Our Scripture reading today is Romans 3:24-26.
Verse 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;"
The righteousness of God can only be obtained by the application of the shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. In the OT, the blood of a spotless lamb was applied by the high priest as they looked forward to the coming Messiah. Over the last 2,000 years, Christians have looked back to Calvary. It was the full and forever propitiatory sacrifice made on the old rugged cross that made it possible for all sinners to be made righteous. There is no need to sacrifice a lamb as they did prior to the cross. The blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus Christ) declares all believers to be righteous past, present, and future.
May we never forget the high price that God paid in order that we might be redeemed. Isaiah 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." The fellowship we have with the creator God is only possible do to the willingness of Jesus Christ to lay down His life in our place. We, sinners, deserved to be on the cross. We, sinners, deserve to be in Hell forever. Praise be to Almighty God for His love. Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."