Ans: Our sins are "put away", not "covered" Heb 9:26 clearly states our sins are "put away".

Why does Rom 4:7 say "covered"?

This is a quotation from Psalm 32:1. Aside from this one place in Rom 4:7, where the word in Psalms is quoted, nowhere else in the entire New Testament can a scripture verse be found which states our sins are covered before God. Hence the "covered" here in Rom 4:7 must have reference to the sins of the people in the Old Testament time being covered. As a matter of fact, every sin committed during the Old Testament period was only covered until it was put away at the death of the Lord Jesus. Note this verse Heb 9:15. "He is the mediator of a new covenant... for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant".

The Hebrew word "kaphar" (atonement) in the Old Testament means "to cover" Except in Rom 4:7 the New Testament never again uses this word.

The word "atonement" is connected mostly with sin-offering. Jesus Christ is our sin-offering. He does not merely cover our sin. He "puts away" OR "cleanseth" our sins. The dirt is brushed and put under the carpet. No. Still the dirt is there. But Jesus removes, vacuums the dirt.

"Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world" - John 1:29.

QN.2 Which saves us? The Righteousness of God? or the Righteousness of Christ ? What are their meanings and differences ?

Ans: It is the Righteousness of God which saves us.

What is the Righteousness of God? Rom 3:25,26. The mercy seat sits on the Ark. It is where God meets men. God has set forth JESUS as the mercy seat ie. He can only communicate in Christ with men. Had there been no mercy seat on the Ark, the law in the Ark would have condemned mans' sin. But with the blood on the mercy seat, the law could no longer condemn the sin of man, because its demand has already been met. Thus is manifested the righteousness of God, which means that God is just.

According to the law/ he who sins must die. Since the Lord Jesus has died for us , we do not need to die. Hence forgiveness is given according to the righteousness of God. I have sinned and I am deserved to die. But I have availed myself of the blood of Christ to repay my sinful debt. God cannot require anything from me any further. For this reason/ the forgiveness of my sins is according to the righteousness of God. Under all circumstances, then. God must forgive us because the Lord Jesus has died for us. (I John 1:9).

God is "faithful" whatever God says is firmly established. And His being "Righteous" is in relation to the accomplished work of Christ. Christ having met all God's demands for us. God will require nothing of us any more. His word declares that he who believes is forgiven. We believe/ therefore God must forgive us. Christ has died, and God's demand is thereby fully met/ so He must forgive.

God has not only justified us. He also has convinced us that He is just. Jesus is a man, we too are human beings. No just as sin entered into the world through one man, so it is to be taken away through one man. When Adam sinned, it became a concern for all mankind. Adam is the head, and we all are parts of him. But so likewise are we in Christ. When Christ died, we all too died; and when Christ was resurrected, life flows into us. If we believe, we shall be saved.

In the whole New Testament can a single verse be found that the righteousness of Christ saves us. For the righteousness of Christ is to qualify Himself to be the Saviour. The righteousness of Christ refers to His own good conduct. He saves us by His righteousness. His righteousness is like the veil in the Tabernacle made of four different colors. He alone can see God- All others are kept away outside the veil. When the veil is rent a new and a living way is opened for us Hebrew 10:20&22.

[I Cor 1: it is Christ Himself who is made our Righteousness. In I Pet 3: it is Christ Himself being Righteous is qualified to be a substitute for us who are unrighteous.

II Pet 1:1- the 'righteousness' here should be translated as 'justness' or 'fairness' the same precious faith to the late corners as well as to the first corners].