the Cross, then wants "to put us on display!"

As witnesses to His Grace!

"Trophies of Grace," one preacher said!

Paul, the Apostle who soared the highest spiritually, hints at such a grand exhibition in Ephesians 3:9-10. "And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."

We do not become righteous on our own!

Watch carefully. "That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

The "Him" is Jesus!

In fact, according to 1st Corinthians 1:30, Jesus IS our Righteousness! "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

When saved, we are placed "in" Him!

The Holy Ghost, at the very split second of our salvation, "immersed" us, "baptized" us says Paul, into the Lord Jesus Christ, into His Body! "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." Romans 6:3-4

There, "in" Christ Jesus, we enjoy the righteousness of God! This is indeed "identification" with God!

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2nd Corinthians 5:17

Paul again, giving us a lovely word picture of this righteousness, preached: "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Disobedience and sin came through Adam! Righteousness came through Jesus!

It's pretty plain!

We have been made Righteous!

In God's Eyes we are, via the Blood of the lamb, walking specimens of the Righteousness of God!

I shutter to write it!

But that's exactly what the Bible has taught us today!

"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."

Our verse, 2nd Corinthians 5:21, is nearly the whole Bible in miniature!

Its depths are unfathomable, at least here on earth!

Like one does to an endless seascape or a vast mountain range or any other overwhelmingly beautiful sight, feast your senses!

Look!

Wonder!

Behold!

Enjoy!

Adore!

So should we react to our Verse!

If the Bible has "mountain peaks," so to speak, we have just been on Everest today!

                                                                                --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 6, THE TWO "MADES:"

In just one verse of Scripture, albeit a critically important one, the Holy Spirit uses the word "made" twice!

Clearly visible in our King James Text, "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." 2nd Corinthians 5:21

Two "mades!"

But, oh, what a difference they represent!

In Greek two totally different verbs are used!

Jesus was "made" sin, "poieo" being the verb.

Sinners were "made" righteous, "ginomai" being the verb.

"Poieo" means "prepared, effected, accomplished," that kind of idea. Something done to an already existent Jesus, eternal in His Being! God the Son came to earth, born of a virgin, lived sinlessly for thirty-three years, then died on a Cross to pay for our sins. As he died ... this "made sin" act was accomplished. It was "performed" on a divine, willing Saviour!

But "ginomai" is a world apart! It actually gives us the verb "begat." It means, among other things, "to be born!" Or, "to come into being!" Even "to be created!" When God made us righteous, He worked a miracle! We were "born again" unto righteousness! We, obviously new creatures, "came into being" as sons and daughters of God!

Jesus could not have been described by any "coming into being" term! He has always "been!" He is eternal. "Ginomai" just would not apply to our Lord! He, rather, was "fitted" to become the sin-offering!

Furthermore, Jesus' verb is in the indicative mood. Sheer fact is being stated. No doubt! He was "made" sin, "poieo."

Our verb, "ginomai," is in the subjunctive mood. We only become righteousness if we believe, if we are saved, if we are born from above! The subjunctive mood expresses a wish or desire, a definite possibility, but not a certainty!

What Jesus did on Calvary is certain!

The salvation of sinners is possible! The lost must repent and believe. It's not automatic!

Then again, "poieo" and "ginomai" wise, Jesus' verb is aorist in its time frame. Our verb is present tense. What Jesus did is a complete, finished transaction! He will never die again! Our being made the very righteousness of God, in Jesus or through Jesus and His Death, is an on-going situation. It will not be fully done until we see Jesus! "We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him." 1st John 3:2

Big "time" difference here!

Also, "poieo" is an active voice verb while "ginomai" is passive! Jesus Himself did the work on the Cross! He was the Initiator of our salvation, Golgotha-wise! He successfully achieved the Goal! That's why He yelled, "It is finished," just before expiring!

But us poor sinners, our being made righteous, was an act done to us! Really, for us, by Another! We are the recipients of the action, receivers of the Gift! We took no vital active part in our own salvation! We turned from sin and trusted Jesus, both moves prompted and energized by the Holy Spirit, working on us! We were passive.

Finally, Jesus' verb is singular in number. Our verb is plural! One Man, the God-Man, our Sinless Saviour, the Second Person of the Trinity, did on that old rugged Cross, completing God's plan of salvation in a just few short hours, what would benefit multitudes for the rest of recorded time and then all eternity! Jesus, singular!

But for us, when we were lost, and the uncounted droves still lost, one Man's Death brings the possibility of everlasting life! To all who are "saved," assuredly, a Heavenly home perpetually!

One Benefactor, many recipients!

One Saviour, many sinners!

One all-sufficient Payment, many accounts!

Singular, "HE was made to be sin," then plural, "That WE might be made the righteousness of God in Him!"

Do the math!

It's incalculable!

What Jesus suffered and what we gained at Calvary, both actions depicted by the verb "made," are as different as night and day!

Jesus endured the Darkness!

We enjoy the Light, living in it every day!

Reminds me of 1st John 1:7. "We walk in the light, as He is in the light ... and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

It's true!

                                                                          --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 7, SUMMARY, "IMPUTATION:"

The word is "impute." It's a verb. In Latin "putare" means "to settle an account." The prefix "in" personalizes the idea, "to settle or pay your account!"

As a noun it's "imputation."

I find the word in both Hebrew and Greek contexts, Old and New Testaments, fifteen times.

God is pictured as a Great Bookkeeper. There exists a record of all my sin! Enough, more than enough, to send me straight to Hell! God knows all about it!

Then comes Jesus! He too has a "record," a "spotless" one! No sin! Not one! Not even an approximate sin! Totally without sin!

Enter imputation!

On the Cross of Calvary. With the "price" of His own precious Blood, incorruptible Blood! Jesus takes away my filthy "record" of iniquity, putting that mess on His account! His spotless record!

And my old heart, now purged of sin, is miraculously given the "record" Jesus possessed!

A sinner made clean?

Yes!

Jesus was made to be "sin" for me!

He took my rotten reputation!

And I was made "righteous" in Him! When God now views my heart, He sees Jesus' sinlessness!

Folks, that's imputation!

Here it is in Scripture. "For God hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2nd Corinthians 5:21

Remember the word, "impute."

"To settle an account!"

Listen to Paul in Romans 4:8, quoting the Psalmist David. "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin."

Here's a one-line statement describing Abraham's salvation. "And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Romans 4:22! That happened to you when you were born-again too!

Need more proof?  "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." Romans 4:24-25

James likes the word, too! "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." James 2:23

Because of Calvary, this is true: "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." 2nd Corinthians 5:19

Jesus put my sin on His Account, then erased it, paid it in full, with His vicarious Death, by his Own Blood!

The Psalmist, thousands of years ago, even got it! "Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity." Psalm 32:2

Because I now, having been saved, bear Jesus' record, His righteousness, Paul can declare "He (God the Father) hath made us accepted in the Beloved (Jesus, God the Son)." King James, without my parentheses: "He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:6

That's because of imputation!

God looks at me ... and sees Jesus, Jesus' shed Blood!

Here's an example from the Book of Philemon too. Paul had won to Jesus a runaway slave named Onesimus. This slave belonged to a wealthy Colossian businessman named Philemon. Such a slave, by common Roman practice, could have been killed if caught. Now the renegade slave is a Brother in Christ! Paul is asking Philemon, also saved, to take the fugitive, former fugitive, back ... without punishment!

But who will pay for the wrongdoing?

The lost wages?

The squandered profit?

The loss of morale?

Listen to Paul, addressing Philemon. "If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it." Philemon 18-19

That's what Jesus did with our sins!

They were put on His account!

And He paid the debt!

Hallelujah!

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

One more thought ...

The words used for the "imputation" concept are lovely.

In Hebrew, generally speaking, it's "chashab." It means "to calculate, to count." God numbered our sins ... placing them all on Jesus! Jesus Who died for us on the Cross!

In Greek, it's "logizomai," that is, "to reckon, count, compute, calculate!"

Two words, worlds apart, same meaning!

Old Testament or New, people are saved the same way!

Through Jesus and His shed Blood, His Death on Calvary!

Peter was right in Acts 4:12, talking about our Lord. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Amen!

                                                    Jesus paid it all!