In βthe gospel of the grace of Godβ we find a striking paradox: God HimselfΒ condemning the righteous and justifying the wicked; forsaking the perfect and helping evildoers.
Behold the spotless Lamb on Calvary as He cries,Β βMy God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?βΒ Judas kisses Him in base betrayal; wicked men spit in His face, mock Him, smite Him, scourge Him, crown Him with thorns and nail Him to a tree!Β Β And God, the Judge of all, does nothing to stop them!
And this is not all, for on the other hand GodΒ savesΒ Saul of Tarsus, Christβs bitterest enemy, βa blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious,β his hands dripping, as it were, with the blood of martyrs.Β ToΒ himΒ God showsΒ βgraceβ¦exceeding abundantβΒ andΒ βall longsufferingβΒ (I Tim. 1:13-16).Β Indeed, HeΒ sends him forthΒ to proclaim openly to all men that:
βTo him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousnessβ (Rom. 4:5).
How can all this beΒ right?Β The answer is that the One who died in agony and disgrace at Calvary wasΒ God Himself, manifested in the flesh.Β There, at Calvary,Β βGodΒ was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto themβΒ (II Cor.Β 5:19).Β It was the Judge Himself, stepping down from the throne to the cross to represent the sinner and pay for him the full penalty of his sins.
And who will say this is injustice?Β Β Injustice?Β It isΒ perfectΒ justice and more.Β It isΒ grace!
Under the terms of the Law we find GodΒ βshowing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandmentsβΒ (Ex. 20:6).Β But grace is infinitely more: it is the riches of Godβs mercy and love to βthe children ofΒ disobedienceβ¦the children ofΒ wrathβ (Eph. 2:2-7), paying the penalty for their sinsΒ HimselfΒ in strictest accord with perfect and infiniteΒ righteousness! source
