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The justice of God demanded that He address the fall of mankind. Theoretically, He was presented with three possible remedies. First, God could have left fallen humanity in a justifiable state of condemnation. Second, He could have compromised His nature to exist in a state of compatibility with the fallen. Third, God could have changed fallen man into a state of harmony with the perfections of His nature. (cf. Matthew 5:48)
In accordance with the attributes of His nature, however, God could not leave fallen humanity in a justifiable state of condemnation. He also could not compromise His nature to accommodate the rebelliousness of the lowly creature. God chose the third remedy. He elected to change fallen man into a state of harmony with the perfections of His nature. It was the only option that would allow God to vindicate His nature from angelic challenge and accusation by an unbiased, concurrent demonstration of love, mercy, and justice. Changing the sinful into a state of harmony with God’s nature required justification from sin. Generally, to “justify” means to declare free of blame or to absolve. In the court of law, it specifically refers to a judge declaring an accused person not guilty of transgression. The biblical concept is similar. Translated from the Greek word dikaioo (dik-ah-yo'-o), the word “justification” in the English New Testament means “to acquit, to set free, to remove guilt, acquittal.”1 Mankind is without the capacity to self-remedy his natural, fallen condition. As a result, he must depend on the graciousness of God for acquittal from sin (transgression of divine law). God provided for the justification of fallen mankind through the mediation of Christ Jesus. By His redemptive work He satisfied the stipulations of the Eternal Covenant. Its benefit satisfied the justice of God by fulfilling the righteous requirement of the rule of law, granting the forgiveness of all transgression of the rule of law (sin); past, present and future, and imputing divine righteousness. As a result, the righteous requirement of the rule of law was fulfilled within and the justified are released from the bondage of the external rule of law once and for all. Mediation The Father graciously provided for the justification of fallen mankind by sending His Son to earth in the role of mediator. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6) Jesus Christ served as the Mediator between God and man by His role in the fulfillment of the Eternal Covenant. Redemptive in nature, the covenant was initiated in eternity by the members of the Godhead and fulfilled in time. The stipulations of the Eternal Covenant included the willing, sacrificial death of the Son, His resurrection by the Father, and the unconditional application of its benefit to the elect by the Spirit. Fully divine, the mediation of Christ provided representation for God. Fully human, it also granted representation for mankind. The intervention of Jesus Christ furnished mediation in three essential areas. First, the mediatorial representation of Christ satisfied what fallen man had consistently failed to achieve, the fulfillment of the righteous requirement of divine, covenantal law. Satisfying it to the letter, Christ Jesus demonstrated perfect obedience in both thought and action. Second, the mediatorial representation of Christ provided payment in full for the penalty and debt of all human transgression of the law of sin and of death. As a result, the sinner could be forgiven of all sin; past, present, and future. Third, the mediatorial representation of Christ allowed for divine righteousness to be imputed. Because He was resurrected, His perfect righteousness could be credited to the account of the forgiven. By the mediation of Christ, the forgiven could be declared righteous in regard to every requirement of the rule of law. Fully justified from sin, the fallen were made harmonious with the divine nature and consequently, became legally suitable for life shared with God. |
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Fulfillment of Law
Concordant with divine justice, the mediation of Christ also satisfied the righteous requirement of the rule of law. Its fulfillment required nothing less than perfect righteousness equivalent to the righteousness of God. “…you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48; cf. Matthew 5:20) Under the rule of divine, covenantal law, the incarnate Christ fulfilled its righteous requirement by a lifetime of perfect obedience. (cf. Galatians 4:4-5) Throughout His earthly life Christ experienced temptation in the same manner as every other human being. Nevertheless, He never transgressed the law of God. Without wavering, Jesus demonstrated that He was the sinless, unblemished “Lamb of God.” (John 1:29, 36; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; 2:22; 1 John 3:5) Abolish or Fulfill “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) As indicated, the requirement of the rule of divine law is righteousness demonstrated by perfect obedience. Anything less, the righteous requirement of the rule of law remains unfulfilled and the justice of God unsatisfied. Indeed, the Jewish people were proven incapable of fulfilling the righteous requirement of the rule of law. The Old Testament is replete with examples of their failure to satisfy the requirement of the Mosaic Law. (Deuteronomy 31:16-18; Psalm 78:10; Daniel 9:11; Zephaniah 3:1-4; John 7:19; Acts 7:51-53; etc.) By the first-century incarnation of the Christ the righteous requirement of the Mosaic Law continued to remain unfulfilled. Consequently Jesus said to an unredeemed Jewish audience, “Do not think that I came to abolish the [Mosaic] Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the [Mosaic] Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18) Rather than to abolish (kataluo - kat-al-oo'-o: “destroy”), Jesus came to fulfill (pleroo - play-ro'-o: “to make replete; satisfy”) the rule of the Mosaic Law. It was critically important to national Israel that the Christ not simply abolish (destroy) the Mosaic Law. The abolishment of the rule of the Mosaic Law would have meant that its requirement of righteousness would remain permanently unfulfilled and the justice of God forever unsatisfied. With foreknowledge, God graciously intervened through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. As indicated, it included the fulfillment of the righteous requirement of the rule of divine law. After proclaiming that He came to fulfill rather than abolish the righteous requirement of the rule of law Jesus proclaimed to His unredeemed Jewish audience, “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments [of the Mosaic Law], and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven (impending Church Age; see chapter 19); but whoever keeps and teaches [the commandments of the Mosaic Law to the Jewish people], he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19) During the impending Church Age, the unbelieving Jews would remain under rule of the Mosaic Law. Consequently, they would be obligated to obey its stipulations. The failure of the Jewish people to obey the rule of Mosaic Law was not designed to harm but to benefit them. Ultimately, it was intended to lead them to the Savior. As a result, Israel would become a great nation. It would occur in the future, during the Millennial reign of Christ on earth. Consequently, the Mosaic Law would serve an essential purpose for the Jewish people during the impending age, the “kingdom of the heavens” or the Church Age. According to Jesus, the one that would be “called great” in the “kingdom of heaven” (the impending Church Age) would be the keeper and teacher of the Mosaic Law for the spiritually blind people of national Israel. By design, it would continue to unveil their need for the Messiah, the solitary means by which the righteous requirement of the Mosaic Law was fulfilled and consequently, the justice of God satisfied. Apart from the fulfillment of the righteous requirement of the rule of law by Jesus Christ, it would have remained unfulfilled. As a result, humanity would have been forever obligated to satisfy its impossible requirement of perfect righteousness. Forgiveness The justice of God demanded more than the fulfillment of the righteous requirement of the rule of law. It also required forgiveness for the penalty and debt of the transgression of the rule of law; past, present, and future. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 19; Hebrews 2:9; 1 John 2:2) Jesus’ last words from the cross were, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) They are translated from the single Greek word tetelestai. It is variously interpreted in the New Testament as “finished, fulfilled, expired, accomplished, made perfect, completed.” Thus, Jesus declared from the cross that His sacrificial death would provide payment in full for the penalty and debt of all human transgression of the rule of law. Ancient receipts for taxes have been discovered that confirm the intent of Christ’s last words. The word tetelestai was written across the receipts, acknowledging that the tax debt had been "paid in full."2 The Apostle Paul clarified, “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14) According to the apostle, the legal debt accrued by the transgression of the rule of law is documented for every human being. He refers to the documentation as a “certificate of debt.” (Colossians 2:14) Providing an indisputable record of fallen status and a lifetime of corresponding fallen practice, the “certificate of debt” consists of “decrees against” each person that is “hostile” to them. The decrees are hostile because they establish an indefensible, legal basis for divine judgment and condemnation. Through the cross of Christ the heavenly Father was willing to remove the debt of human sin. He ensured that the corresponding certificate of record would be canceled (obliterated) once and for all. It was completely erased when it was nailed to the Cross with Christ. To justify fallen mankind from sin, God provided for the forgiveness of all human sin through the mediatorial, sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Every human being willing to respond by faith is graciously provided with the opportunity to receive the undeserved forgiveness of God for every transgression of law; past, present, and future. |
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Imputation
As indicated, the justification of fallen mankind from sin necessitated the fulfillment of the requirement of the rule of law and the forgiveness of all transgression of the rule of law (sin). However, there is more. It also required the imputation of divine righteousness. God willingly imputed or credited the penalty and debt for the sin of mankind to the account of Jesus Christ and, alternately, imputed the righteousness of the risen Christ to the account of every human being willing to respond in faith. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) The imputation of divine righteousness to fallen man is a legal action settled in heaven and on earth. It is accompanied by an eternally binding declaration of righteousness by God. The imputation of divine righteousness to fallen man and consequent declaration of righteousness by God does not make fallen man experientially righteous. The fulfillment of actual, experiential righteousness is a promise that will be consummated with the future redemption of the physical body. (Romans 8:23) It is guaranteed by the “blood of the Eternal Covenant” and the indwelling presence of the Spirit of Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14) By Grace Fallen man is utterly helpless. He cannot achieve justification from the transgression of law (sin) apart from the gracious will and work of God alone. Through Faith God has provided fallen man with the means to cooperate in justification from sin. It occurs through instrumentality of faith alone. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Justified! God's intervention through the mediatorial representation of Jesus Christ provided fallen humanity with the possibility of justification from lawlessness as follows: |
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With foreknowledge, God graciously intervened in the affairs of fallen mankind through the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ. Satisfying His justice, it graciously allowed for the justification of the fallen from the transgression of His law (sin). The redemptive work of Christ fulfilled the righteous requirement of the rule of law, permitted the forgiveness of all human transgression of the rule of law, granted the imputation of divine righteousness. As a result, the justified are released from the old rule of law and positioned in Christ under the gracious obligation of a new law that is supportive of new life.
“… if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36) “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:25) “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” (Romans 8:31-34) “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died needlessly." (Galatians 2:21) © 2023 James Hiatt |
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