God's statement at the end of verse 14 seems harsh, "Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for until you die" (ESV). But seeing reading what God called for and what the people did, makes it somewhat justifiable, I guess.
I can choose to look at this passage two ways:
1) I can question God and his judgment saying this is not quite fair. I mean, the punishment for the sin is a little extreme don't you think? Or...
2) I can come to this passage trusting that God's punishment is justifiably perfect and therefore try to understand how serious this sin is to God.
The later is the safer of the two options. So, first of all, what is the sin? In plain terms it is disobedience, and even mockery. Whatever the case, however, God doesn't take sin lightly. Perhaps I should be more careful when I have the opportunity to deliberately disobey him. And yet, I live with the confidence and knowledge that my "iniquity [was] atoned for" when Christ died on the cross!
"...For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith..." -Romans 3:22-25 (ESV).
No comments:
Post a Comment