"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."
Romans 5:1-2
a gift
a promise
a notion
What we did deserved severe punishment of the highest degree -- eternal torture and ceaseless agony. That was the prescribed retribution, after all. The rules were laid out plain and simple, just like they were for Adam and Eve. Don't do this. What did we do? We did that.
Our parents told us not to lie. We pointed fingers when someone broke Mom's favorite picture frame. They told us not to steal. We found it acceptable to slip a piece of candy from our siblings' stockings at Christmastime when no one was looking.
These may seem like minor misdemeanors, but in truth they are mere indicators of a larger problem at work: our lives bare the tell-tale footprints of sin.
We have to be honest, our lives are messed up. Even if we get everything to look perfect on the outside, there has to be something ugly happening on the inside. Truth is, we will never get it all right, and that is the greatest curse of our existence.
BUT, (and it is a very large "but" because this verse was not intended to induce depression), we were spared the punishment. By no small miracle, it was made as though there never was any sin in the first place. Someone absolutely perfect in every way, by very nature incapable of deviating from God's plan one iota, took the battle I should have fought. He was bruised; He was shamed. BUT, He was not beaten.
Through blood and tears, He arose victorious. The sin forgotten and constantly excused. What deserves grace such as this? We spit in the face of the one who gave us everything, and instead of letting the hammer of justice fall where it may, He extended a pardon of mercy. Crazy, unexplainable love fueled the perpetual forgiveness of a misdeed that should have deserved hell.
Now, I have just one question for you: How could we possibly not grant one another that same mercy?
I love reading your posts, they are not only well-written but thought provoking as well. Thank you once again for making my day:)
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