Home • Preaching the Word • 1 Peter
The Just for the Unjust
Preached December 2, 2009 at a Mission in Downtown Birmingham, AL by Jake Hanson
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” —1 Peter 3:18
In the year 1950, an English man named Timothy Evans was executed for the murder of his baby daugher. Sixteen years later, a commission was formed which found that it was “more probable than not” that Evans did not kill his daughter. Indeed, it was likely a serial killer named John Cristie who had been living with Evans had killed the baby.
The revelations caused outrage throughout England. An innocent man had been put to death. It’s an outrage. It is not right. The serial killer, Cristie should have been put to death for the murder, not Evans. Such stories evoke in us outrage.
The second story is even more outrageous. While I do not know if Timothy Evans was really guilty, this second man I know for certain was innocent, but He was wrongly executed. The charges against Him were never very clear, but the jury—if you can call it a jury—found Him guilty in their kangaroo court. You see, this man had some enemies in powerful places. He had criticized the elite and powerful, and He was dismantling the structures of organized crime from the inside out. He criticized the culture and the traditions, raising the ire of people big and small.
When the case came to the Governor who had all authority to delay an execution, or to free Him all together, the Governor found reasonable doubt that this man was guilty of any crime. In fact, the Governor believed He was innocent—and his wife thought so too.
But as politicians are wont to do, the Governor looked at public opinion polls and found that freeing Him would have political consequences jeopardizing his already fragile relationship with the people. So the Governor let the people execute a man he knew to be completely innocent. An innocent man was put to death. It was an outrage. A travesty. A scandal. The system of justice had failed, and a good man lost His life because of it.
But there is another side to this story. You see, unlike the first man, Timothy Evans, this man chose to die. He knew that He would suffer and die even though He was a good, and a just, and a righteous innocent man. He knew that He was not being put to death for crimes which He had committed. He knew that He was paying the penalty for the crimes of others—crimes not just against society and other people, but crimes against the Most High God Himself. This man, Jesus Christ, a good and just and righteous man knew that He was not losing His life, but He was giving life to those who are unrighteous, to those who are sinful, to those who would repent and put their faith and trust in the strong and powerful name of Jesus.
And this is what our text tonight teaches. Read with me this one verse from 1 Peter 3:18. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just [the righteous, the good] for the unjust [the unrighteous, the sinful, the bad] that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”
“Christ suffered death for sins, once for all.”
Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for sin fully, completely, adequately, irrevocably and eternally for all who put their faith in Him. No other payment for sin is adequate. No amount of good things we do. No amount of religion or charity. No other religious system or philosophy can pay the penalty of sin. Only Jesus Christ, the righteous, pure, holy, spotless Lamb of God can and has paid the penalty of sin once for all. There is no other name by which a man can be saved than by the name of Jesus Christ. Have you put your faith and trust in this name? If you have not, I invite you to do so tonight.
Let’s look at the next part of this verse. Jesus Christ suffered death, the just—the righteous, the good, for the unjust, the unrighteous, the sinner—that He might bring us to God.
We are outraged when a person is put to death for a crime which they did not commit. Our familiarity with the execution of Jesus has taken the outrage and therefore the wonder of what has happened. You see, Jesus knew that sinners are separated from God. All of us are sinners. All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Because of our sin, we have been separated from God. Our sin has created a gulf which no technology, no skill, no crafty plan or even righteous deeds can bridge the gap to bring us back to God. As sinners—as the unjust—we are enemies of God. But while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us that we might be reconciled to God—that He might bring us to God.
We should be outraged that Jesus was put to death, an innocent man, because of political expediency by the Governor Pilate. But it was not just Pilate, or Judas, or the Jews who put Jesus on that Cross. You and I put Jesus on that Cross. It was for you—for you—that Jesus Christ was put upon that Cross. It was for you, that Jesus Christ chose to die, that He might bring you to God.
Tonight, let me take you through a few portraits of redemption. As Jesus hanged on that Cross, He was not paying the penalty of sin which He had committed, for He lived a perfect life without any sin. He was on that Cross paying the penalty of sin for that woman we find in Luke 7 called a sinner—perhaps a euphemism for a prostitute—a whore—one cast out by society as unrighteous because of her sexual sin. But she had come to the feet of Jesus, and she washed His feet with her tears of repentance.
Jesus, the just, the righteous, went to the Cross for this unjust prostitute that He might bring her to God. And He was on the Cross for all those in sexual sin who would repent and put their faith in Him, that we might be saved from the penalty of sin.
As Jesus hanged on that Cross, He was not paying the penalty of sin which He had committed, for He lived a perfect life without any sin. He was on that Cross paying the penalty of sin for Zacchaeus, that corrupt and greedy tax collector who stole money from others to enrich himself. Zacchaeus—apparently a wee, short little man, but a big chief of the tax collectors—climbed up in that Sycamore tree to get a glimpse of Jesus passing by. But Jesus wanted him to get more than a glimpse. He wanted to come into his house and to dine with him, and Jesus wanted Zacchaeus to live with, and for Him forever. So Zacchaeus, in Luke 19, repented from his theft and promised to pay back all that he had stolen.
Jesus, the just, the righteous, went to the Cross for this unjust tax collector, Zacchaeus that He might bring him to God. And He was on the Cross for all those greedy thieves who would repent and put their faith in Him, that we might be saved from the penalty of sin. For as Jesus said to Zacchaeus, Jesus had come ‘to seek and to save that which was lost.’
And as Jesus hanged on that Cross, He was not paying the penalty of sin which He had committed, for He lived a perfect life without any sin. He was on that Cross paying the penalty of sin for one of those two criminals who was put to death beside Him. Perhaps this criminal started out insulting Jesus, but as he watched what was happening, he realized the truth. He was guilty, and worthy of death. But Jesus—Jesus was innocent. He was just. He was righteous. But these criminals—they were unjust, unrighteous. One of these men continued on in his unrighteousness, and continued to ridicule Jesus. But the other, in faith, cried out to Jesus, “Jesus! Remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And so Jesus turned to this repentant criminal with his new faith, and said, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Jesus made no such promise to the other, unrepentant, faithless criminal.
You see, Jesus, the just, the righteous, went to the Cross for this unjust criminal that He might bring him to God. And He was on the Cross for all those criminals and sinners who would repent and put their faith in Him, that we might be saved from the penalty of sin that we might be with Him in Paradise.
And as Jesus hanged on that Cross, He was not paying the penalty of sin which He had committed, for He lived a perfect life without any sin. He was on that Cross paying the penalty of sin for Paul, that arrogant, self-righteous enemy and persecutor of the Church of Jesus Christ. You might even call him a murderer. He called himself the “chief of sinners.” But on his way to kill more Christians in Damascus, Paul got knocked off his self-righteous high horse by the Lord, that he might find his righteousness in the Lord Jesus. And he was made blind for three days, that his eyes might be open to see the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You see, Jesus, the just, the righteous, went to the Cross for this unjust enemy of the Church named Paul, that He might bring him to God. And He was on the Cross for all those who are self-righteous and those who are enemies of the Church and of Jesus Christ that whoever would repent and put their faith in Him, He would save them and bring them to God.
And as Jesus hanged on that Cross, He was not paying the penalty of sin which He had committed, for He lived a perfect life without any sin. He was on that Cross paying the penalty of sin for Peter—the author of this book—the man whose faith was weak and who even denied knowing Jesus. And as Jesus was being sentenced to death, He turned to look at Peter who was denying Him. Peter cried bitter tears of repentance. And when Jesus died on that Cross and rose again, He called on Peter to be His ambassador.
You see, Jesus, the just, the righteous, went to the Cross for this unjust, weak of faith and courage man named Peter that He might bring him to God. And He was on the Cross for all of us who are weak of faith and who deny the Lord—for all of us who would repent and put their faith in Him, that we might be saved from the penalty of sin.
Time would fail me, if I recounted all the portraits of redemption inside and outside of Scripture. But as Jesus hanged on that Cross, He was not paying the penalty of sin which He had committed, for He lived a perfect life without any sin. He was on that Cross paying the penalty of sin for the whole world for all those who would repent and believe. For He is both ‘the righteous and the one who makes righteous those who have faith in Jesus’ (Romans 3:26). For all sinners—for those in sexual sin, for idolaters, for homosexuals, for thieves, for greedy coveters, for drunks and drug addicts, for slanderers, for swindlers. For sinners like you. For sinners like me. For all who would repent and believe, you will be washed, you will be made holy and righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the Spirit of our God if you would just repent and trust in Him.
Jesus Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust that He might bring you and I to God, that we might be made alive spiritually. That all who would believe on His name would be saved. Have you repented and believed? If you have not, come and do so tonight.
Then you can say with me, and all who believe,
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe,
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.