The Grand Substitution: Why and How God Substituted Believers’ Sin with His Righteousness

By Dr. Glenn R. Tingling BBA MDiv ThD

Firmly grounded in scripture, The Grand Substitution, by author Dr. Glenn R. Tingling, provides an explanation of Second Corinthians 5:21. God made his son to be the sacrificial offering for sin so he could justly pardon and remove humanity’s sin, and in its place impute his righteousness to them. Consequently, believers in Christ stand in Christ’s righteousness: the requirement for eternal life and heaven.

The Grand Substitution, a follow-up book to The Imputation Triangle:

delivers detailed descriptions and definitions in answering the questions: What is sin? What is the sin nature? How does it behave? How to control it? And, who is a sinner?
explains the three types of righteousness: human/practical righteousness, self-righteousness, and imputed righteousness;
addresses characteristics and roles of the three agents involved in the substitution transaction: sinful humanity, Christ the mediator, and an offended holy God; and
provides, from scripture, a road map to obtaining assurance of salvation for believers in Christ.

Tingling blends a wealth of experience of more than sixty years as a practicing and serving Christian, with a strong background in business and academic and theological education, to offer an insightful, challenging, inspiring, and practical discussion

for those who seek a
deeper understanding of salvation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664245136

Dr. Glenn R. Tingling BBA MDiv ThD

Dr. Glenn R. Tingling, BBA, MDiv, ThD, is a retired certified public accountant and ordained minister who has served many churches of different denominations in various part-time capacities. He is a graduate of Baruch College of the City University of New York, Luther Rice Seminary, and United Theological Seminary. Tingling gained a wealth of experience in preaching and teaching the holy scripture in many churches during the last sixty-one years. This is his second book.

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Copyright © 2021 Dr. Glenn R. Tingling, BBA, MDiv, ThD.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4514-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4515-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4513-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021918978

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/11/2021

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

General Introduction

Part 1: Aspects of Sin

Introduction

Chapter 1: What Is Sin? Descriptions and Definitions

Chapter 2: The Sin Nature: Definition, Conduct, and Control

Chapter 3: Who Is a Sinner?

Part 2: Aspects of Righteousness

Introduction

Chapter 4: Human/Practical Righteousness

Chapter 5: Self-righteousness

Chapter 6: Imputed Righteousness

Part 3: The Substitution

Introduction

Chapter 7: Characteristics of Sinful Humanity

Chapter 8: Relevant Attributes of God’s Divine Nature

Chapter 9: The Mediator, Christ Jesus

Part 4: Assurance of Salvation

Introduction

Chapter 10: Personal Experiences

Chapter 11: The Key to Attaining Assurance

of Salvation

Chapter 12: Security of the Believer

Conclusion

Bibliography

Glossary

About the Author

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my living siblings:

• John R. Tingling, LLB, attorney-at-law, who opened crucial doors of opportunity for me,

• Thomas R. Tingling, MBE, who motivated me to study by paying me for good results,

• Nellie L. Chung and her husband Steve, who opened legal doors of opportunity for me to migrate and study in the United States,

• Mavis P. Smith, my younger sister, who possesses the kindest and most loving heart anyone could have toward her siblings, and

• Lorna M. Clarke, the last of the flock, whom I loved beyond all others from birth.

It is also dedicated to the memory of my late siblings:

• Ayrton W. Bell, whose wit, good humor, and laughter I will never forget,

• Sybil V. Crombie, for her selfless devotion to us as younger siblings,

• Herbert L. Tingling, whom I missed above the others and whose life and extraordinary kindness were and still are a constant challenge for me,

• Madge M. Meylor, my alter-ego and second mother, and

• Stainton R. Tingling, my protector as a child and teenager and in whose presence I always felt safe.

The Grand Substitution is also written in honor of the late pastors and my childhood and teenage Sunday-school teachers who were so influential in my spiritual upbringing.

And finally, it is a memorial to the late Kenneth (Bob) Tingling, my first cousin, childhood and teenage best friend, and brother in Christ, whose appearance to me in a dream regarding this book helped inspire me to complete it during a period of severe illness.

Foreword

An abundance of published and unpublished literature of good quality, dealing with a wide variety of religious, Christian, and biblical subjects is on the market; however, there remains a strong demand for a comprehensive, comprehensible, and consistent treatment of critical truths concerning God, humans, sin, and salvation in a manner that is theologically sound, biblically accurate, ethically pure, and practically relevant.

This book fits well into that gap and is a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge and understanding of these critical issues. Its main authority is the holy scripture, and it is based on biblical rather than dogmatic theology that seeks to defend or promote a particular tradition or persuasion. It explores with the reader the nature of the original relationship with God as a creature of his design and image, the breach of that relationship through an inherited sinful nature (original sin), and the consequential practice of sin; and the way to reconciliation and restoration of relationship with God through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

The reader is left with the freedom to consider, contemplate, and commit to the truth of the Bible even if there are some differences in personal understanding and interpretation that are complementary to the core gospel message. Commitment to the Word of God and dedication to walk with Christ in submission to his will is the motive of the message rather than to seek agreement on all other points though edifying and enriching.

Dr. Tingling’s second book blends a wealth of experience of over sixty years as an unapologetic practicing and serving Christian, with a strong background in business and outstanding academic and theological education, to produce an insightful scholarly work that is at once informative, somewhat provocative, challenging, inspiring, and practical. One of his guiding convictions is that the truth of the Bible, God’s Word, is established, incontestable, and indisputable and its application to human life is dynamic rather than static, engaging rather than passive, and specific rather than general, thereby drawing the reader into a most enriching and spiritually profitable experience.

The thesis of The Grand Substitution is firmly grounded in the scriptures—embracing the fact of humankind’s sinfulness in character and conduct, declaring the greatest expression of divine love in the gift of God’s Son to die vicariously on the cross to redeem humanity from sin, and affirming the believers’ righteous standing with God through the initiative of divine grace. Jesus Christ, the only righteous person, took our sin upon himself, endured the punishment and penalty, and paid the price on our behalf. By standing in our place, he reconciled to fellowship and relationship with God those who place their trust in him for salvation. In exchange for our sin and unrighteousness, he attributes his righteousness to our account. Our righteousness, sanctification, and ultimate redemption are in him and him alone.

A thoughtful reading of this book will provoke a critical reflection on traditional doctrinal positions, reinforce eternal truths, invoke a deeper appreciation and desire for the Word of God, and inspire a continual seeking for a deeper and more intimate relationship with our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

If by reading you have come to know Christ better, to love him dearer, and to follow him closer, the commitment of intellectual, spiritual, and material resources in presenting Christ, The Grand Substitution, in this volume would be a great investment.

The book is written with an engaging structure and fluidity of language that appeals to readers of all cadres; its flow and content portray the godly character, diligent scholarship, and intellectual maturity that have been the hallmark of Dr. Tingling throughout his life. I commend him for delivering this excellent work and recommend it as a book to be read and given a prominent place in your library.

Dalvern O. Williams (Rev.) JP, FICB, MBA

Kingston, Jamaica

Acknowledgments

My profound thanks and appreciation to the following individuals who contributed immensely to the completion of this book:

• Reverend Dalvern O. Williams, for his friendship and graciousness in reviewing this book and writing the foreword despite his extremely busy schedule;

• Reverend Delroy Sittol, for his friendship and kindness in blessing and honoring us with his review and endorsement of this book;

• Shira Gavilanes, for the many hours spent in verifying the accuracy of the sections and verses of scripture quoted and used as references in this book;

• my son, Douglas L. Thompson, for performing the first review of the manuscript;

• my son-in-law, Delroy L. Thompson, for his invaluable review of this book from a theological perspective and giving it his endorsement as noted on the back cover; and

• Jamie E. Griffin, my granddaughter and professional photographer, for providing the photographs included in this book.

PhotoofShakingHand.jpg

Follow me,

and I will make you fishers of men

(Matthew 4:19)

General Introduction

This book, The Grand Substitution, is an offshoot of my prior book, The Imputation Triangle: A Scriptural View, in which we dealt with three aspects of imputation:

• The imputation of Adam’s sin to humanity

• The imputation of humanity’s sin to Christ

• The imputation of Christ’s righteousness to humanity

The Imputation Triangle also gives an explanation of sin, justification, righteousness, and sanctification. The Grand Substitution presents the topics of sin and righteousness in greater depth because they are the primary elements involved in the substitution transaction. However, it assumes a certain level of understanding of justification and sanctification. Obviously, perusing The Imputation Triangle prior to reading The Grand Substitution would be desirable but not critical to grasping the concept of God’s providing his righteousness to humanity as a substitute for their sins. This concept is the single-most important substitution that has occurred or will occur in human history. It is described in 2 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." In this transaction, God made his Son to be the offering for sin.

To make this transaction possible, and in obedience to the Father, Christ willingly shed his blood unto death in giving his life on a cruel cross at Calvary in our stead. Those who believe in the efficacy of Christ’s sacrificial and substitutionary death are redeemed from their sins. Because Christ’s act of redemption also removes sin through his grace, God imputes to believers his righteousness as a substitute. This then is the Grand Substitution—God’s righteousness for humans’ sin. As a result, believers in Christ shall stand before God blameless and pure because they stand in Christ’s righteousness, which is theirs, and not because they have been made perfect by any other means.

Given the wickedness of humanity subsequent to the Fall, the substitution of humanity’s sin with the righteousness of God could not be considered a fair exchange. Nevertheless, God entered into this inequitable transaction because of his love for humankind. Christ, for the same reason, willingly debased himself, took on the form of man, and offered himself as the ransom for sinners. As recorded in Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45, Jesus did not come to earth to be served but to serve and to give his life as a sacrificial ransom for humanity. Giving his life as a substitute for humankind was the only avenue available for humans’ redemption. Philippians 2:5–8 says,

⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

The essence of these verses is that Christ, who possessed divine prerogatives in nature, attributes, and rights on the same level as God the Father,

• voluntarily laid aside these prerogatives,

• clothed himself in human flesh,

• assumed the role of a servant, and

• subjected himself to a death reserved only for slaves and the worst criminals as he atoned for humankind’s sin.

The extent of Christ’s debasement as he atoned for our sins was equal to the degree that God loathed the sight of sin that had alienated humanity from his presence and tarnished, corrupted, and ruined the crown of his creation. Hebrews 2:6–8 describes the place of humans in God’s creation as follows:

⁶ But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? ⁷ Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: ⁸ Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Christ’s atonement was the only act that could appease God’s wrath against humans’ sin and reconcile them with their Creator.

To understand the significance of the Grand Substitution, we must first understand the two primary elements involved: sin and righteousness. This book deals with these elements from a different perspective than that explored in The Imputation Triangle.

In part 1, we provide detailed scriptural descriptions and definitions to the question What is sin? (part 1, chapter 1). In this chapter, we also address standards by which human conduct is determined to be offensive, or not, to God. In part 1, chapter 2, we address the sin nature by defining it and then describing its conduct from the perspectives of Jesus, the apostle Paul, and the apostle John. We then recommend steps necessary to control and defeat it. In concluding this chapter, we present a diagram depicting the interaction of the soul/heart with the conscience and the Spirit of Christ as they fight against the sin nature and Satan in the battleground of the mind, through to the outcome of good deeds, no action, or sinful actions. In part 1, chapter 3, we address the question, Who is a sinner? We answer this question by describing personal experiences and by examining certain scripture that reveals perspectives from Jesus, David, other Old Testament writers, the apostle Paul, and the apostle John. We address these perspectives from two points of view:

• sin that occurs outside a person, such as actions and inactions that are offensive to God, and

• sin that occurs inside a person, such as thoughts, attitudes, dispositions, and the source of conduct offensive to God.

We then conclude this chapter by stating the position: "We are all sinners by nature and actions,’’ with the hope that, based upon the discussions presented, this statement will not be offensive to some readers.

In part 2, we address the second element of the substitution: righteousness. Here we present three chapters addressing various aspects of righteousness. In chapter 4, we examine human/practical righteousness from the perspectives of

• human laws and standards,

• traditions and customs of society,

• conscience-based morality, and

• laws and guidelines in scripture.

In chapter 5, we discuss self-righteousness from the perspective of what it promotes:

• A fallacy of perfection

• False reliance on birthright entitlement

• False confidence in the efficacy of one’s own righteousness

• Intolerance for those considered to be less perfect

• False reliance on the efficacy of the law

Then in chapter 6, we discuss imputed righteousness with much more profundity than that presented in The Imputation Triangle. First, we define the word impute and give Old Testament illustrations of imputation. Following this, we dive into the imputation of righteousness to Abraham and Paul’s extrapolation of this righteousness to believers in Christ. Finally, in concluding this chapter, we briefly examine Paul’s defense of the doctrine of justification by faith.

Part 3 brings both sin and righteousness in one transaction that demonstrates the Grand Substitution: God’s righteousness for humans’ sin. We present this part in three chapters wherein we consider the agents involved in the substitution, as well as why and how the transaction was executed. We diagram this transaction to show that, on one side, we have sinful humanity; on the other side, we have an infinitely holy God; and in the middle, we have the mediator, Christ.

substitution%20diagram.jpg

We follow this depiction in discussing characteristics of sinful humanity (chapter 7); relevant attributes of God’s divine nature (chapter 8); and the Mediator, Christ, as the Lamb and foundation stone and as the agent breaking down the middle wall of partition in effecting the substitution (chapter 9). Finally, in this chapter, we also show the involvement of all three agents (human, Christ, God) in executing the substitution transaction. The end results of this transaction are

• justification of humans by grace through faith,

• forgiveness and cleansing of their sins,

• imputation of God’s righteousness to them,

• their reconciliation with God through Christ’s atonement, and

• ultimately, eternal life and heaven.

All these accomplishments can be concluded in one word: salvation.

Part 4 seeks to help believers attain assurance of this salvation. In doing so, we present some of my personal experiences (chapter 10), the key to attaining this assurance (chapter 11), and security of the believer (chapter 12).

As can be observed from the contents noted above, one of the purposes of this book is to delve into the more profound parts of scripture that are often ignored. The issues discussed herein will also help unbelievers come to the knowledge of Christ, help believers develop into well-balanced and more spiritually mature disciples, and enhance analysis of certain scripture for those involved in ministry. Accordingly, in addition to stimulating spiritual intellect, this book is written specifically

• to help unsaved individuals learn about sin and righteousness and to show them the way to God and salvation through Christ;

• to help believers who struggle with assurance of salvation attain confidence in their faith, security in Christ, and ultimately, assurance in their salvation;

• to help ardent believers who fervently thirst for knowledge of scripture, serious Bible students, teachers, and young pastors increase their knowledge in some of the more profound aspects of scripture—the meat of the Word, such as the various aspects of sin and righteousness—and to whet their appetite for further exploration and personal study of justification by grace through faith alone, the various phases of imputation, and the four aspects of sanctification; and

• to provide even mature and well-experienced pastors nuggets of information that can enhance their teaching ministries.

As such, this book should have a positive impact on a wide spectrum of individuals, especially believers who are seriously interested in a diet of spiritual meat. Notwithstanding, I believe that any reader, believer or not, will find