The Payment of Christ

Romans 3:24-26 (NKJV)
²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ 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, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

        Redemption, propitiation and righteousness are very amazing subjects in scripture. Now that I’ve put to sleep 75% of all readers and made the other 25% to lose interest, I just want to attempt to make these subjects more real. In verse 24, Paul says that we are justified by grace through redemption. To be justified is to be declared completely righteous and holy by Christ. This allows us to be “just as if I’d never sinned” before God.

        Here’s the condition, we come into this world completely sold out to sin. We deserve punishment and judgment for out acts and should justly send us to hell. But instead of judgment, Christ came along and gave us grace. He gave to us a gift that we did not deserve. In fact, when we deserved judgment, He gave us a reward. He brought us out of sin by paying our debt with His own life. Upon trusting in Him, we have the authority to share the joy and rewards of heaven. God has allowed this for all who believe.

        The word propitiation means payment or satisfaction of payment. Jesus paid our debt with His own life, taking upon Himself the wrath of God, when we were sold out to sin. All we have to do is receive this through faith. By faith he passes over our sins and sees them no more. The word for propitiation is also used for the word “mercy seat”. This again, shows us that God turned a place of judgment into a place of mercy. A place, previously off limits to all except the high priest (once a year) can now be visited freely and boldly by His children. Coming boldly into His presence is an extreme privilege.  So, why do we not spend more time in His presence?

        In verse 25, Paul states that God wanted to be just and the justifier of those who believe. The law was designed to point out sin. It was a harsh tattle tale of wrongs that were violated. God is totally just and deserving to send judgment to man. But, in grace He now wants to reveal and lavish upon us the righteousness that is in Christ. This is done completely in love. The law showed us our sin and the wrath of God. But God did not want to display harshness any more. He, through Christ, wants us to see His loving nature. His gift of grace and His immeasurable mercy is through salvation in Christ.

        Thoughts, comments, objections, prayer requests.

Daniel A. Smith