Post by peaches on Jul 7, 2006 8:04:22 GMT -5
A church deacon recently confessed a horrible sin in an online message community. After giving a description of what he’d done, he commented, “I know there’s a price to pay for this sin now. And that price is death.” Not only was his heart broken over what he had done. He also knew that the effect on his friends and family would be devastating. And yet, overshadowing his remorse was fear. He had become afraid of God, believing that the sovereign Lord of the universe was now “out to get him.”
What would you say to this believer? Does his statement reflect an appropriate view of God’s response to sin? Romans 6:23 clearly states, “The wages of sin is death.” But this sorrowful young man had overlooked the all-important second half of the verse: “But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
If our heavenly Father gives us a gift, we can trust He will never take it away. It becomes ours to keep. That’s what a gift is! We did nothing to deserve it. So, we can do nothing to lose it. It all rests on God’s initiative.
But, a greater theological principle is at work here. If the believer’s sin after salvation could require death—or any form of punishment— then Jesus’ sacrifice was insufficient. However, the Bible tells us Jesus’ death was wholly sufficient and a once-for-all payment of mankind’s sin-debt. (Hebrews 7:26-27)
Either Jesus’ blood does cover our sins, or it doesn’t. There’s no middle ground. The Holy Spirit, Christ’s words, and Scripture’s testimony clearly state that it does.
Psalm 51
