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justifying of the sinner apart from the justified by his grace as a gift … to be re-
“cancelation of the record of debt that ceived by faith … so that he might be just
stood against us.” The righteous can- and the justifier of the one who has faith
celation of that debt was only possible in Jesus” (vv24-26).
through the atoning cross-work of Christ. The cross represents Christ’s obedience.
The cross establishes our peace. “Therefore, Paul links our condemnation to the dis-
since we have been justified by faith, we obedience of Adam, but our justification to
have peace with God through our Lord the obedience of Christ. “As one trespass
Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). Peace is the fruit led to condemnation for all men, so one
of justification. Another article in this is- act of righteousness leads to justification
sue deals with reconciliation, but suffice and life for all men” (5:18). Nowhere is the
it to say that a right standing (justified
before God) produces a right condition sinner’s disobedience set in such stark con-
or relationship (at peace with God). Jus- trast to Christ’s obedience as at the cross.
tification exchanges enmity for peace. Additionally, the cross serves to illuminate
The condemned sinner is incapable of the far-reaching consequences of both, and
experiencing true peace (Isa 57:20-21). The the resultant wonder of justification: “For
cross stands as the greatest demonstration as indeed by the disobedience of the one
that “righteousness and peace have kissed man the many have been constituted sin-
each other” (Psa 85:10 KJV), for He “made ners, so also by the obedience of the one
peace through the blood of his cross” (Col the many will be constituted righteous
1:20 RV). Whereas we once were enemies [justified]” (v19 JND).
of God (Rom 5:9-10), justification means Christ was “obedient to the point of
He is now “for us” (8:31). death, even death on a cross” (Php 2:8). He
The cross displays God’s grace. One of the was then “raised because of our justifica-
key features of justification is that it ex- tion” (Rom 4:25 NASB). That is, the fact
cludes our efforts. “It is God who justifies” that He was raised is the full affirmation
(Rom 8:33), and “we know that a person by the divine presiding Judge, and His
is not justified by works of the law but stamp of approval that Christ’s atoning
through faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal 2:16). work as accomplished on the cross was
Paul also told the Galatians, “I do not set completely sufficient to realize our jus-
aside the grace of God; for if righteous- tification.
ness is by law, then Christ has died for
nothing” (v21 JND). Someone expressed There is a beautiful terrible cross
it succinctly, “No sin, no need for justifica- Where though You committed no sin,
tion: no grace, no possibility of it.” Savior, You suffered the most wicked fate
4
The cross is a stark reminder that jus- On the cruelest creation of men.
5
tification is by faith alone (Rom 3:28), Ponder and worship that “in my place
also expressed as justification by Christ condemned He stood,” while giving
alone, for saving faith always has Christ thanks for “this grace in which we stand”
and His work as its sole object. We “are (Rom 5:2).

4 Tom Wright, “Justification,” an essay in The
Great Acquittal, ed. Gavin Reid (London: Collins, 5 James Todd Smith, Chad Robert Cates, Tony
1980), 16. Webster Wood

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