Why Good Friday?
Recently, a lady asked me, “Why did Jesus have to die for God to forgive us? Why did not God just say, ‘You are forgiven’ without Jesus having to die?” After all, she argued, “He is God.”
Paul answers that question in Romans 3. He explains that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). To say that all have sinned, does not mean that all have committed all sins, but all have committed some sin. Every individual has fallen short of God’s perfect standard. Nevertheless, God provides righteous to all, but it is only available to those who trust Christ (Rom. 3:22).
This justification is “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith” (Rom. 3:24-25, italics added). The means of justification (being declared righteous), redemption (having one’s sins paid for) and propitiation (satisfaction) is the death of Christ. The death of Christ satisfied the righteous demand of God that death be paid for sin.
These benefits of His death are personally obtained through faith. In the lyrics of William Cowper, “There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”
Paul goes on to explain that God did it this way “to demonstrate His righteousness” (Rom. 3:26), that He might be “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). Because Christ paid for sin, God can be both righteous and at the same time can declare righteous anyone who believes in Christ.
Donald Grey Barnhouse illustrates this by telling the story of an oriental monarch who was known for his justice. He made a law that certain crimes were to be punishable by the criminal losing both eyes. No sooner was the law on the books than someone was brought before his tribunal who had broken that law. The problem was that the guilty criminal was his own son. The father commanded that the law be carried out. When one eye of the son was put out, the king stepped from the throne and said, “Release him.” He then took his son’s place and had one of his own eyes burned out. Thus, the law was upheld, and at the same time he was able to sacrifice himself for his son. As Barnhouse put it, “In a far more wonderful way at the cross, love and justice kissed each other.” It is not a perfect illustration. Jesus paid it all. He had both eyes put out, so to speak, but the point is that since the just penalty of sin is death, by sending his Son to die for sin, God is just when He justifies (declares righteous) guilty sinners.
After explaining Romans 3 to the lady who asked the question, I added, “I know of no religion or philosophy that even come closes to explaining justice and love.” Good Friday is the good news that love and justice kissed each other.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 3/14/2008
Paul answers that question in Romans 3. He explains that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). To say that all have sinned, does not mean that all have committed all sins, but all have committed some sin. Every individual has fallen short of God’s perfect standard. Nevertheless, God provides righteous to all, but it is only available to those who trust Christ (Rom. 3:22).
This justification is “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith” (Rom. 3:24-25, italics added). The means of justification (being declared righteous), redemption (having one’s sins paid for) and propitiation (satisfaction) is the death of Christ. The death of Christ satisfied the righteous demand of God that death be paid for sin.
These benefits of His death are personally obtained through faith. In the lyrics of William Cowper, “There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”
Paul goes on to explain that God did it this way “to demonstrate His righteousness” (Rom. 3:26), that He might be “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). Because Christ paid for sin, God can be both righteous and at the same time can declare righteous anyone who believes in Christ.
Donald Grey Barnhouse illustrates this by telling the story of an oriental monarch who was known for his justice. He made a law that certain crimes were to be punishable by the criminal losing both eyes. No sooner was the law on the books than someone was brought before his tribunal who had broken that law. The problem was that the guilty criminal was his own son. The father commanded that the law be carried out. When one eye of the son was put out, the king stepped from the throne and said, “Release him.” He then took his son’s place and had one of his own eyes burned out. Thus, the law was upheld, and at the same time he was able to sacrifice himself for his son. As Barnhouse put it, “In a far more wonderful way at the cross, love and justice kissed each other.” It is not a perfect illustration. Jesus paid it all. He had both eyes put out, so to speak, but the point is that since the just penalty of sin is death, by sending his Son to die for sin, God is just when He justifies (declares righteous) guilty sinners.
After explaining Romans 3 to the lady who asked the question, I added, “I know of no religion or philosophy that even come closes to explaining justice and love.” Good Friday is the good news that love and justice kissed each other.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 3/14/2008
