If you were paying attention during physics class in high school, you’ll know that there are certain laws that the natural world abides by.

The Law of Gravity, for instance. Legend has it that this principle was discovered by a young Isaac Newton when he was hit on the head by an apple which fell from the tree he was sitting under.

Or the Law of Inertia, which states that an object at rest or in motion will continue in that state unless acted upon by an external force. So when I’m sitting in my easy chair and don’t want to get up to do any housework, I’m not being lazy. I’m simply obeying the law of inertia.

I recently heard a wag rephrase Newton’s Third Law of Motion (“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”). He dubbed it the Law of Emotion: for every male action there is a female overreaction!

Then there’s the Law of Conservation of Energy, which says that energy can’t be created or destroyed, but can be altered from one form to another. For instance, our bodies transform the chemical energy in food into kinetic energy to help us move around.

I think sin has a principle attached to it which is similar to the Law of Conservation of Energy.

Sin can’t just disappear. It has to be dealt with in some way.

But it can be transformed.

As author Dorothy Sayers said, “There is only one real law—the law of the universe. It may be fulfilled either by way of judgement or by the way of grace, but it must be fulfilled one way or the other.”

Sin must be atoned for, one way or the other. Either by sinners undergoing judgement, or by someone else fulfilling the requirements for them.

Amazingly, someone did fulfill the requirements on our behalf. Jesus did so by accepting the judgement for our Sins in His own body, so that we wouldn’t have to.

He transformed our sins through His atoning sacrifice. Through the alchemy of His work on the Cross, believers in Him have become the righteousness of God.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

We can now have right standing with God because Jesus himself bore the cost for our forgiveness.

“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:22-23)

And this gift is available to each and any of us, no matter our backgrounds.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

None of us can escape the requirement that our sins must be atoned for.

This is the Law of the Universe.

But the Good News is that this law has been fulfilled in Christ. You no longer have to be burdened by the weight of your sins and their eternal consequences.

You can exchange your spotted record for Jesus’ perfect one.

And it will cost you nothing.

Won’t you take Him up on His offer of forgiveness?

© 2021 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.