Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ~ Romans 3:24-26

These verses contain the answer, from the perspective of God’s justice, as to why Jesus died on the cross. The New Testament goes into much detail to tell us that Jesus died for us because of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

But what about God’s justice? Where does God’s justice fit into the equation? Let’s go through the the text above and unpack it somewhat. First notice the word justified.

Being justified…

Justified is a judicial term. In Christ we are justified, but how?

… freely by his grace…

Our justification in the sight of God is a gift given to us by God’s grace.

… through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus …

The free gift of grace that justifies us comes through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, i.e, his finished work on the cross.

Whom God set forth…

God set Jesus forth, or presented Jesus to us

… to be a propitiation…

Propitiation in scripture means an atoning sacrifice, a covering for sin, a mercy seat. It does not mean an act of appeasement as it does in pagan sacrifices to appease their gods.

… through faith in his blood … 

Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins through faith in his blood. This text can also be read as, through his blood, by faith. As the one whom God set forth, or presented, Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins through his blood, whom we trust by faith.

… for the remission of sins that are past …

This is where we really begin to get into the judicial side of the cross. God freely forgives sin, but remission in this sense is the cancellation of all the charges that were against us for breaking God’s law. Consider Paul’s words from the book of Colossians:

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross… ~ Colossians 2:13-14

Our sins are forgiven on both a personal level, and a judicial level. God forgives our sins on a personal level because he is a merciful, loving God. He remits our sins on a judicial level by declaring his own righteousness through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Paul tells us, But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe… ~ Romans 3:21-22

Faith in Jesus declares God’s righteousness. Thus the righteous of the law is fulfilled through faith in Jesus. And, as Paul says to the Corinthians, God hath made him who to be sin (a sin offering of atonement) for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. In Christ, we are the display of God’s own righteous act that he accomplished through the redemptive work of Christ Jesus our Lord.

… through the forbearance of God…

Through his forbearance (his patience and long-suffering), not wrath.

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness…

Through his forbearance, God declares his own righteousness through the atoning sacrifice of his Son.

… that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Do you see it?!

God set forth Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for sin, so that he could be Just, in justifying the one who has faith in Jesus! Hallelujah !!!!!!