Tuesday, September 2, 2008

...displayed on the cross...

"How on earth can Paul affirm that God does what He forbids others to do; that He does what He says He will Himself never do; that He does it habitually and that He even designates Himself, 'the God who justifies the wicked' or (we might say) "who righteous's the unrighteous"? It is preposterous! How can the righteous God act unrighteously and so overthrow the moral order, turning it upside down? It is unbelievable! Or rather it would be, if it were not for the Cross of Christ. Without the Cross, the justification of the unjust would be unjustified, immoral and therefore impossible. The only reason God "justifies the wicked" (Romans 4:5) is that "Christ died for the wicked" (Romans 5:6). Because He shed His blood in a sacrifical death for us sinners, God is able to justify the unjust".

John Stott

OH HIS LOVE, EXPRESSED THROUGH HIS GRACE, DISPLAYED ON THE CROSS, MADE VISIBLE IN THE GOSPEL...

3 comments:

Jamie said...

Thank you! Your unswavering stand on the Cross and Grace are a beacon in a world tossed by "winds of doctrine". This post is an answer to prayer. God is not capricious nor unjust, but His very justness demanded propitiation for sin. To claim that Jesus broke the law or that God did not need the cross to reconcile us is demeaning to the Life of Christ and His completed work on the cross. Sorry, it's just that we have recently been exposed to some strange doctrine in the guise of Grace and we were quite taken aback! Once again, thank you for posting Truth.

Craig Glenn said...

Cool bro :-)

Anonymous said...

Christ took our law place and God the Father pour out His wrath upon His Son. This is how He can justify the wicked.