Here are five statements that cannot be denied or refuted from the Word of God. Learn them and you have learned the gospel doctrine of redemption by Christ.
1. ALL MEN AND WOMEN SINCE THE FALL OF ADAM ARE SINNERS, ALIENATED FROM GOD (Rom. 3:23; 8:7). The wages of our sin and enmity toward God is death. All sin must be punished, either in the sinner or in the sinner's Substitute (Heb. 2:2). But...
2. IT IS THE WILL OF GOD TO SAVE SINNERS. "He delighteth in mercy!" God has decreed the salvation of some (Eph. 1:3-7). Christ came to save some (Matt. 1:21). There are some people in this world who must be saved (John 10:16), because it is the will of God to save them; and the will of God cannot be frustrated.
3. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A HOLY, JUST, AND TRUE GOD TO SAVE ANY SINNER APART FROM THE SATISFACTION OF JUSTICE (Heb. 9:22). He declares, "I will by no means clear the guilty." I know that God is omnipotent and sovereign. He does what he will! No one declares that glorious truth more fully, more frequently, or more forcibly than I do. But God cannot do that which is contrary to his nature. We do not rob God of his sovereignty when we repeat the declaration of Scripture and say, "God cannot lie." Neither do we rob God of his sovereignty when we assert this truth of Holy Scripture: God cannot forgive sin without the satisfaction of justice. The holy, just, and true God must punish sin.
4. THE ONLY WAY THE JUSTICE OF GOD COULD EVER BE SATISFIED IS BY THE SUBSTITUTIONARY SACRIFICE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Rom. 3:24-26). Would God almighty slay his darling Son if there were any other way to save his people consistent with his justice? Did not the agonizing Savior cry, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me"? If the salvation of his people could have been accomplished by any other means, would not God the Father have granted his tormented Son the desire of his soul?
5. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD, IN HIS HOLINESS, TO PUNISH ANY SINNER FOR WHO'S SINS JUSTICE HAS BEEN SATISFIED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST (Isa. 53:11). He who satisfied justice "shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied!" That is to say, all for whom Christ died must be saved! Satisfied justice demands the release of every prisoner for whom satisfaction has been made!
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