Share
))
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
…
continue reading
Manage episode 521221495 series 3694983
Content provided by Stephen Davey. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Stephen Davey or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.
Ever felt the urge to make amends with God by doing more, promising harder, or waiting out your guilt? We go straight at that instinct and uncover why it can’t save you—and why Scripture offers something far better: forgiveness that is carried away, covered, and never counted against you. Drawing from Romans 3–4 and David’s confession in Psalm 32, we unpack three powerful words that reframe everything: forgiven, covered, and not accounted.
We start with the long human history of sacrifice, from ancient rituals to the modern notion that suffering can burn off sin. Then we hold it up to the light of the gospel. The Day of Atonement wasn’t theater; it was a preview. The slain goat and the scapegoat point to Jesus, the Lamb of God who bears our guilt beyond reach. The mercy seat, stained with blood above the broken law, foreshadows the cross where justice and mercy meet. And Paul’s accounting term in Romans 4—imputed—shows how God not only erases the debt but credits the perfect righteousness of Christ to our ledger.
The implications are deeply personal. God knows every future failure and still loves you because the cost has already been paid. You don’t have to bribe heaven with effort or endure an imagined middle state to purge what Christ finished. Assurance grows where the ledger is settled and the Savior’s work is final. That frees us from despair over past sins and from pride in present efforts. It also anchors everyday obedience in gratitude, not fear: we pursue holiness because we’re accepted, not to get accepted.
If you’ve wondered whether grace can hold up under the weight of real life, this message is for you. Listen to find fresh clarity on justification by faith, the end of spiritual bookkeeping, and the peace that comes when your record shows only Christ’s righteousness. If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find these truths.
Stephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback
Chapters
1. The Comfort Of Being Fully Forgiven (00:00:00)
2. Humanity’s History Of Sacrifice (00:01:45)
3. Purgatory And The Question Of Atonement (00:04:01)
4. Scripture’s Verdict: Immediate Presence With Christ (00:06:00)
5. Our Efforts Cannot Satisfy God (00:08:08)
6. Justification In Romans 3–4 (00:09:31)
7. David’s Confession And Three Words Of Grace (00:10:43)
8. Forgiven: The Scapegoat And Carried Away Guilt (00:13:00)
9. Covered: The Mercy Seat And Final Sacrifice (00:16:00)
10. Not Accounted: Righteousness Credited By Faith (00:19:20)
11. A Clean Ledger And Lasting Assurance (00:22:10)
12. Closing Encouragement And Global Ministry (00:25:00)
334 episodes
