God Justifies the Wicked
He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD.
(Proverbs 17:15)
The Bible is clear – the wicked man stands under God’s judgement. We cannot expect God to act in any way apart from his justice – God must punish the wicked.
For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 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. 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 3:22-26)
But, because of His great love for us, God has provided for the world a gift – the man Christ Jesus. God put Him forward as a propitiation – a sacrifice that took His anger and punishment. God showed His justice and righteousness – a man was punished, with the infinite pains of Hell.
God is just, he forgave us through the God-man Jesus Christ, and justifies those who place their faith in Him.
This is the good news: God justifies the wicked.
And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the wicked, his faith is counted as righteousness.
(Romans 4:5)
