Reserved unto Judgment

An Atonement Based on Justice

“Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? That was Abraham’s question when he pleaded for the righteous souls living in Sodom and Gomorrah. The question is always to be asked, and the fact of God’s justice is always to be pleaded. We learn that sin’s guilt is debt payable to God’s person and it must be paid for in full. “The wages of sin is death” as Paul stated (Romans 6:23), but God cannot payment twice demand. So, if the Lord Jesus has made payment for our sins in full how shall sinners for whom Christ died be condemned to death? It is impossible!

See how justice is now the sinner’s friend all because the Lord Jesus has stepped in to pay this debt in full by His own precious blood. Christians are no longer fugitives on the run from the law of God. Believers trust in the redeemer’s work to set them free from every charge or condemnation of the law. Yes, it is true that we have sinned and broken the law of God. It is true we deserve to die according to the unflinching standard of God’s justice that demands full payment for sin, and it’s also true that a child of Adam has nothing to offer to make payment for sins he has committed. By our own merits we are therefore guilty and hopeless before the judgment bar of God. But Christ has come into the world to make that payment for us. His sacrifice on Calvary was a propitiatory sacrifice to offer up full satisfaction to the justice of God. It turned away the wrath of God by making full payment for our sin by taking all the guilt of His people upon Himself.

The question is this: Did Jesus satisfy God’s wrath, or not? Did He make payment for our sins, or did He not. Did his blood purchase pardon for us, or not? Was the transaction made on our behalf, and is that “payment” recorded in heaven?

The answer is an absolute yes. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. The Lord Jesus offered Himself as that sacrifice to make sufficient payment to purchase the salvation of His people. He cried out from the cross, “It is finished.” The Father raised up His Son from the dead, accepting the sacrifice as payment. Therefore, in justice, God cannot payment twice demand. God’s own justice pleads our case that payment is made and no further price can be exacted upon believers who trust in Jesus’ atoning work.

Now, God’s own justice is the Christian’s friend. Justice pleads for our acceptance. It announces our full pardon and it stands guard against any accusation toward us. Thus, the apostle Paul said, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:33-35). Our sin debts are paid in full by our Lord Jesus, therefore, God is our friend, and divine justice continually stands guard over us so that we face no condemnation. Therefore, believer, let us sing our hallelujahs of praise all the way to glory!