God gave His own Son as atonement for... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, … to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:25–26

God gave His own Son as atonement for the sins of those who were lost. Atonement through the blood of Jesus was absolutely necessary if God was to forgive sins and at the same time prove Himself righteous. Indeed, in Deuteronomy 25:1, God’s law requires that “they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked”. But here we read that it is God Himself who pronounces guilty sinners righteous!

This is only possible because, in the atoning death of Christ, all issues raised by man’s sin have been fully and finally settled. Through the death of Christ, God’s justice has received complete satisfaction in regard to sin. The guilt of all men who would believe in Christ was upon Him; He bore the judgment for it.

The debt has been paid, and the believer acquitted. Therefore, God proves to be not only merciful but just when He forgives guilty sinners and pronounces them righteous.

God does not act in contradiction, but in complete accordance with His justice, when He does not claim the debt twice, when He does not punish sin twice. No, because Christ has made atonement, it is a requirement of God’s justice to justify all who benefit from this atonement.

And who is that? These are all who no longer hide their guilt, openly confessing it before God, and no longer trust in their own righteousness or any other way out, but who are of “faith in Jesus”.

Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 18:19-32 · Titus 2:1-8