Justified by God

by Doy Moyer

Justification is not due to a mere man making an offering to God. Justification is due to God incarnate making an offering as both the reconciler and the One with whom reconciliation must be made. That is, through Christ, God was reconciling all things to Himself and making peace by the blood of the cross (Colossians 1:19-20). It took divine love to overcome divine wrath, and this love is manifested by the giving of the divine Son “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the spiritual powers that stand against God are defeated, sin is defeated, death is defeated, and the wrath of God is overcome (cf. Romans 5:6-11; Ephesians 1:19-23; Colossians 2:13-15). Both the plan and the carrying out of that plan come from God Himself, demonstrating that He is both righteous and renders as righteous those who have faith in Jesus (cf. Romans 2:23-26).

This is atonement. This is salvation. This is justification. This is grace. And so… “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:20-21).