With the alarming news from the doctor that you have cancer, you would quickly try and find a cure for your condition. The same example here can be used in regards to the universal human condition. The cancer of sin! Most people think that they are good people and are healthy spiritually. Most understand that they do in fact, sin. But many don't realize the life threatening effects of sin or what sin really is.
What is Sin?
In order for people to see they absolutely need a cure for their sinfulness, they need to see sin in it's truest light. "Sin is the breaking of God's law. If God says "Do not lie" and you lie, then you have broken His law and sinned. When you sin, you offend God because it is His law that you have broken. Also, the reason God says to not lie, not cheat, etc., is because these laws reflect the moral purity of His nature. Therefore, the Law is a reflection of the character of God. It is wrong to lie because God cannot lie. It is wrong to steal because God cannot steal, etc. The moral law is not arbitrary. It is based on God's holiness.The law, then, is a standard of moral purity. The Old Testament contains the Law of God. It is a perfect standard because it is God's standard. When we fail to keep the law, we sin. When we sin, we offend God. This offense against God results in a judgment. Laws are laws because they have penalties. There is no law without a penalty. Therefore, breaking God's law brings judgment which is separation from God. "But your sins have made a separation between you and your God," (Isaiah 59:2). And, "the wages of sin is death..." (Rom. 6:23). So, to sin, to break God's law, results in judgment. The judgment is known as damnation which is the righteous judgment of God upon the sinner. If God did not judge the sinner, then He is not upholding His holiness and he would be allowing sinners to go unpunished." (carm.org)
Because we have all broken God's Law and stand guilty before Him, we can now see our spiritual bankruptcy! We have nothing to offer God and our works "are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) before Him. No amount of good deeds can outweigh the bad. We may be able to earn things in life, ( good grades, income, etc.) but we simply cannot earn our own salvation from sin.
We Need A Savior
Until we individually see our sinfulness and our wretched condition before a holy God, we will never understand why we need a Savior. The example of the person finding out they had cancer shows that he/she understood the devastating consequences of cancer unless they found a cure. The same should be true for our sin. Unless we find the cure for our sin- Jesus Christ, we will experience the devastating consequences of our sin- eternal judgement!
Jesus came to this earth as a man. He had to become man in order to represent man. He lived a sinless life because he was God and kept all the requirements of the Law that we could not keep. He then willingly went to the Cross of execution on our behalf to satisfy God's righteous demand on sin. He took the very judgement you and I deserve. He took on the penalty for every sin you and I committed in our lives. He became our cure by rising from the dead three days later. When we see our sin and ask: "What should I do?" we can go directly to the Savior in prayer. "Who ever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
We can discuss Jesus and Christianity all day. But it will mean nothing to us if we don't understand the price that was paid by the Judge himself to save humanity from their sin!
IN CHRIST -Dustin
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