The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Just and the Justifier"
The God of pristine moral character will always act in accordance with His nature and way.
"Thou art good and doest good" (Psalm 119:68).
This particularly includes His dealings with the human race originally created in His image, but spiritually and morally fallen because of sin.
"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 3:25-26).
To remain true to Himself, God's redemptive purpose required propitiation for sin. A price had to be paid. Justice had to be served. A sentence had to be carried out. Wrath had to be appeased. Our Heavenly Father could not save us by mere decree. No, a death had to be died, a death for sin that vindicated His spiritual and moral nature, even as it made possible our rescue from the cataclysmic fall of Adam long ago, and our own personal participation in sin during our present earthly lifetime. Christ died that death for God, and for us. Indeed, the Lord Jesus bore our sins on the cross of Calvary, and even more, was "made to be sin for us" (I Peter 2:24; II Corinthians 5:21). Only thereby could God remain righteous while pardoning sinners, and only thereby can we become righteous as redeemed saints in Christ.
"Just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." More truth presents itself to our hearts and minds in these ten words than vast libraries offer regarding countless other subjects. Truth about God and His working. Truth about humanity and our trusting. "How should man be just with God?" Job wisely asked (Job 9:2). He could also have asked, "How can God be just and redeem rather than condemn man?" The Lord Jesus provides the answer to what would be a spiritual impossibility and moral dilemma without Him. Little wonder He is to "have the preeminence" in all things (Colossians 1:18). Certainly, He does with God the Father. And certainly He must in our hearts and minds. The beloved Son of the Father must be the beloved Savior of the believer because in Him, righteousness and redemption unite in hope and harmony. "Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (I Corinthians 1:30).
Only Christ can reconcile us to a perfectly righteous God. Only He and His atoning work on our behalf can fulfill the Divine intention of love, while preserving the Divine integrity of righteousness. Thus, we rejoice in having received Him in redemption, and thus, we bear witness to God's bestowal of grace that confirms rather than detracts from His character. "This man receiveth sinners" accused the Lord's foes during His ministry (Luke 15:2). He still does, and He is no less holy because in Christ the ancient promise of justice and justification unite…
"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."
(Psalm 85:10)
Weekly Memory Verse
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
(Romans 5:1-2)
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