PSALM 2: Who Is Really In Charge Of This World?

This second  Psalm provides us with a  wonderfully God centered  worldview  for times  such as these, when the world   is  so topsy turvy, and so disparaging and so opposed to the  kingdom of  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many Christians are fearful as they  look at the present political landscape, as  they consider what the future might hold for them and their children, and as they ask, “Why do the nations do this?” 

General Observations 

This Psalm was written nearly three thousand years ago, probably by David the king of Israel. It is a Messianic Psalm. We know this because this Psalm is directly applied to the Lord Jesus Christ in Acts 4: 25, 26, Acts 13:33 and Hebrews 1:5. 

In the book of Acts 4:25ff the church had only just come into being, and already she was being persecuted. Two of the leaders of the early church, Peter and John, had been arrested. They had been examined and   condemned by the Jewish authorities. They had been warned not to preach and teach in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth. Then they were set free and they went back to their church   and reported what the chief priests and elders had said. We are told that the moment that the church heard this, they prayed, and in that prayer they were   quoting Psalm 2.

Outline  

1.  2:1-3 The opposition against the kingdom of the Messiah

2.  2:4-6 The divine   response and declaration to the madness of the world

3.  2:7-9 The LORD proclaims the new era of the reign of the Messiah  

4.  2:10-12 Advice is given to the kings of the earth to fear the Messiah

There is obviously a historical background to this Psalm. It is not easy to figure out what occasion David was alluding to. There is also this mysterious references to a king who was greater than David (see also Psalm 110:1).

The best answer to this intrigue is that, even though David was describing something that was happening in his own day, he was speaking prophetically. By faith he was speaking of what was going to happen when the Lord Jesus Christ, the greater Son of David, would come into this world. 

And so we find  that the rulers of Jesus’ day truly set themselves against Him, and by implication, against God Himself, for the Messiah is God's Anointed King. 

And today the nations, peoples, kings and rulers continue  to  do the same. The true church has always found  that she is  raged against in the world. 

The eternal relevance of the Bible is hereby confirmed. 

Something that happened 1000 years ago has relevance and application to the church born at Pentecost. 

And 3000 years later it has relevance and application to our own day. 

A situation that has occurred in past distant history  can now be used to explain the present.  

I.   2:1-3  The opposition against the kingdom of the Messiah

The Psalmist starts with a question, 

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” (2:1-3)

This is really MORE than a question. 

The Psalmist is expressing his amazement. "Why are the nations doing this“? 

This is what we ask ourselves when we look at our present world - when we see a world so opposed to biblical Christianity! 

We are not talking here about institutional Christianity. 

We are here talking about churches and individuals that uphold the gospel and gospel values. 

We are talking about those who preach that this Messiah King, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the ONLY way by which a person will be admitted into the kingdom of God the Father- the Creator God. 

We are talking about those who uphold kingdom values NOW. The law of God is written in their hearts, and they will uphold it. 

They will honour God in setting Him apart as holy. 

They will uphold a biblical view of creation. 

They will uphold a biblical view of sin. 

They will uphold the only biblical cure for sin - Faith in the Messiah alone! 

They will shun idols- even the idols of the heart. 

They shall not use the Name of the Lord in vain. 

They shall set aside one day in seven to worship God. 

They  shall duly honour  father and mother.  

They will uphold the biblical view of marriage. 

They will uphold the sanctity of the family. 

They will stand for biblical ethics.  

They will uphold the biblical view of human sexuality and of gender identity. 

They will call murder what it is- a shedding of blood. 

They will uphold the rights of the unborn to live. 

They will uphold the sanctity of life. 

They will call adultery what it is – breaking up another marriage. 

They will take stealing, the giving of false witness and covetous hearts seriously.

 

The nations rage … the peoples plot against this rule of God and His anointed One, because this world is a fallen world. 

It lies in the power of the evil one. 

This is what   David observes. 

That is what the early church was observing and mentioning in prayer to God. 

This is the truth about the history of the human race. Mankind is always restless-always tossing, and never quiet. That is why the Bible sometimes compares the human race to the restlessness of the sea. Isa 57:20 says, “The wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.” 

While there are periods when life seems relatively calm, there are many periods when it is like the raging of the sea. The 20^th century was tumultuous – First World War; Spanish flu; Second World War. God alone knows what raging the 21^st century may bring!  

Our earth is a restless place.  

That is how it was at the time before Noah’s flood! 

That is how it was before sinful and restless Israel was carried away by the Assyrians in 722BC. 

That is what it was like before sinful and restless Judah was carried into captivity in Babylon in 586 BC. 

That is how it was before Christ was born under Roman occupation, and that is how it was before and in AD 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed! 

That is how it was  before the time of the Reformation. 

That is how it is today, in our time. 

The nations rage. The people plot. They take their stand against God and His Messiah.   

This restless human sea is committed to tear apart the safety cords designed by God for our respective societies. Hardly anything that the Bible holds as sacred is sacred any longer. We have already observed that everything designed by God for our good is being raged at. It is plotted against by substituting the good order and the boundaries that  God creates, with cheap and deadly substitutes for the satisfaction that we should find in our relationship with God and in  God ordained human relationships.

But, …“the peoples plot in vain“  -  the kings  - the rulers  -  the wise men  of this world  - the leaders of society - the politicians, the educationalists, the philosophers, the newspapers, the social media  and other  opinion makers. 

You are aware of all these - what are they doing? 

They are mostly devising futile and empty schemes to cure this world’s ills.

They don’t like gospel solutions. 

They hate God.

They tell Bible believing Christians that their religion promotes hate-speech, stifles freedom of choice and stands against scientific thinking.   This is absolutely not true. Biblical Christianity commands us to speak the truth in love. Biblical Christianity has freed many peoples from dark oppression. Many Christians have been at the forefront of scientific discoveries.  This idea that we can live a happy and a good and a full life without God, and in defiance of His teaching, it is sheer madness. It is vanity! (Ecclesiastes)

II.   2:4-6  The question: What does God think of this?

He who sits in the heavens laughs!  The Lord looks down upon this defiant world with derision, and not only derision, but with a great declaration of His almighty power:  

5 Then shall he speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in His fury   6 as for me I have set my king upon Zion my holy hill.”   

He will speak in His wrath and terrify them in his fury. 

All it takes is a little virus for us to understand that we are not almighty. 

We are not God. 

Every war, every pestilence, every famine, every disaster is a reminder that we can easily be shaken.

But all  that is nothing, when compared to the coming wrath that will take place when the Lord’s Messiah shall appear and  when the existing world order will be shaken, destroyed and rebuilt.

Who is this King set upon God’s holy hill?  

It is a reference to the Messiah. 

He is the One of whom the world in his day said, "He says that He is the Son of God - let's get rid of Him." ( Parable of the Tenants - Matthew  21:33ff) ...And they joined together - they took counsel together, and they condemned Him and they nailed Him to a cross. 

They killed Him. 

They took down His body. 

They buried it in a grave. 

They rolled a stone over it and sealed it. 

They put soldiers  at the grave, to guard it. 

They said, "That's the end of Him, we've finished Him off!" 

But on the morning of the third day, God raised Him from the dead.

After 40 days He ascended into His glorious place,  from where He presently rules, and from where He shall come to judge the living and the dead.  

God says, “I have set my king on Zion my holy hill.  This is the God that the world is defying!  

5 Then shall he speak to them in his wrath… - this arrogant world is under the fearful wrath of God! 

The Psalmist has shown us God’s reaction to all this   madness.  And God laughs at these puny little men that come with their ‘peashooters’ Him.

III.  2:7-9 The LORD proclaims the new era of the reign of the Messiah  

1. 2:7 He is the eternally begotten Son of God (Jn 3:16; Hebr 1:5,5:5). This present  world order  under the influence of Satan  will be brought to an end.

2. 2:8 He is the ascended ruling king who has been given the nations as a heritage (2:8). In Revelation  5 & 7 we see  a picture the elect from every nation assembled before the throne. He is their King. 

3. 2:9 As for the faithless among the nations, a fearful judgement awaits them. The Messiah has planned a new kingdom in which there is no place for power brokers and self-driven men.  

IV.      2:10 -12 This requires a proper response. Advice is given to the kings of the earth to  fear the Messiah.

1. 2:10,11 Kings, rulers of the earth:  be wise; serve the Lord with fear; rejoice with trembling". Rulers are the key to how a nation is led. Let the kings and ruler of this world  take note NOW - let them learn to fear the God  of this Messiah- King NOW. He is  coming SOON, and when He comes to claim His inheritance, they shall stand before Him and give an account. He will judge them. What do you think Jesus, our coming King,  will say to  our  current world leaders?  

2. 2:12a  Kiss the Son: Rulers and people of the world bow down to Him; own Him now, while He calls you to repent  (Hebr. 3:7,8; 4:7.  If you don’t do this you will   perish!

3.  2:12b  Blessed are all who take refuge in Him:  A comforting message for  those  that  have bowed  their knee now to King Jesus. Here is the gospel invitation and proper response. This is how we are called to live in this world. Under Christ’s rule and at peace with Him and with one another.

Romans 4: 1-12 How Abraham became a 'Christian'

 

 

THE GREAT DILEMMA

Romans 1:18-3:20 presented us with the great dilemma which all of mankind faces. It is summarized in 3:9: 

“All, both Jews and Greeks are under sin;… 

Paul has shown us that the whole world falls short of the righteousness that God requires”. 

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (3:23). 

Yes, even the Jews, who had the most direct dealings with God among the nations, fell short of God’s righteous standard. Having received the law of God and the nearness of God, no Jew had ever had kept the law of God, or had loved God consistently with a whole heart, mind, soul and strength. No Jew could ever say, “I am righteous in the eyes of a holy God”. If they tried to justify themselves, the law would testify against them. Every Jew failed the law. 

If this was true of Jews, it was true of the gentiles. If they tried to justify themselves, their conscience would accuse them, says Paul (2:15).  

This puts the whole of mankind in a serious quandary. If this holy God is the world’s Creator, and if He is also our ultimate Judge, then how shall we stand before Him on the day of judgement when we must give an account of everything? 

This is where we find ourselves in Romans  3:20.

THE GREAT SOLUTION

In Rom.3:21ff we find God’s great solution – He is Christ the Redeemer. The answer to man’s  great dilemma is found in 3:21 – the great “But now!”… 

God’s solution to our great dilemma  is  a righteousness from God apart from the law (even though the law and prophets testify to it). 

It is faith in the person and work of Jesus! 

Faith in God through Jesus’ redeeming work becomes the operative word (see the word faith mentioned in  3:22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31;  4:5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 22; 5:1,2). 

A works righteousness or self justification  before this holy God  would never work! Both, Jews and gentiles must look to Jesus  to be saved. This was the argument that the Pharisees and the scribes most strenuously resisted. They essentially taught works righteousness or  law keeping as a way of salvation. That is the human default. All the religions of the world and most of so-called Christendom believe that good works are the way to heaven. 

The story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-25 is indeed the story of our world. He asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

He had the keeping of the law in in mind. 

His understanding of the law was, “Do this, do that and you shall live”. 

Jesus says, This is impossible with men (Mk.10:27)… BUT... ”follow me!” (Mk.10:21). 

Biblical Christianity says, “Don’t look to the law for salvation” … BUT “Look to Jesus Christ and follow Him.”  

It is really  hard for us to let go of this idea of wanting to do something to earn our salvation.

The Bible says, “Look to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (Jn. 1:29,36) THIS IS THE GOSPEL!

And now, in Romans 4 we find the application of how anyone (Jew or Gentile) becomes a true believer- or as we would say - a Christian. 

There is so much to say here, that we will have to deal with this great chapter in two  sermons.

4:1-5 ABRAHAM JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

And now Paul addresses a problem in Chapter 4. 

How could an Old Testament man like Abraham be made right/justified with God?

The standard Jewish answer was that Abraham would have been justified on the basis of his works. The Jewish Rabbis taught that God’s election of His people was based upon their merit. They maintained  that their righteousness compelled God to choose them.  

There is nothing new about that view. 

Many modern Christians believe this. 

Many modern people believe that we have sufficient goodness in us for God to choose us, or for us to want to choose God. However, that flies straight in the face of Scripture and especially Romans 3, with its explicit observation  that  no one is righteous before God![1]. 

This includes Abraham! 

So how was Abraham justified? 

How is anyone justified? 

Certainly not by works-righteousness.  God has another method. We turn our attention again to the gospel method  of declaring  anyone righteous.

You will remember from Rom. 1:2 that Paul said that “this gospel was promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures…” (meaning the OT). 

This is affirmed again in Rom. 3:21: “the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets (i.e. the OT) bear witness to it…”.  

And when Paul says in 4:3, “What does the Scripture say?”, he refers to the OT. The OT already contains the solution for our dilemma, and it is not “by works of the law”.  Paul starts with a fascinating example: Abraham – the father of the Jews.

4:1 “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?” How was Abraham justified, if justification can only be obtained through Christ’s work on the cross? Remember that Christ came to this world only 1800 years later!  In Abraham’s day the work of redemption was not yet completed.

So how was this going to apply to Abraham?  

Was Abraham a true believer in his day? Yes undoubtedly. He was called   the friend of God (2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8; Jas.2:23). 

But on what basis? Did his good works secure God’s approval? We know that he was a good man. But was he sinless? Did he have something to boast about before God?  No (4:2)! 

Then what?  How was he justified before God?

4:3 For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. This is a quote from Genesis 15:6.  Even the OT teaches that justification does not come from law keeping.  

It came from believing God - having faith in God and His Word!  

(i) Abraham believed God. Abraham took God, His Word, His plan for Him in Gen.15 and He believed God, by faith.  God’s plan for Adam included future grace through Christ’s death 1800 years later 

(ii) By his believing in God, he was counted (credited) as righteous. Righteousness was imputed to Him.  Imputation always comes from the outside – someone else credits your account! We know that Jesus, death would have done that for Abraham. In fact, in John 8:56, Jesus said to the Jews of his day, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”  Somehow God enabled Abraham to see His Saviour.  In this sense Abraham became a Christian!

And in Abraham’s case the imputation is not by way of works done, it is a gift! And it is obtained from believing God. Paul explains this in 4:4,5.

4:4 “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due”. If you work, you get what is your due. But if you are working for your salvation you won’t make it, since you  and everybody else always fall short.

4:5 “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his FAITH is counted as righteousness.”  On this principle, Abraham did not become a believer because he did acceptable works, but because He believed in Jesus-  God’s solution.  [NB the sacrificial ram caught in the thicket – Gen. 22:8,13,14 pointed forward to the gospel solution- Jesus Christ the Messiah, the substitutionary Lamb of God]. He believed, and God imputed righteousness.  

Imputation is a term borrowed from the accountant’s office. It is the forwarding of a credit. In this case Abraham was credited with an undeserved gift. He did nothing to earn it. He did not work for it. It began all when he still lived in Ur. He wasn’t looking for God.  God was looking for him. God spoke to him there, and Abraham believed God! That was it!

4:6-8 DAVID UNDERSTOOD JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

And now to crown it all, in 4:6-8, we learn that another prominent OT figure, David, understood that same principle. 

This quotation is taken from Psalm 32:1,2. “Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count/credit[2] (cf. 4:3,4,5) his sin.” 

Although David uses  it here in a negative sense, the idea of imputation holds. God covers the sin of His people by the blood of the Messiah and therefore He will not impute sin to them. So, we learn that the greatest men of the OT believed that God’s way of justifying a sinner is by the imputation of His righteousness to them.  

You don’t work for your salvation. 

So many people that you may speak to on the street will justify themselves and  say something like this, “I’m trying to be a good person. I try to keep the Commandments. I try to be nice to other people... and therefore I hope to go to heaven”.  But this is not the way it works in Scripture - not even in OT Scripture. Paul appeals to two of the most respected figures of the Old Testament to prove his case.

4:9-12 TRUE BELIEVERS FROM ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS ARE JUSTIFIED IN THE SAME WAY

In 4:9 – 12, Paul asserts that this is indeed the only method of salvation for everyone - Jew (the circumcised) and Gentiles (the uncircumcised). And incidentally both are Abraham’s descendents – him being the father of many nations   see 4:17- cf. Gen. 17:5. 

Romans 4:9-12 explains that the blessing of being declared righteous by God  is not limited to those who are circumcised (Jews) but extends to the uncircumcised (Gentiles). And here Paul strikes a straight blow at the self righteous Jew who held those that were uncircumcised in contempt.

4:10 When was Abraham declared righteous? 

When did he become a believer? 

It was before he was circumcised. This demonstrates that justification is a result of faith, and  not a result of circumcision or any other outward ritual. 

OT circumcision, like NT Christian baptism is not it! It is merely a sign. In this case it was a sign or seal of the righteousness that Abraham already possessed through faith (4:11). Therefore, Abraham is the father of all who believe, regardless of whether they are circumcised or not, making  believing - faith (and not circumcision)  the key criteria  in receiving God's  saving blessings.That is why I cannot endorse  the Paedo Baptist view, which promotes the baptism of children, effectively  administering the sign BEFORE the  evidence of  saving faith. Surely faith always comes first.  OT Abraham was circumcised in response to his faith.   NT believers should be baptised in response to their faith, and not in anticipation of their faith. 

In essence, Romans 4:9-12 emphasizes that justification is based on faith, and not on adherence to religious rituals or ethnic identity. Abraham's example (undergirded by David’s own testimony) serves as a powerful illustration of this truth, demonstrating that God's blessing of righteousness is available to all who believe, Jew or Gentile. 

WHY UNDERSTANDING  JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH IS IMPORTANT

It helps us to see that the basis of our Christian profession must never be approached from a works righteousness. 

Those who think that God would accept them because they have not murdered, not committed adultery, not stolen etc.  must be helped to see that they must not trust in their self righteousness. This was the problem which the rich young ruler (Mk. 10:17-25) had. 

Our self -righteousness will not stand in the eyes of a holy God. If we ever think of ourselves as good enough for God then our view of God and sin is too small.

We need a better solution, a better covenant. We need to stand on better promises. That is essentially the message of the book of Hebrews. If you are trusting in your own self righteousness then you are trusting in yourself and not in Christ.

The Bible teaches a salvation that rests not on the work of man, but on the work of God. 

Two important words contribute to that understanding: 

Justification (God declares us righteous)  and, 

Imputation (God makes us righteous) 

These form the foundation of our salvation.  Both are the results of  a gracious initiative of our God.

Hence we can never boast  in ourselves. 

Our boast is in God. Abraham  boasts in Christ alone! David boasts in Christ alone!

And that is what we  are  here to declare Sunday after Sunday, and thereafter forever in heaven!

 

---

[1] Note  that Paul’s observation in Romans 3:10-18 is based on a series of OT passages.  

[2] Logizomai – the idea of thoughtful consideration, involving deeper mental processes. It is variously translated at  reckoning or accounting, imputation, reasoning and deliberation, judging and considering

ROMANS 3:21-31: "BUT NOW... THE GREAT REVERSAL!

 

With Romans 3:21 we have arrived at a great turning point in Paul’s letter to the Romans. This is all part and parcel of a great argument that he has been making in Romans 1:17 where he made this statement: “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation …"for in it the righteousness of God is revealed."  The righteous God has a saving plan for unrighteous people!

From that text onwards, beginning with 1:18, Paul has been labouring to show us that the whole world, Jew and Gentile alike are not righteous in the eyes of God, who is the Creator of every man and woman and child ever born.  The devastating   truth about each one of us is this: "There is no one righteous, no, not one (2:10). No one in their own strength has ever kept God's righteous law. No one that lives or who has ever lived can say: “I am a righteous person. I deserve to be found in the presence of the God who is righteous." Those that think that they deserve heaven have no understanding of the gospel.  We have already seen that no one is righteous in the sight of God. The whole world is unrighteous - whether you come from a part of the world where the Christian faith is dominant, or whether you come from a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian or Atheist background. The Bible declares that the whole world is unrighteous. The whole world suppresses the truth about God. Because of this, "the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Rom. 1:18f)

This is Paul's final assessment of the general condition of man. It is a devastating assessment. It cannot be of mere academic interest to us. It has direct consequences for ALL, for we are among the ALL that have sinned. We are among the ALL that must give one day an account of ourselves to God (Rom. 14:12). That is indeed bad news for if we all are guilty before God, then   who can save us from His wrath? 

 OUTLINE:

1.      3:21 A great Reversal

2.      3:22-26 A great Redeemer

3.      3:27-31 Three great Results

 1. 3:21 THE GREAT REVERSAL

3:21 "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law".  Those two little words, “but now“, introduce us to God's great reversal of man's awful predicament. Big doors turn upon small, insignificant hinges! We are going to see now how God has opened a huge door for mankind – a door called Jesus (cf. John 10:7-9) - an insignificant and despised man in the eyes of men. 

Notice firstly that this new door is manifested apart from the law.  Understand this: The OT was rooted in the concept of pleasing God in the keeping of the law. The problem was that no one kept the law. Therefore, people were unfit for God's presence. Unholy men cannot enter the presence of a holy God.

How did the OT deal with that problem? Through blood sacrifices!  

What was the purpose of blood sacrifices? Well, the life of an animal was exchanged for the sinners’ sin.

But can the blood of bulls and goats really be a fair exchange for our sin?  The answer is – NO!  (Hebr. 10:4)

What then? God, in His patience with men commanded this practice as an interim practice and as a foreshadowing of the once for all blood sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God. He was born IN THE FULNESS OF TIME to redeem those born under the law (Gal.4:4). When He offered up Himself on the cross it was once for all (Hebr. 7:27; 9:12,26; 10:10,12,14)

Here we find God's way of saving us, and it is apart from the law.

It spells J-E-S-U-S!

Please note that the OT – the law and the prophets bear witness to it. The OT law was never designed to save. It was designed to show us the utter holiness of God and the utter inability of man to be holy. But God's way of salvation was always via the Messiah! Here He is ...

 2. 3:22-26 THE GREAT REDEEMER

3:22 "...the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. This is the heart of Paul’s gospel. The is God's gospel method of reconciling sinners to Himself. God makes unrighteous people (that is all of us) righteous, through grace (by opening the eyes of the blind) to see and believe all that Jesus is for us.

3:23 "For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...". Again, he repeats what he has said in 3:10-18.  We (the whole world) - all are guilty people. This is so important because this very fact presses upon us the need for the gospel.    And we will not solve this problem by appealing to the law.

3:24 "... and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...". And so, we are driven back to the gospel again.  How do I get hold of this gospel? Please note that this gospel is graciously received from God as a gift. And a gift is a gift. It is not paid for.  It cannot be worked for. It is freely given.

How? "...through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."  The word used here is redemption (another biblical key-word). The biblical imagery of redemption is associated with a market-place where slaves were traded.  Jesus pays the price for slaves standing there in the bondage of sin.  

But how exactly was the price paid? 

3:25a "...whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

The key word here is propitiation.  Allow me to prepare the soil of our understanding first.

We have seen in 3:24 that salvation is a free gift. But that does not mean that our redemption costs nothing! God cannot be just and righteous and just sweeping our sins under the carpet! He could never compromise His holy integrity by ignoring our sin.

Our sin actually demands our death (Rom. 6:23). God the Creator would be entirely just to consign us all to hell – the cosmic rubbish dump.  But He doesn't. Thank God for the truth in John 3:16!  Oh, the love of God!

And now, we will learn how it is possible for God to love us without compromising His holiness.

The answer is found in this word, “propitiation” (Gr. Hilasterion; Hebr.kapporet). It refers to the mercy seat found in the holy of holies of the temple. Here blood atonement was made by the High priest, when he sprinkled blood on this mercy seat once a year, on the day of atonement (Yom Kippur). By this act the collective guilt of the nation was atoned for – it was propitiated.  God’s anger was appeased.  His holy wrath was turned away from the nation.  

And so, when you think of the death of Christ, do not only think of the fact that He frees you by His blood from the burden of sin. Think also of the fact that by His death Christ dealt with the anger of God. He propitiated God by the sacrifice of His own blood!

What did it cost? It cost you nothing – but it cost God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ everything. Only the perfect, sinless lamb of God could effectively do this. The blood of bulls and goats could never atone for our sins (Hebr.  10:4).

So, on what basis did God forgive the nation of Israel at that time?

3:25 explains: “Because in His divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”  To those who say that the OT God is not patient and merciful- think again! Did Christ have to die for our sins?  Absolutely.  There was no other way. God, as JUDGE, must be just and punish sin wherever it is. Immediate   judgment is demanded by strict justice. It is only postponed by God’s forbearance and mercy as we have just seen.

3:26 “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus".  Jesus death on the cross was an eternal sacrifice. Everyone with saving faith from the beginning of time is covered by the death of Christ. This is demonstrated in Hebrews Ch 11.

The Sacrifice of Christ was THE ONLY WAY a HOLY GOD could both, BE JUST (i.e.  be true to absolute truth and justice) and BE JUSTIFIER of the sinner, who deserves judgment. This is amazing.  Normally you would expect a Judge to exercise just judgement, and that is that. But here we have a Judge who is not only exercises just judgement, but we shall see that He is also the Justifier of the guilty!  Have you ever heard of a Judge like that? 

Let me tell you a story that will illustrate what   is taught here. There was once a very strict and just judge who was faced with a predicament.  The accused that was brought before him on one day was his own son. The son was a poor student. On one occasion he had driven his father's car recklessly and much too fast. The traffic police caught him and fined him. Here is the father-judges problem: How will he deal with this predicament? Will he be lenient on the son? No! As an officer of the law, he must uphold the law. What does he do?  He imposes the fine upon the son, but then, knowing that he has no means to pay such a hefty fine, he goes to the magistrate’s court and pays the fine on behalf of his son. In so doing he upholds the law and at the very same time finds a solution to keep his son out of prison.

In the gospel, God’s justice / His righteousness and His grace / His mercy are all displayed side by side, far from contradicting one another, they complement one another.    

3.  3:27-31 THREE GREAT RESULTS

3:27,28   God's gospel excludes boasting.  God alone gets the glory, and none to man - no boasting in my decision; no boasting in having kept the law; We are justified by faith apart from the works of the law.  By faith, enabled by the gift of His grace I look to Jesus. He saves!  He justifies. He makes me righteous.   

3:29,30 God's gospel is a universal gospel. God is not only the God of the Jews alone, but of the gentiles too. He justifies both by the same means In Christ alone! He   providers salvation for all who will believe in Christ.

3:31 God's gospel puts the law into proper perspective. It is a way that ultimately honors and upholds the law. It does not do away with the law of God. It puts the law in its proper perspective, place and function (see 3:20 again – through the law comes knowledge of sin)