Impossible without the Cross

Bulletin

Dan Peters
01/16/22 - Atonement

IMPOSSIBLE,
WITHOUT THE CROSS

Why is our forgiveness of sins impossible without the cross? If we are able to forgive each other of wrongs, why doesn’t God forgive the same way but without the cross? The most satisfying answer comes in three parts. First, when I sin against a fellow human being, I am sinning against an equal. It’s wrong to view God as my equal. God is my superior, creator and owner so sinning against God is in a completely different category than sinning against an equal. Every sin is primarily against God himself, (Psalms 51:4). God says the penalty of sin is death (Gen. 2:16-17, Rom.6:23).

Secondly, God’s sense of justice is greater than our sense of justice. Think about this with me. Doesn’t God himself, see much greater than the eye he created? Doesn’t God hear much more than the ear he creates? So too, is God’s own sense of justice greater than what he gave me. Although, my sense of justice seems pretty strong when someone wrongs me. Have you ever had something of value stolen (a car)? We strongly sense injustice, how much more so God?
Thirdly, have we considered that we are in his world, that he is king and judge? Put yourself in the judges’s shoes for a moment as you read this story, and tell me what you would do? “Zaleucus flourished about 500 years B.C. His government over the Locrians was severe but just. In one of his decrees, he forbade the use of wine unless it were prescribed as a medicine; in another, he ordered that all adulterers should be punished with the loss of both their eyes. When his own son had subjected himself to this penalty,[[STOP]].
(What would you do? Your son was caught committing adultery. You are king and judge. The whole kingdom is watching what you will do. Whenever I tell this story in church or Bible class, the answer is always the same. People say, that if that is the law, then the son should have his eyes plucked out too… every time! Isn’t it favoritism if the King’s son gets off free?)
[[Return]].
the father, in order to maintain the authority of the laws, and to show at the same time a parental lenity, shared the penalty with his son, by causing to be thrust out one of his own eyes and one of the eyes of his offending son. In this way, the majesty of his government was maintained, and his own character as a just and righteous sovereign was magnified in the eyes of his subjects.” (Robert Milligan, Scheme of Redemption, 11th Ed., p227.) The king tried to keep his words, his laws intact, to show justice without partiality is difficult especially when you want to be merciful to your own child. God says the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). God himself pays the price for sin, for the one who has faith in Jesus. Dan Peters