Where Sin Abounds

“but where sin increased, grace was carefully balanced with teachings of God’s judgment and fear of condemnation in order to ensure that repentance was genuine” – Romans 5:20…oh wait, that’s not what it says!

 

Romans 5:20 actually says, “…but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more…”

 

This is confusing to our way of thinking. As humans, most of us have learned to use whatever power we have in order to manipulate other people’s behavior. Parents withhold privileges from children, bosses threaten to fire employees, and friends threaten the relationship itself (“If you don’t _______ I’ll never talk to you again.”) all in the name of changing the other person’s behavior. And since God has all the power, we would assume that he would know how to use it to get what he wants. But that’s not God’s way!

 

John 13:3-5 (ESV) says,

 

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (emphasis my own)

 

It is exactly in the place of knowing who he is and how much power he has that Jesus chooses to be a servant. Rather than using his position to control our behavior, he loves us in our frailty. He humbly approaches even our most embarrassing weaknesses, not to condemn, but to wash away our shame.

 

This type of love offends. This type of love confuses. This type of love draws all of God’s children back to their loving Father — a Father who will never leverage their relationship in order to control, but who will always give of himself until you are made whole.

Peel Back The Layers

When you peel away all of the layers, what do you find? The reality we experience seems to be an endless good/bad sandwich. We have good experiences that are tainted with bad moments, and we have bad experiences that have a redemptive twist. But what is the meaning of it all? If you could pierce through all of the pleasures and pains, all hope and despair, all achievements and failures, what would you find? Is it something good, or is it bad?

At the genesis of humanity, Good was there. It breathed life into dust, and our lungs filled with this Goodness. Then in an evil turn of fate, man tore himself from union with his Creator! He became distant in his mind from friendship with God, and began to distrust his maker. Surely this divorce was mutual? Surely man had fallen from favour with God?

In the darkest moment, after many words of life had been shared and many bodies healed, when the Light was about to be extinguished by those who so needed illumination…at this point the very roots of reality, the fabric of time and space, and the depths of the human soul paused to listen. Truly in this approaching moment the deepest truth would finally be revealed.

And sure enough, a spear plunged into the very heart of Goodness, and from it’s wound flowed blood and water. But this blood was not like any other. It was not like the blood of the first murder victim, which called out for vengeance. No, this crimson fountain made tangible what the Voice had just uttered.

“IT IS FINISHED!”

When the very heart of Goodness was pierced, the bedrock of creation was finally exposed….and it did not release a message of judgement, but from it’s wound flowed mercy for the nations! This darkest moment became the hope for all mankind! Not a hope that perhaps someday things may be made right again, or that through some sort of effort we could make our way back to Him….but a hope that declares, “TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!”

We do not look into the future, hoping to one day bridge the divide between man and God. The bridge has been built, and his name is Jesus! The same breath that first filled our lungs has never left us! He refused to abandon mankind through our ages of doubt and self-inflicted distance. He is now, as He has always been, for us! We were made in His very image, and his cross declares that His image bearers we remain!

So what happens when you pierce through all of the good and bad, and come to the very root of our existence? Goodness that knows no boundaries or limitations!