God's Plan - Step I: Paying the price

Where we are so far:
First we talked about the Problem - sin. Because all sin, all deserve punishment and according to God's Justice that punishment has to be borne by each sinner. God's mercy, however, also needs expression. So God planned to save some from their deserved punishment. In order for this to be just (everyone is guilty) there has to be no distinction made on the basis of anything intrinsically a part of the one saved. Today we look at the first step in applying God's plan.

Foreshadowed payment: From the beginning God showed that he was prepared to accept a blood sacrifice in place of the sinner's own life. This was not because the blood of an animal actually took away sin - a fact that some ancient people showed they understood by offering the death of another human being. They showed they truly understood their blood-debt to God and that he would accept a substitute - the point of the symbolic death of an animal. Their concept was right - the substitute, however, was to be sinless in God's eyes.

In the Old Testament God revealed the requirements of an acceptable sacrifice. It had to be without blemish, it had to be accepted as a substitute by the sinner, and it had to be acceptable to God. In the Passover festival all these elements were clearly demonstrated. God appointed the form the sacrifice was to take; a lamb or kid in place of the family. They were to choose an unblemished animal and follow a particular set of rules for the sacrifice to be acceptable. The blood was to mark the entrance to the house and no one was to leave that house till morning. If all these things were done as God commanded the household would be safe from the destroyer.

In reality the Passover lamb was to be a symbol of Jesus the Christ. He was the unblemished "lamb of God." He was chosen by the people (the purpose of the entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey) and was - being sinless - acceptable to God. By his death he purchased the lives of those who are covered by his blood from the destroyer - the life of one who is sinless on behalf of each person who is sinful. This is the plan God offers to man - either pay the price yourself or accept Jesus as a substitute for that life.

Now it is apparent that, because Jesus is God, himself, the price is sufficient for every single man woman and child that has ever lived. And were we mere puppets that would be all there is to it. But God ordained that man's choices would have consequences - so when Adam sinned the race died. Since that is the case our salvation rests on a decision which we make concerning Christ's actions. We have to choose to accept that sacrifice on our behalf.

Now remember the significance of this choice. God makes the provision out of his merciful and loving character. He makes it to those who are acknowledged criminals and rebels. It is his own beloved son who dies to earn the salvation of everyone who believes the offer is genuine. To reject such an offer makes things very much worse because it is choosing to trample on the graciousness of God. Yet, to accept such an offer is to acknowledge God's unbelievable kindness and the extreme viciousness of sin.

It is to say "I am wrong to rebel against you, God; I deserve to die and I can do nothing about it, please forgive me and let me claim the death of your son on my behalf." In the same way that Adam had to be forced to face the implications of his actions (which he never truly took responsibility for) so also does man today. Left to ourselves this wonderfully generous provision is something no one will ever accept. We love our sin too much. We are slaves to our lusts and would rather deny God's goodness than accept anything from his hand. Such is the attitude of those who are Hell-bound.

So, Step 1 seems to leave us no closer to salvation. God has made the provision - that's what the Easter festival is all about. It reminds us of the provision God has made. But, such is our sin that we would happily join those who scourged Christ, who jammed the crown of thorns down on his head, who gambled for his clothes and who gathered to jeer at him as he hung in agony on the cross. The good news is that God even made provision for this result. And that is what we look at tomorrow.