We often ask,”Why would God accept us?” And that is an interesting and very important question–“Why?”. Most of you know the answer. It is because of His grace! That’s why He sent His Son. That’s why He accepts all who accepts His Son (Eph.1:6). But here’s a question that we seldom hear–“How can God accept us?” Think about it. How can God who is holy forgive sinful man? It would be unfair for Him to forgive us unless there is some grounds for Him to do so. John Stott gives us the answer:
How is it possible for the righteous God to declare the unrighteous to be righteous without either compromising his righteousness or condoning their unrighteousness? This is our question. God’s answer is the cross.
Without the cross the justification of the unjust would be unjustified, immoral, and therefore impossible. The only reason God ‘justifies the ungodly’ (Rom. 4:5) is that ‘Christ died for the ungodly’ (Rom. 5:6). Because he shed his blood (Rom. 3:25) in a sacrificial death for sinners, God is able justly to justify the unjust.
According to the Christian revelation, God’s own great love propitiated his own holy wrath through the gift of his own dear Son, who took our place, bore our sin and died our death. Thus God himself gave Himself to save us from Himself. This is the righteous basis on which the righteous God can ‘righteous’ the unrighteous without compromising his righteousness. (Scripture references changed to K.J.V.)
