God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Rom 3:25-26, NIV
In Christ, the sins left unpunished are finally punished. Notice it is says “in his forbearance” God left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. Such patience toward our rebellion cannot be questioned. It is not the patience for someone who wants to destroy us but one who really wants to save us.
What are we saying then concerning the justice of God? God judged Christ for our sake. His death under the Romans and the unbelief of Israel was God’s judgment for our sins. Peter put it this way
This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him
Acts 2:23-25, NIV
Jesus himself in Matt 26:31 testifies that as a shepherd is going to be stricken and through obedience to the Father’s will He has to accept that wound of judgment. The quote is from Zechariah, showing that God himself is the one declaring judgment on the shepherd that condemns him to death. “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the LORD Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. (Zech 13:7)
Death of Christ was divine decree; therefore, it is something no man could stop. Isa 53:10 tells us “it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer (NIV).” The Lord was to undergo what man cannot do for himself—that is to make his right standing with God. This love that God the Son would humble Himself by taking the very form of man, rejected by the people He came to save, humble even to the point of death for the sins of the world, is immeasurable.
The apostle Paul helps us to understand this even more clearly, he says “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21, NIV).”
Wayne Grudem says,
“The penalty that Jesus suffered in our place was afflicted on him by God the father since it was God the father’s justice that demanded that sin be paid for…”
Wayne Grudem, Systematic theology (Inter-Varsity Press,1994)
Only the Blameless, Holy, righteous Son of God satisfied God’s wrath for all. The wrath of God to be satisfied by another to cover for the sins of the whole world required one who is blameless and perfect in all his ways. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and the wrath of God is fixed on all.
Since humanity is unworthy to sacrifice to God against whom they have rebelled, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood” (Rom 3:25, NIV) which means for justice’s sake Christ had to serves as a propitiation (hilasterion), one on whom God’s wrath against our sins is satisfied taking away our sins by his death.
Wayne Grudem, Systematic theology (Inter-Varsity Press,1994)
Applying truth to daily life
Because of what God has accomplished through Christ for His glory and our salvation, we are to pay attention to everything God has said through His Son and believe in Christ for eternal life.
Memory verse: Ephesians 2:3-8, NIV
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
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