Read Romans 3:23-26

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”

Every religion recognizes something is wrong with the world. Brokenness, injustice, corruption, and sin surround us. But how do you fix it? Human religions generally say: work harder, offer sacrifices, balance the scales. Christianity proclaims something entirely different: God Himself has done the work.

Romans 3 confronts us with hard truth—all have sinned. Every single one of us falls short of God’s glory. The standard isn’t whether you’re better than your neighbor or less corrupt than a politician; the standard is God’s own perfection. By that measure, none of us pass. Justice demands a reckoning. God’s holiness cannot ignore sin.

But here is the beauty of the gospel: God Himself provides the sacrifice. Paul says God “presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement.” That word—atonement—carries the idea of covering and satisfying. At the cross, the righteous judgment of God was poured out. His justice wasn’t compromised or brushed aside. Every sin was accounted for, every debt paid in full.

This means the cross is where justice and mercy meet. If God had ignored sin, He would not be just. If He had condemned us without hope, He would not be merciful. But in Christ, justice is satisfied and mercy is extended. The cross is God’s solution to the tension between His holiness and His love.

For us, this means incredible freedom. We don’t live under a cloud of “maybe forgiven.” Paul says we are “justified freely by his grace.” To be justified is to be declared righteous, acquitted, set free. Not because we earned it, but because Jesus paid it. God’s justice is fully satisfied in Christ—and because of that, we can live without fear of condemnation.

Reflection Questions:

• Why is it important to recognize that all have sinned, including us?
  
• How does the cross reveal both God’s justice and His mercy?
  
• In what ways do you still try to “earn” God’s approval rather than resting in Christ’s finished work?
  
• What difference does it make in your daily life to know you are justified freely by grace?

Journaling Prompt:

Reflect on what it means for you personally that God’s justice has already been satisfied at the cross.