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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
February 1
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Today's Pathway:
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There are some technical terms used in today's passage. The first one is "justify". This word describes the act by which a man is brought into a right state of relationship to God. It is a legal term having to do with the law and the courtroom, where it represented the legally binding verdict of the judge. We often think of it as meaning "not guilty". So, verse 24 states that we who are guilty sinners can be declared to be Not Guilty by God through Jesus Christ. How does this happen? First of all, it is free. There is nothing that any man can do to save himself. He can only choose to accept the free gift (Romans 5:16). Second, it is given by Grace. "Grace" is defined as "unmerited favor". Anything that you earn was not given to you by grace (Romans 11:6). Third, it is accomplished by Christ's redemptive work on the cross.
Verse 25 says that Christ was "set forth to be a propitiation." Let's define that term as well. Bruce Hurt explained it in an excellent way:
"Propitiation is a sacrifice that completely bears God's wrath, and in so doing changes God's wrath toward us into favor. God has set the sinner free through Christ, but He has not done so by setting aside the rules. He has set the sinner free in Christ by satisfying the demands of God’s justice in Christ. Due to sin, a penalty was to be meted out and a price was to be paid. Christ paid that price and suffered that penalty (“redemption”). God’s divine wrath had to be appeased, due to man’s sin; Christ has appeased that wrath (“propitiation”)."
Jesus shed His blood on Calvary as a Sacrifice and paid the penalty for my sins. In so doing He satisfied the wrath of God against my sin. However, even though this had been done, I still had to exercise faith and believe it. The sacrifice had been made, but if I chose not to accept it then I would have to stand before the Judge on my own merits, which would condemn me to the Lake of Fire.
According to verses 25-26, Christ's sacrifice declares some things. First, it declares that He is righteous. Specifically, this righteousness refers to the fact that down through the centuries God in His forbearance did not send everyone to Hell when they died. For example, when Adam, Abraham, Moses, and the other Old Testament believers died they went to Paradise. According to Luke 16:25 they were "comforted" in this place. However, their sins had not yet been forgiven because the propitiation for their sins had not yet been made. That only took place at Calvary. So how could a righteous God not send these people to a burning Hell? It was because He knew that they were believers and that the penalty for their sins was going to be paid eventually. When Jesus finally did make His sacrifice, now the righteousness of God in forbearing with sins committed in the past was shown.
We will look at the second declaration tomorrow.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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