God abhors evil (wrong doing) because he loves those it harms. He hates precisely because he loves first.
This same love moves God to be patient with us in our wrong doing and the harm we cause others. He does not delight in our harm or perishing no more then he delights in our harming and destroying others. He equally values all who are created in his image.
So it appears God has a dilemma. He loves both the offender and the offended.
How did God resolve this?
Because of our brokenness, spiritual bankruptcy and inability to operate (to love) as we were designed and because of his infinite love for us and complete hatred for the wrongdoing that entangles and destroys us all, he provided the solution himself. God sent someone else (who came willingly out of love for him and love for us) to remedy this dilemma by having this person (willingly) suffer the consequences in our place. *Someone who did no true harm or offense (except calling out others on their arrogance...which of course they found offensive).
He did this so both those who harm (offend) and those who are harmed (offended) might not have to reap long term destruction.
He did this so both those who harm (offend) and those who are harmed (offended) might not have to reap long term destruction.
We are all offenders and offended.
To provide a solution he, who did no wrong and did not deserve it, took all of this and deliberately put it on himself instead of onto us, who did. He sent Jesus. He now invites you to accept his gift and experience the fullness of his love that moved him to offer it.
This is why it's call amazing grace!!
This is why it's call amazing grace!!
Psa_85:10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Isa 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
*Evil - רַע (pronounced ra) (948c) in the Old Testament Hebrew; from the same as H7455; evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity:
— adversity (7), calamity (4), disaster (2), evil (94), harm (2), harmful (1), hurt (1),ruin (3), surely (1), trouble (2), unpleasant (1), wickedly (1), wickedness (1).
For a further discussion regarding evil click here.
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*in order for someone else to credit us with righteousness (God honoring living) and to bear the consequences of our unrighteousness (rebellious unbelief leading to God dishonoring living), they could not have any of their own unrighteousness (rebellious unbelief) and had to live fully for the glory of God (be righteous). The only sacrifice that could meet this was a "lamb without spot and blemish" (no flaws, sins i.e. no unfaithfulness to living for God's honor but total faithfulness. Someone who loved God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and their neighbor as themselves). The only person to do that was the eternal Son of God and Son of man, Jesus Christ.
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*in order for someone else to credit us with righteousness (God honoring living) and to bear the consequences of our unrighteousness (rebellious unbelief leading to God dishonoring living), they could not have any of their own unrighteousness (rebellious unbelief) and had to live fully for the glory of God (be righteous). The only sacrifice that could meet this was a "lamb without spot and blemish" (no flaws, sins i.e. no unfaithfulness to living for God's honor but total faithfulness. Someone who loved God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and their neighbor as themselves). The only person to do that was the eternal Son of God and Son of man, Jesus Christ.
