“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:9)

In the previous verse we are told that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. When we were sinners at enmity with God and hostile towards him he freely chose to demonstrate his love by dying in our place. The result of Christ dying ‘for us’ is that ‘we have now been justified.’ The God of heaven has declared his children to be just on the basis of his acceptance of his Son’s death upon the cross. Thus, the justification of God’s children is based upon his approval of the work that Christ did on the cross.

In order for Christ work to be counted acceptable on our behalf he would necessarily have to be our substitute. Christ would have to literally stand in our place and receive everything that we deserved in order for us to be counted accepted in the beloved. The text tells us that our justification is established ‘by’ or ‘because’ of his blood. Genesis 9:4 tells us that the life is in the blood and here on Calvary’s tree we see Christ blood being completely poured out upon the ground as a sacrifice to God and for the glory of God. Jesus gave his life on the cross as a substitute for his people and his substitutionary work on our behalf is accepted by God. What specifically does his penal substitution accomplish?

The text is clear that it saves us from the wrath of God. What is to be learned from this? First, God has wrath toward sin and sinners. Secondly, the wrath that God has would be poured out upon us if something was not done to avert that wrath. Thirdly, the wrath of God had to be satisfied or God’s justice would not be upheld. Fourthly, if Christ substitutes upon the behalf of a people then those people will truly be saved from that wrath. Fifthly, the act of substituting for a people is not a potential substitution, but rather it is an actual substitution. Sixthly, not all people are saved from the wrath of God. Lastly, the ones who are saved from his wrath must be the ones that he substituted for.

Dearly beloved, what a Savior there is to found in Christ Jesus the Lord. He is a willing Savior who would come to save his people from their sin by substituting in their place. Take time out of your busy day to meditate upon the Savior who died for you, while you were a sinner, in order to save you from the wrath to come.

Pastor: J. Randall Easter
Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Briar, Azle, TX.
II Timothy 2:19