1 John 1:9 says God is JUST to forgive our sins. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
What does it mean when it says God is just? “Just” means righteous. It means God does what’s right. He is fair and impartial. He executes justice. A just judge would make sure the law is applied equally to all. Many would think of a just God as one who would enforce His laws, including the law of sowing and reaping, strictly and fairly… that a just God would make sure everyone gets exactly what they deserve.
So what does a just God have to do with forgiveness of sins? If we all got what we deserved, wouldn’t we all have been judged, and cast into hell already? That would be justice, wouldn’t it? How can a just God forgive sin?
Some even teach that, since God is just, if He forgives one, He has to forgive everyone… that He wouldn’t be just, or fair, if He forgave some, but not others. So they say God forgives everybody, everybody’s going to heaven. Absolutely not!
Yes, God is just. He’s no respecter of persons, and He’s not going to bend the rules for certain special people. So He came up with a plan, where He can remain just, and yet open up the opportunity for forgiveness to anyone and everyone equally.
Listen to the Word of God, from Romans 3:21-26 [KJV].
“21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, AND the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
There are some big words in there, but the truth is simple: God says He can be “just” AND the “justifier” at the same time, because He set forth Christ Jesus to be the propitiation, which is like the satisfaction, or payment, for the penalty of sin. Very simply… Jesus paid the price (death), so that we can be freely justified by His grace, by believing in Jesus… and through faith in His blood!
NOW, when we confess our sins, believing in Jesus, God sees our faith, and He sees that the penalty is already paid (by Jesus), so He CAN NOT hold that sin against us. It would be UNjust, to make you pay again for something that was already paid for! That means I AM forgiven! I AM free! I AM cleansed from all unrighteousness!! SO simple!
The wisdom of man says it’s TOO simple. How about that old law of sowing and reaping? According to natural wisdom, reaping what you sow is so much more logical. God’s wisdom is quite different. The wisdom and power of God is “Christ crucified.” It’s the gospel… of the cross, and the blood. (See 1 Corinthians 1:17-31)
Sure, that law of sowing and reaping is still in effect, and God is still a REWARDER. But when it comes to the matter of sin and death; and righteousness and life… Jesus FULFILLED that law, too! He reaped what we had sown. Now we can reap what HE has sown!!! AMEN!
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