“Just and the Justifier”

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The apostle wrote, “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 at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:24-26). In this beautiful statement concerning the grace of God, Paul states that, through Jesus Christ, God accomplished being both “just and the justifier.” Let us consider these two wonderful attributes of God that we might more fully appreciate His greatness.

God is Just: Many fail to realize (most by willful denial) that God is just. Justice is defined as “The maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial…assignment of merited rewards or punishments” (Merriam Webster Dictionary). God’s justice will ultimately be found in the impartial judgment He will execute according to the standard of His law (Rom. 2:5-11; 1 Pet. 1:17). In realization of the justice of God, Elihu said, “For He repays man according to his work, and makes man to find a reward according to his way. Surely God will never do wickedly, nor will the Almighty pervert justice” (Job 34:11-12). Today, one should understand that in this dispensation we have been given “the law of Christ,” replete with commandments which must be obeyed (Gal. 6:2). Seeing this, one must realize that divine justice demands that we be punished if we are disobedient to the “law of Christ” (Heb. 2:1-4). God could not be just if He let those under His authority (all men) break His law with impunity, going unpunished. Thus, Paul could write to the Thessalonians, “It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you” (2 Thess, 1:6). God is just, and His justice demands eternal punishment for those who break His commandments (cf. Rom. 6:23; 11:22).

God is the Justifier: As we have noted, God’s justice demands punishment for sin. However, His mercy and love motivated Him to seek a way to justify us without contradicting His justice. How could this be accomplished? God’s just wrath comes upon man because of his disobedience (Eph. 5:6). Furthermore, the only thing that could take away the sin which kindled His divine wrath was the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22). Thus, blood had to be shed that God’s wrath might be appeased and His justice might be complete. In the verses which began this article, we find that God set forth Jesus “as a propitiation by His blood.” That Jesus was a propitiation means that He was an appeasement, an appeasement to the wrath of God by having bourne “our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24). Jesus took upon himself the punishment for our sins by the shedding of His blood (cf. Isa. 53:4-6). Therefore, it is in Jesus’ sacrifice that we find God’s just requirement of payment for sin fulfilled, His justification of the sinner made possible, and His love outpoured. Jesus, knowing this great plan of God, declared, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (Jn. 3:16-17). Thanks be to God for sending His Son to die and pay the penalty justice required while, through the same act, offering us justification! In this we find God to truly be “just and the justifier.”

How does one find justification before God? Paul stated that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom. 5:8-9). Only those reaching Jesus’ redeeming blood receive the justification God offers. Jesus said He shed His blood “for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Peter later preached that one must “repent and be baptized…for the remission of sins” (Ac. 2:38). Have you come in contact with His blood in the waters of baptism? If not, you are disobedient, without justification, and, should you die in this condition, you die only to meet the justice of God. Paul describes the time which is coming “When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:7-9). Will you obey before it is too late?

David Eldridge