Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians, Part 2نموونە

Justice Meets Mercy

Jesus was the fulfillment of the sacrificial system. The writer of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament likens Jesus to the high priest who goes into the Temple on behalf of the people to offer the sacrifice for their sins. Except that this time, Jesus offered his own life. This sacrifice is where we see God’s holiness intersecting with God’s love. This is where justice meets mercy. 

And this brings us to grace. The best and simplest definition of grace is that which is freely given and totally undeserved. Grace reaches out, in the midst of our sin, and offers forgiveness. Second chances. Yes, salvation. To have what Christ did on the cross applied to your life.

Apart from grace, each of us is going to lose our life. We’re going to face the full penalty for our sin. I usually describe the situation to people this way, because when it was first described to me along these lines, it resonated with me: 

Imagine you are charged with vehicular homicide. You were driving on the road, exceeding the speed limit, and you hit a child on her way home from school. You are brought to trial, the evidence is presented, and from his bench the judge states, “I find you guilty and sentence you to death.” But then he does a strange thing. With compassion in his eyes, he walks down to where you stand, embraces you, and says, “But I love you. The penalty must be carried out for I am an honest and good judge. What you did was wrong, and it must be paid for. But I do not want to see your life end this way, so I will go in your place.” He then walks out of the courtroom and gives his life in your place. 

That’s what Jesus did for you. His holiness demanded what sin demands—the just punishment, the death penalty: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:2 NIV).

God’s love had Jesus take our place. In a single, blazing, soul-wrenching moment, the sins of the world were placed on him. And he carried their stain, their weight, their pain, their evil, their darkness. He was the scapegoat, so you could be free.

Now, at this point in our time together, what does the word grace mean to you personally?