THE JUDGE WHO ACQUITS THE GUILTY

 

  INTRODUCTION

  1. (Prov.17:15) Can you imagine a judge acquitting a known child-molester, or murderer, or rapist?
    1. we unseat judges who acquit guilty people
    2. we are outraged when we hear cases where the guilty have escaped justice

 

  1. Ironically, the gospel is God acquitting the guilty.  But how can it be right for God to do that?
    1. some are not concern about how God can do this
    2. if we can understand how God can do that, then we have an even greater appreciation for God & the gospel
    3. to know how He does it is to remove a stumbling block that some may have when they question God’s glory & justice

 

I.               RIGHTEOUSNESS WITHOUT OUR BEING RIGHTEOUS

A.    The point of Romans chapters 1 through 3:20, is to make the argument that everyone is unrighteous (Rom.3:10,19,20). 

 

B.     The next thing that Paul does is to explain God’s remedy for the sinfulness of humanity.  God has done something wonderfully great for mankind – He makes us righteous even though we are not.  It is righteousness out of/from God to men (Rom.3:21).

a.       a righteousness is available to all who trust in Jesus

b.      it is righteousness that has nothing to do with law

c.       we do not earn, merit, or deserve it, it is a gift (Rom.4:4,5; 5:17)

 

C.     The gospel is free acquittal for guilty sinners that stop trying to impress God & their fellow man by their goodness, & rest upon Christ.

 

II.          THE PROBLEM WITH GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

A.    First of all, the problem is not that God does justify sinners & turns them back out onto the street to continue in wickedness.  God transforms sinners; sanctifies those He justifies.  God’s righteousness is not called into question because it license sinning.

 

B.     Important point:  (1Jn.5:17) Sin is unrighteousness & such is a refusal to glorify God (Rom.1:21; 3:23).  Sin depreciates God’s glory.    

 

C.     (Rom.3:24a) The problem of God acquitting the guilty also has to do with it depreciating God’s glory & perverting justice – making God appear to be unrighteous or untrue to Himself. 

a.       how can God acquit guilty sinners by passing over their sins & maintain His righteousness? 

b.      would God not be depreciating His glory & make it look as though His glory is of no value?

a.       would this not make God look as though He is not being true to Himself?

b.      if God denies His own infinite value, then He would be untrue to Himself & the ultimate worth of His glory devalued – height of unrighteousness!

 

  E.  So, how can God acquit the guilty & be righteous?

 

III.     GOD’S SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

A.     God obviously wanted us to know how He solved this problem, because He tells us (Rom.3:21-24).

a.       acquittal of guilty sinners result from a divine transaction that occurred when Jesus died upon the cross (transaction called a “redemption”  or ransom Mt20:28; 1Tim.2:6)

b.      something happened in Jesus’ death that allows God to acquit guilty sinners & uphold His glory or righteousness

 

B.      (Rom.3:25,26) Here is what happened – God put Jesus forward as an expiation “by His blood.”  By sending Jesus to die, God demonstrated His righteousness or how that He was true to both His glory & justice.

 

D.    All the suffering that Jesus endured served to magnify God’s glory by showing how infinitely worthy God’s glory is that such a price should be paid for it (Joh.12:27,28; 13:31; 17:4).

 

E.     Jesus’ death also satisfies justice – sins penalty has been paid since “all our iniquities were laid upon Him”  (Isa.53:4-6; 1Pet.2:24; 2Cor.5:21).

 

CONCLUSION

(Rom.3:26) Through Jesus’ suffering we see that God has not denied His righteousness, but has upheld it.

back to sermon outlines