The Full Satisfaction of God

Being now justified

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Justification has occurred. Paul tells us again how this came about. It was by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It did not come before and it did not come after. It came in connection with His blood. When His blood was shed, we were justified in the eyes of God.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Paul can now say that the condemnation that we were due has been taken away. God has justly justified His people in the death of His Son. For condemnation to remain after His death, there would have to be some additional work or condition to be met to release us from that state of condemnation. If God was not satisfied then this could be said. Paul can exclaim that condemnation is gone. Wrath is gone. All this was by Him; by Jesus Christ. God is satisfied.

He again appeals to our state before the propitiation. We were enemies. Viewed by God as without strength, ungodly, and sinners. We were enemies because of the burden of sin the was against us. We were unrighteous in the eyes of God but now we are justified by His blood.

The blood of Christ was more than an atonement. The Old Testament sacrifices could not take away sins, they temporarily covered them. When that blood was sprinkled on the mercyseat in the tabernacle, sin remained. Another sacrifice would be needed the following year.

Hebrews 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

The blood that Christ shed was a reconciliation. It removed sin completely.

Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

His blood was in every way superior to that of the Old Testament sacrifices. Sin as put away once for all. By that act, the wrath of God was satisfied and we stand justified in the eyes of God the Father.