For the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. In the past the perfect righteousness of God was demonstrated in His covering of the sins of His people. But now, His righteousness is demonstrated in that He is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Who can over turn his ruling. There was nothing in Jesus that deserved hatred and in there is nothing in us that deserves salvation.
Grace is unaffected by the merit and demerit of the object of blessing.
God saves a part from any merit or demerit on our part. The Cross was the place where the full demands of God were meet. Sin with its guilt and penalty was poured out upon Christ who said YES to every sin of every member of the human race. The issue then is faith is Christ and what He did. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.