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Jan 28, 2025 06:00am

Justice and Redemption

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I’m not sure what TV shows you guys are binging on these days, but lately, we’ve been watching Dateline. It’s an investigative reporting show into an ongoing saga of murder, sinister plots, love triangles, and schemes gone horribly wrong.

In one episode, we were sure this man was guilty of murdering his wife from the plot of hiring a hit man to deciding to do it himself, to the gun purchase, the evidence left behind, the friends and family who had noticed erratic behavior, and the stoic look on his face throughout the police interviews. It wasn’t shock; it was guilt.

When the jury announced they had a verdict, we knew it was an “open and shut case” kind of thing.

But we were wrong.

“Not guilty.”

What?! How? Are we listening and seeing the same story here?

Gasps and cries of anguish from the victim’s family filled the courtroom. This man was going to go free?! Where was the justice?

Because that’s what we want, isn’t it? We want justice when a wrong has been committed. We want someone to pay for their wrongdoing. There should be punishment for evil actions. Whether it’s someone stealing an elderly woman’s retirement, a murder, a bank robbery, a bombing, or an insurance company refusing to pay for a child’s care, we want justice!

Romans 1:18
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness”

When we think about God, we want to talk about the good things like His love, forgiveness, a plan for a good future, His workmanship in creating us, His desire to be in a relationship with us, and His blessings.

But God is also holy. And to be holy means that He must be just. Evil must be dealt with. Sin cannot go unpunished. And we cheer and shout, “Amen!” until we realize that sin and evil are within all of us.

In this passage of Romans, Paul begins to reveal the truth about man’s sin to his readers. Because of our sins, we deserve the very wrath of God.

Wrath feels like such a harsh word, doesn’t it? But how else should you describe it? It is harsh! Maybe we should look at our sins differently. The enemy wants us to believe, “It’s no big deal,” or “It’s okay, do what you feel is good.”

Sin is sin.

It is a wrongful act against a holy God, and it deserves justice. We wouldn’t want this guilty man to go free, but now that we are the defendant, we want to plead our case.

We are guilty. We deserve a just punishment.

But God…

Let me share this with you. Yes, we are all sinners, and we will keep studying that here in Romans. Our sin has earned us the wrath of God. But He made a way for us to be redeemed. He didn’t just leave us out there all alone to die in our sins. He made a way.

His name is Jesus.

At Christmas time, we think of the birth of Christ and that this was the beginning of something so beautiful. The gift of God to man to be reconciled. But can I tell you the truth?

God had this planned long ago, all the way back in Genesis.

Genesis 3:15
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

God promised a Savior to defeat the enemy and sin. That promise was to be the seed of a woman, not a man, and that woman was Mary, a virgin, who the angel promised would have a son, and His name would be Jesus.

And at Easter, we celebrate the victory that God promised. We rejoice in the finished battle between Jesus and the enemy as He crushes his head. Sin is defeated. Death has no hold on Him. His own death and burial are only for a time. Three days later, our Jesus, the Son of God, the Son born to Mary, the promised Savior from Genesis, raised Himself from the dead! He rose in victory!

He has the power to step in and free us from our sins. Without Him, we are already sentenced, condemned, and dead. But believing in Him can save us from God’s wrath!

I’d love to show you more. Do you have a few minutes? Go to FOLLOW.Lifeword.org. Let me share with you about Jesus and what it means to be His follower.