“Just, and the Justifier”
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
Romans 3:24–26
In 1981, a man named Lenny Chow appeared in the courtroom of Judge Thomas Maloney in Chicago to face a charge of murder. The accused was a hit man for a Chicago gang, and he could have faced the death penalty if convicted. After the judge ruled that a key piece of evidence was unreliable, Chow was acquitted of the charge and set free. What no one knew at the time was that Judge Maloney was a corrupt judge, who had taken a $100,000 bribe to ensure the guilty defendant got off. It was not until ten years later that an FBI undercover sting revealed the plot, and the crooked judge was finally arrested and convicted of taking bribes.
The love of God for us is beyond measure, but His love does not mean that He is willing to overlook our sin. He is a just Judge. The only way that we can come into His holy presence is if our sins have been paid for. No one can bribe God to let them off the hook. But the depth of God’s love meant that He was willing to provide for us a way of salvation. Though the cost was great, Jesus paid it on our behalf, and as a result we can be justified without God sacrificing His perfect justice. “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).
Romans 3:24–26
In 1981, a man named Lenny Chow appeared in the courtroom of Judge Thomas Maloney in Chicago to face a charge of murder. The accused was a hit man for a Chicago gang, and he could have faced the death penalty if convicted. After the judge ruled that a key piece of evidence was unreliable, Chow was acquitted of the charge and set free. What no one knew at the time was that Judge Maloney was a corrupt judge, who had taken a $100,000 bribe to ensure the guilty defendant got off. It was not until ten years later that an FBI undercover sting revealed the plot, and the crooked judge was finally arrested and convicted of taking bribes.
The love of God for us is beyond measure, but His love does not mean that He is willing to overlook our sin. He is a just Judge. The only way that we can come into His holy presence is if our sins have been paid for. No one can bribe God to let them off the hook. But the depth of God’s love meant that He was willing to provide for us a way of salvation. Though the cost was great, Jesus paid it on our behalf, and as a result we can be justified without God sacrificing His perfect justice. “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:11).
Today’s Growth Principle:
The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross should quell any doubts we have about God’s love for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment