Continuing from Saturday's blog on the goodness and severity of God, I want to see if I can 'briefly' bring clarity out of some confusion I recently recognized from a conversation with someone in sharing the Gospel because I think it may be a question many struggle with, actually even within the church. I know for years I didn't understand this doctrine.
The skepticism revolves around how humans can be sinners when we are created in the image of God? First, no one likes to be called a sinner, I get it. But this understanding is crucial for anyone to come to faith in Christ. We must see our need, or we will never see the truth and come to him.
Sin came into the world to all mankind through Adam when he sinned as our human representative. I'm not going to address the response "that's not fair." Maybe later, but today, just understand that even though we are now all born sinners, we are STILL created in the image of God with intrinsic worth! However because of the sin nature given to us through our first parent's sin, that image has been shattered. Check out the proof texts that I list at the end; they will connect the dots. This is just a fly over.
Try as we might, none of us can perfectly obey the law ( the Ten Commandments, God's gold standard listed in Exodus 20: 1-17 ) therefore, we are separated and alienated from a thrice holy God, who is light and no darkness, at all, deserving punishment for our sins. Remember, if God is good, and he is, he must also be just. "who will by no means clear the guilty." ( Exodus 34:7 ) Both are attributes of God.
When the reality and weight of our true condition hits and crushes us, we are getting the picture. When we understand the bad news, that we are sinners and nothing we can do, no amount of good works or self-righteousness, can earn God's favor and salvation, despair begins to set in.
And that's actually a good thing. Now, it's time to deliver the good news:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." ( John 3:16 )
"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ( Romans 5:8 )
When we experience godly sorrow over our sin, forgiveness is freely given to us. Repent and believe in Jesus, trusting him as your Savior and your Lord. The perfect, righteous life Christ lived on earth, perfectly obeying the law in every way, is imputed to us as if we obeyed it perfectly ourselves.
And Jesus died the death we should have died being the sacrifice himself and taking the penalty for our sins, theologically known as sacrificial substitutionary atonement. But you don't have to know that term; just meditate on this verse:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a results of works, so that no one may boast." ( Ephesians 2:8-9 )
Jesus mercifully healed our fragmented pieces with his broken body.
"and with his wounds you are healed." ( Isaiah 53:5 )
Jesus was crucified on a Roman cross between two criminals, one on each side of him.
One of the criminals "railed at him" saying that if Jesus really was the Christ, "Save yourself and us!"
Look carefully at the rebuke given to him by the other criminal:
"Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And he said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.'" ( Luke 23:39-43 )
Many commentators agree that this is a picture pointing back to Jesus's teaching on the final judgment with the goats on one side and the sheep on the other. The first criminal wanted Jesus only for what he could get from him. He didn't acknowledge his sin or understand he even was a sinner, let alone the beauty of Jesus, an innocent man atoning for his sins. He just wanted to be saved, some pastors refer to this as "fire insurance."
The second thief didn't know any theological terms, and yet his response was like a mini Gospel presentation. He knew he was getting what he deserved and Jesus wasn't. He called out to Jesus by name. And Jesus extended to him his grace.
I believe John Newton phrased it this way:
"Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see."
Let's sing that chorus this week as God's amazing grace in Christ stirs and moves our hearts to serve others as he has so graciously served us. And let it move us to boldly speak the truth in love.
Happy Monday!
And Happy Veteran's Day to the Farmer and to all who served our country! May God richly bless you all!
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( It's hard to cherry pick verses from the Book of Romans - slowly and deeply read chapters 1-8 for the beautiful, golden chain of the Gospel of Christ. Ephesians 1-3, John 14-16, 1 John 1-5 )
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| Recent picture of the upper sheep pasture. |
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