Systematic Theology/Historical Theology Bundle

But when sin is punished, God is showing himself to be a righteous judge over all, and justice is being done in his universe.

Paul realizes that if Christ had not come to pay the penalty for sins, God could not be shown to be righteous. Because he had passed over sins and not punished them in the past, people could rightly accuse God of unrighteousness, the assumption being that a God who does not punish sins is not a righteous God.

The primary reason is that God’s righteousness demands it, so that he might be glorified in the universe that he has created.