Romans 3: 26 "...So that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." 

The cross of Christ was God's way--the only way for man to be right with God.  What God demands of man to be right with Him, only God can supply.  And because He is a just God, He cannot just dismiss our sin and rebellion, but there must be an accounting.  The Old Testament sacrificial system was the demonstration of God's forbearance concerning our sin until He Himself  would be incarnated into our world.  Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He is the Passover Lamb by whom we can be reconciled to God, which was made possible only through His death on our behalf (1 Cor. 5: 7, 2 Cor. 5: 21).  Jesus is the perfect, sinless sacrifice on whom all our past, present, and future sins were laid--our sin debt was paid in full (Is. 53: 6, John 19: 30).  When Jesus died on our behalf that was God reconciling the world to Himself.  The Lord Himself is the justifier of man to God because all mankind has sinned, falling short of the Glory of God.

When we come by faith in Christ to God, we are NOT coming on our own merits but solely and only on the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.  God is "just" to accept us because Jesus has satisfied the justice of God by His death.  There is no other way for sinful man to be just before God other than "in and through Christ alone."  For that reason He is totally "justified" in accepting us when we trust Christ.  He alone is the One that is our justifier because God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Cor.5: 19).  If we were to receive the justice we deserved, we would be condemned, but we are offered justice based on the merits of Christ alone, and because of that when we put our Faith in Him--we receive His mercy (Eph. 2: 4).  That is why the Gospel is GOOD NEWS!

 In  Christ,
Tommy Middleton

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