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This morning’s daily devotion (FD Daily Devotions) was so good I had to share it with you all. Those that have subscribed to the Daily Devotions by email will no doubt agree that the past 9 days have been filled with meditative thoughts on the Messiah’s work on the cross. They started out slow, laying the foundational principles for the studies, but now that the second chapter has begun the meat is beginning to be served!

Here is what I received this morning from the free daily email devotional from Faith Defenders.

God’s justice and righteousness are both attributes of God’s moral character. Because God is just and righteous, His works are described as being just and righteous. We should not make the mistake of thinking that God’s justice is only a description of His works and not reflective of His being. God is just and therefore acts justly.

God’s justice and righteousness are consistently joined together in Scripture as being descriptive of God’s very being and character. Moses declared that God is “just and right” (Deut. 32:4). The Psalmist declared that “Justice and righteousness are the foundation of (God’s) throne” (Psa. 89:14). Zephaniah 3:5 states, “The just LORD is in the midst thereof, He will not do iniquity.” The Apostle John tells us to confess our sins to God “for He is just and righteous” (1 John 1:9).

Because God is just and righteous, He will never do anything which would contradict these attributes. This is the underlying assumption behind Abraham’s famous statement, “Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). The Apostle Paul asks the same type of question in Romans 9:14, “Is there unrighteousness with God?” (KJV) or, “There is no injustice with God, is there?” (NAS). The judge of all the earth cannot do anything unless it is in conformity to His own righteousness. It is blasphemy to attribute injustice to God. His ways are always just and right.

The Scriptures also teach us that God cannot simply forgive sinners and let their sins go unpunished because God’s justice is displayed by the vindication of His righteousness in the punishment of sin. Did not God declare to Moses, “I will not acquit the guilty” (Ex. 23:7)? Or again, “He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” (Ex. 34:7)? Does not the Psalmist state, “For thou art a God who takes no pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with thee. The boastful shall not stand before thine eyes; thou dost hate all who do iniquity. Thou dost destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit” (Psa. 5:4-6)?: Is not this same principle found in Romans 2:5-6, “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds?”

The justice and righteousness of God demand that sin be punished. And the penalty for sin is death for “the person who sins will die; for the wages of sin is death” (Ex. 18:20; Rom. 6:23; Jas. 1:15). Either the sinner himself must be punished unto death or a suitable substitute must be found who will be able to bear the full punishment of sin.

It is necessary, therefore, if God is “to be just and the justifier” of sinners (Rom. 3:26), that a perfect and proper substitute be found, who having no sin of his own, may be able to bear the full punishment of sin in the place of those to whom the punishment is due.

It was only God Himself who could be the exact, perfect and proper substitute to atone for the sins of His people, and completely satisfy the vindication of His justice and righteousness, and thus render man acceptable in His sight.

The substitute could not be an animal “for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4).

Neither could an angel be the substitute, for the substitute must take upon himself human nature (Heb. 2:14).

No sinner could atone for his fellow sinners for “no man can by any means redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him — for the redemption of his soul is costly, and he should cease trying forever” (Psa. 49:7-8).

The Scriptures point out the necessity of Christ’s assuming a human nature in order to atone for sin.
Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He, Himself, likewise partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devilÖtherefore, he had to be made like his brethren in all things, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people (Heb. 2:14-17).

Jesus Christ alone could be the fitting or proper high priest for He only was “holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens” (Heb. 7:26).

The sinlessness of the substitute is necessary for “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

Thus we find the Apostle Paul arguing that the death of Christ was necessary because it alone could satisfy the demands of God’s righteousness.

Being justified as a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in the forebearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at this present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:24-26).

In order to be just and at the same time justify sinners, God had to vindicate His righteousness by the death of the sinner’s substitute. Jesus Christ was the only perfect and proper substitute who could die in our place. When He prayed, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matt. 26:39), the Father heard Him. If there were any other way of bringing about redemption, the Father would have delivered His Son. “But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted” (Isa. 53:10, 4)

The story is told of an oriental judge who had gained a great reputation for his absolute righteousness and severity in passing judgment on criminals. He would not show partiality nor accept any bribes. Because of a famine, he ordered that the water be rationed and anyone caught stealing water should be punished by thirty lashes.

That evening cries rang out as a thief was caught stealing water. The judge had the criminal brought before him only to discover it was his aged mother. He was in a dilemma. To let her go unpunished would undermine his reputation of being a just judge. But to punish her would no doubt kill such an aged one as she. What would he do?

He called for his mother. He stated the charges and found her guilty and called for the men to bring the whip. He ordered her to kneel down. Then he took off his royal robes and approached his mother and laid upon her and commanded that the punishment be given. He took the thirty lashes which his mother deserved. In this way justice was vindicated for he bore her punishment.

How much more do we owe to the judge of all the earth, who stripped Himself of His heavenly glories and bore our sins upon the cross.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 9:8).

Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8).

How can we help but fall at the feet of Him who completely satisfied the justice and righteousness of God in our behalf for our sin? Pause right now and praise the Savior for all you owe Him.

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of His grace.
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad,
the honors of Thy name.
Jesus, the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood availed for me.
Hear Him, ye deaf! His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come;
and leap, ye lame, for joy.*

* O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing, Charles Wesley