8.36 Is God righteous to forgive and bless the sinner?
Yesterday, we said that God has freed us from the imputation and punishment for sin. In addition, He has also blessed us with every blessing in Christ Jesus – the blessings accorded to the righteous man. Truly Christianity is good news for the world, for Jesus qualified us from condemnation unto life.
To some people, this sounds so inconsistent with God’s righteous nature. “How can a righteous God not punish the sinner? How can a God of justice bless the sinner?” they sneer. Those who are self-righteous like the Pharisees got angry with Jesus for healing the sinner.
This is the legal reason. On the cross, Jesus has satisfied the full justice of God. He has taken upon Himself every punishment that should have been meted out on us – till there was none left. He has given us every blessing that is due to Him because we are now in Him. It is a wonderful thing to be in Christ and to have Christ in us.
In fact, what God has done actually demonstrates His true righteousness. This is contrary to human reasoning. If God does not forgive the sinner who receives Jesus, there would be a miscarriage of justice towards Jesus. If God does not bless the one who receives Jesus, there would be a miscarriage of justice towards Jesus. Think about it.
The Bible says that God "demonstrates His righteousness" by justifying us freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. He “demonstrates His righteousness” by being the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ Jesus.
(Rom 3:22-26)
For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to DEMONSTRATE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to DEMONSTRATE at the present time HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, that He might be just and the JUSTIFIER OF THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS.
The verses above are awesome. Today, we stand on the legal ground of God’s righteousness to receive forgiveness and blessings in Christ. Just like the judge who came down to pay the fine on behalf of his son; the demands of the law was settled and his son could walk out of the court free.
We have so much to give thanks to Jesus. We can put our faith in His righteousness to receive eternal redemption (Heb 9:12) and eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15). Unlike Israel, we have a firm and legal right to receive all our blessings in Christ – in order to be a blessing.
To some people, this sounds so inconsistent with God’s righteous nature. “How can a righteous God not punish the sinner? How can a God of justice bless the sinner?” they sneer. Those who are self-righteous like the Pharisees got angry with Jesus for healing the sinner.
This is the legal reason. On the cross, Jesus has satisfied the full justice of God. He has taken upon Himself every punishment that should have been meted out on us – till there was none left. He has given us every blessing that is due to Him because we are now in Him. It is a wonderful thing to be in Christ and to have Christ in us.
In fact, what God has done actually demonstrates His true righteousness. This is contrary to human reasoning. If God does not forgive the sinner who receives Jesus, there would be a miscarriage of justice towards Jesus. If God does not bless the one who receives Jesus, there would be a miscarriage of justice towards Jesus. Think about it.
The Bible says that God "demonstrates His righteousness" by justifying us freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. He “demonstrates His righteousness” by being the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ Jesus.
(Rom 3:22-26)
For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to DEMONSTRATE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to DEMONSTRATE at the present time HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, that He might be just and the JUSTIFIER OF THE ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS.
The verses above are awesome. Today, we stand on the legal ground of God’s righteousness to receive forgiveness and blessings in Christ. Just like the judge who came down to pay the fine on behalf of his son; the demands of the law was settled and his son could walk out of the court free.
We have so much to give thanks to Jesus. We can put our faith in His righteousness to receive eternal redemption (Heb 9:12) and eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15). Unlike Israel, we have a firm and legal right to receive all our blessings in Christ – in order to be a blessing.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:34 PM
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