The power of God is seen at the cross, as God draws sinners to Himself through the forgiveness of their sin, removal of their guilt, and complete changing of their nature. The righteousness of God is seen at the cross, as God punishes sin by giving His only Son to die. God does not overlook sin, for if He did, He would not be righteous. No, God punishes sin. God is righteous. And the wrath of God is shown at the cross as God pummels His Son with wave after wave of His wrath, and He turns His face away from Christ, the Sin-bearer.
The following passages of Scripture, though experienced by the authors, find their fullest and final expression in Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus in these prophets was "pointing forward to the sufferings of Christ..." (1 Peter 1:11).
“Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your wave have gone over me.” Psalm 42:7
“Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves. Selah” Psalm 88:7
“For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; my spirit drinks their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.” Job 6:4
“He has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts.” Psalm 7:13
“For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.” Psalm 38:2
Next, let us examine Romans 3:21-26:
“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it- 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 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.” Romans 3:21-26
Question 4. Romans 3:25 tells us what characteristic of God that the cross reveals clearly. What is it? The cross was "to show God’s..."
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Question 5. Romans 3:26 says "it was to show His righteousness..." To what does the "it" refer to in Romans 3:25?
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In Romans 3:21-26, Paul is comparing the law and the cross, the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. He states that the righteousness of God is revealed "apart from the law," but that the law and the prophets testify of this righteousness. The righteousness of God is revealed "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" not through the law. Jesus was put forward as "a propitiation" (removal of God's wrath) by His blood.
The statement that Jesus "propitiated" God's wrath speaks volumes. It says that at the cross, Jesus was the recipient of all of God's hatred toward sin.
On behalf of believers, Jesus took the full force and brunt of God's wrath, that God's wrath might be turned away from all who believe.
There is a most instructive illustration of this "propitiation" in the Old Testament. Remember that "the law and the prophets bear witness" to this "propitiation" and righteousness of God in the cross. The illustration that teaches this truth so beautifully is in the Book of Esther.
We remember from studying the Book of Esther that Haman plotted the death of all the Jews, but that his evil plot was discovered. Mordecai told Esther about the plot and encouraged her to intercede on behalf of God's people, as they were now under a death sentence. Esther sought help from the king, and when King Ahasuerus was informed of the plot to kill the Jews, his anger was stirred up against Haman. The Bible records it this way:
"And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king" (Esther 7:7).
The king stormed out mad, full of wrath, determined to bring harm to Haman. And when he returned, a servant conveniently suggested that there had been a gallows already built, upon which Haman had planned to hang Mordecai. Then this amazing statement is made:
And the king said, "Hang him (Haman) on that." So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated. Esther 7:10
Question 6. The word in Esther 7:10 "abated" means that the wrath of the king subsided, or that he was appeased, that his wrath was assuaged. What event in this story abated the wrath of the king, as stated by the word "then" in Esther 7:10?
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