WHOSE OPINION NEEDS CHANGING?
In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5:19, R.S.V.
The sin problem does not center in God's opinion of man but in man's opinion of God. It was not God who turned away from man, but man who turned away from God. The focus of all true religion is on God's endeavors to get men to change their opinion about God. The focus of all false religion, on the other hand, is found in men's attempts to get God to change His opinion of them.
Christ came to change our understanding of the Father. He died on the cross that we might know something very important about His love and truthfulness, so that--in knowing it--we would change our opinion of the Father. Satan has distorted even the death of Christ on the cross as Christ's act to appease the Father on our behalf. Many Christians believe that Christ's crucifixion allowed the Father to change toward us--to show mercy where previously He could show only wrath.
Sin is the breaking of a relationship with God, but we humans are the ones who moved away. It grieved God that we should go "into a far country." And Jesus revealed that the Father walks by the gate, continually looking down the road for the first glimpses of any returning children. Remember, however, that the wandering son came home when he began to understand who his father really was.
But how will the Father feel about us wanderers when we do come home, still smelling of the pigs and dirty laundry? Will He dress us down for our stupidity? Will He make sure we are not restored to family membership until a pound of flesh has been exacted in payment for our crimes? Paul answers that question explicitly: God's attitude is one of not counting our trespasses against us. no retribution, no groveling for condescending forgiveness. We see that we need to come home to the Father; that is enough.
What is more, the Father does not put us on the provisional membership list in order to rub our face in our crime. He immediately entrusts to us the most important mission a human can carry! He sends us to help change the opinions of still others about the Father. He makes it clear that He holds no grudges. He expects great things from us. Incredible! Couldn't you love such a God?
In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5:19, R.S.V.
The sin problem does not center in God's opinion of man but in man's opinion of God. It was not God who turned away from man, but man who turned away from God. The focus of all true religion is on God's endeavors to get men to change their opinion about God. The focus of all false religion, on the other hand, is found in men's attempts to get God to change His opinion of them.
Christ came to change our understanding of the Father. He died on the cross that we might know something very important about His love and truthfulness, so that--in knowing it--we would change our opinion of the Father. Satan has distorted even the death of Christ on the cross as Christ's act to appease the Father on our behalf. Many Christians believe that Christ's crucifixion allowed the Father to change toward us--to show mercy where previously He could show only wrath.
Sin is the breaking of a relationship with God, but we humans are the ones who moved away. It grieved God that we should go "into a far country." And Jesus revealed that the Father walks by the gate, continually looking down the road for the first glimpses of any returning children. Remember, however, that the wandering son came home when he began to understand who his father really was.
But how will the Father feel about us wanderers when we do come home, still smelling of the pigs and dirty laundry? Will He dress us down for our stupidity? Will He make sure we are not restored to family membership until a pound of flesh has been exacted in payment for our crimes? Paul answers that question explicitly: God's attitude is one of not counting our trespasses against us. no retribution, no groveling for condescending forgiveness. We see that we need to come home to the Father; that is enough.
What is more, the Father does not put us on the provisional membership list in order to rub our face in our crime. He immediately entrusts to us the most important mission a human can carry! He sends us to help change the opinions of still others about the Father. He makes it clear that He holds no grudges. He expects great things from us. Incredible! Couldn't you love such a God?
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