The sermon by James Fetterly delves into the Christian doctrine of justification and imputation, focusing on how sinners are made righteous in the eyes of God. Drawing from various books of the Bible, including Isaiah, Genesis, Psalms, and Zechariah, Fetterly paints a vivid picture of the courtroom setting where God declares sinners as righteous, not by their own deeds but by faith in Christ alone.
The sermon begins with a prayer and an introduction to Isaiah 61:10, which speaks of rejoicing in the Lord for He has clothed us with garments of salvation and robes of righteousness. Fetterly emphasizes that this concept is not just a New Testament idea but is rooted in the Old Testament as well.
He then moves to Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve's sin led to their awareness of their nakedness and their attempt to cover themselves with fig leaves. Fetterly points out that God provided them with garments of skins, signifying that something innocent had to die to cover their sin. This act foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the atonement of human sin.
In discussing Abraham's faith in Genesis 15, Fetterly highlights how Abraham's belief in God was "counted" or "imputed" to him as righteousness. This sets the stage for the New Testament doctrine that righteousness comes by faith alone, not by works.
The sermon also covers Psalm 32, where David speaks of the blessedness of having one's sins forgiven and not counted against them. Fetterly emphasizes that this is another example of imputation in the Old Testament.
In Zechariah 3, Joshua the high priest stands accused before God, wearing filthy garments symbolizing sin. God commands that these garments be removed and that Joshua be clothed in pure vestments, illustrating the doctrine of imputation where our sins are removed, and we are clothed in Christ's righteousness.
Fetterly concludes by summarizing that justification has both a negative and a positive element: the removal of guilt and the granting of righteousness. He stresses that both are essential for salvation. The sermon ends with a prayer, asking God to encourage those in Christ and convict those who have not yet placed their trust in Him.
