Punishment or grace?

 

 

A character in an old television program often said, “God is going to get you for that” no doubt having the view that God carries a big stick and will PUNISH any sort of bad behavior. In the show, this line was meant to be humorous, yet it often echoes serious human thinking that is not funny.

For instance, OT Job was hit with incredible losses including his health. His ‘friends’ were certain that God was punishing him for some secret sin that this godly man would not admit. They were wrong, but they had no other explanation.

While sin usually has consequences (a big reason to avoid it), punishment for sin is not a total reflection of the character of God. That said, the OT does call sin’s consequences punishment. For instance, 1 Samuel 3:11–14 tells how Eli’s sin brought suffering to his descendants:

Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”

Despite these severe consequences, a few of the OT saints realized that no matter what happened because of their sin, it was less than sin deserved. Ezra said, “And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved . . . .”

The NT agrees and plainly declares that sin deserves the worst possible and permanent consequence —physical and spiritual death and separation from God forever. Why is this? For one thing, sin is going our own way, ignoring God as if He is not holy, not wise and has no business telling His Creation how to live. Sin blinds our eyes to His goodness and to our selfishness. Sin has no interest in God.

Some ask why God saves some people and not others yet the real question is why does God save anyone? All have sinned and fall short. All turn away, even what we might call the best of humanity because in doing our ‘best’ we are relying on ourselves and feeding personal glory, not the glory of God who alone is worthy.

 I know that this topic sounds harsh, at least until the Gospel is revealed. It says that because God loves us He had mercy on us and offered His Son to take the punishment we deserved — death and separation from Him. As Jesus cried, “Father, why have You forsaken me?” the world groaned and the people cheered, not realizing that this was the greatest event in history. The principle of sin and being punished for sin was laid on an innocent Person, One who had never sinned but was willing to bear all the sin of all people in all of history — so that we do not have to experience that punishment ourselves.

This gift is not automatic. It is a choice; take it or it is not mine. Believe in Jesus and be rescued, saved, redeemed, or ignore Him and bear that punishment that I deserve. The kicker is that word ‘deserve’ because admitting it, even recognizing it put a wedge between me and God. Sin blocks spiritual understanding, creating an “I will do it myself” attitude instead of receiving the greatest gift ever — eternal life from God who could have punished my sin rather than transferring what I deserve to Jesus.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. On those days when life is handing me negatives, I sometimes say, “This is better than I deserve” but this is said too lightly and still smacks of self-centeredness. Instead, as I focus on Jesus, I am overwhelmed by what He took on Himself and didn’t deserve. He did this in obedience to the will of His Father yet He was so innocent that in His sin-bearing He didn’t seem to understand why the Father turned away. His sacrifice in taking my punishment can scarcely be grasped, never mind the multiplied reality that it covered all sin for every person for all time. This is ‘good’ news yet made even better by the truth of His innocence and the fact that death could not hold this One who did not deserve such a horror — so after three days He walked out of that tomb and lives forever — fully accepted as my Lord, my Redeemer, my Savior and my God.