Wednesday Devo
Scripture Reading:
Romans 3:25-26
25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Commentary from the ESV Study Bible:
3:25 Jesus’ blood “propitiated” or satisfied God’s wrath (1:18), so that his holiness was not compromised in forgiving sinners. Some scholars have argued that the word propitiation should be translated expiation (the wiping away of sin), but the word cannot be restricted to the wiping away of sins as it also refers to the satisfaction or appeasement of God’s wrath, turning it to favor. God’s righteous anger needed to be appeased before sin could be forgiven, and God in his love sent his Son (who offered himself willingly) to satisfy God’s holy anger against sin. In this way God demonstrated his righteousness, which here refers particularly to his holiness and justice. God’s justice was called into question because in his patience he had overlooked former sins. In other words, how could God as the utterly Holy One tolerate human sin without inflicting full punishment on human beings immediately? Paul’s answer is that God looked forward to the cross of Christ where the full payment for the guilt of sin would be made, where Christ would die in the place of sinners. In the OT, propitiation (or the complete satisfaction of the wrath of God) is symbolically foreshadowed in several incidents: e.g., Ex. 32:11–14; Num. 25:8, 11; Josh. 7:25–26.
3:26 Paul repeats again, because of its supreme importance, that God has demonstrated his righteousness, i.e., his holiness and justice, at the present time in salvation history. In the cross of Christ, God has shown himself to be just (utterly holy, so that the penalty demanded by the law is not removed but paid for by Christ) but also the justifier (the one who provides the means of justification and who declares people to be in right standing with himself) and the Savior of all those who trust in Jesus. Here is the heart of the Christian faith, for at the cross God’s justice and love meet.
3:26 Paul repeats again, because of its supreme importance, that God has demonstrated his righteousness, i.e., his holiness and justice, at the present time in salvation history. In the cross of Christ, God has shown himself to be just (utterly holy, so that the penalty demanded by the law is not removed but paid for by Christ) but also the justifier (the one who provides the means of justification and who declares people to be in right standing with himself) and the Savior of all those who trust in Jesus. Here is the heart of the Christian faith, for at the cross God’s justice and love meet.
Study Questions:
- These verses touch on one part of God's character that doesn't get much playtime on Christian radio or feel good sermons... His WRATH. Because God is infinitely holy and righteous, he hates sin. Sin cannot exist where his holiness resides. But God, in his love and mercy, held back his wrath... that is, until Jesus. Isaiah prophesied in chapter 53 that it was the Lord's good will to CRUSH Jesus. All of God's wrath was poured out in those moments as Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, once for all-time. God turned his back on his only Son so that he could have a relationship with us. How do these truths make you feel about the character of God? How does thinking about God's wrath change the way you view and process his love and grace?
- When God's wrath comes into focus, along with his hatred of sin and evil, it should do something else in us. It should make us suddenly aware of our own sin. Yes, we're saved. Yes, our sin is forgiven. Yes, we stand before God fully justified because of the blood of Jesus. But we still sin. And God is still just as holy as ever. So what does it say about us when we treat our own sin so flippantly? What does it say about our fear of God, or lack thereof? When was the last time you were truly broken over your own sin? When was the last time you cried out to your holy and righteous Father in repentance?
Pray:
- That we would worship God not only for his love, mercy and grace, but for his wrath.
- That we would live a lifestyle of repentance and brokenness before a holy God.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
1 Comment
Amen! Praise the Lord! 🙌