God’s Righteousness in the Atonement

God’s Righteousness in the Atonement

It is blessed to see God’s righteousness in the atonement. God’s great grace toward us through the atonement is usually regarded and treasured by those who believe. Not so the righteousness that God through the atonement has shown. On the contrary, it is almost the opposite, for most people have this subconscious impression that God has been unspeakably good to us by reducing His righteous requirement and has shown Himself to be unspeakably gracious instead.

In spite of the fact that this can appear to be a good and bright idea it is, nevertheless, darkness; it would not be to God’s praise but would rather come as an accusation!

God cannot be compared to a nice man. God is far more and greater than just nice! God is God—the perfection of goodness and like a consuming fire in righteousness!

If this fire of righteousness had quenched or, in any case, been reduced considerably in the fullness of time so that He, without further ado, could forgive people their wrongs, He would certainly not have sent His Son into the world in order to suffer death in the flesh—be punished. On the contrary! Then He would simply have sent a message to mankind, for example by John the Baptist, saying: “There will be a new dispensation from now on, because I am going to pardon those souls who repent and turn to Me and confess their sins. Everyone who believes this will be saved!”

Couldn’t God have done it that way? No, He could not! But why not? The apostle John uses an expression in 1 John 2:29 which is significant: “If you know that He is righteous, you know that . . . .” This expression could also fittingly be used here. Everyone who knows that God is righteous knows that! One could think that all believers knew it, but most of them know it only superficially.

Because God is righteous through and through, He could not forgive sins without the shedding of blood (death) by One who had not sinned. God said from the beginning that the punishment for sin would be death. He has not taken it back. It is valid to this day. The punishment for sin must be executed. However, not in this world.

For example, the king of Norway can pardon a criminal by annulling the punishment, and there is no one else who needs to atone for it on his behalf. This is not what God did, and neither can He do it.

What is it that God has done? The King of Kings has in His love for us atoned for the punishment of all sin! Now we can rightly be set free, we who have committed these sins for which He was punished, for the Father was pleased with Jesus’ sacrifice, and He considers it both right and just to save those who believe in this Mediator and High Priest, Jesus Christ.

It will be of great benefit to the believers if they always keep the atonement in mind as it is. Behold the severity of God’s righteousness inasmuch as He requires that the punishment be meted out! And behold His love by letting the punishment fall on His only begotten Son!

Remember the atonement! Not just that you have been cleansed from your many former sins, but how it came about! 2 Pet. 1:9.