Serious Matter

The reality is that sin is very serious to God. In fact it’s so serious that he sent Jesus to take the penalty for our sin, that we might be forgiven. He sent his son to die to save us from the penalty of sin (and from the power of sin). That shows how seriously God takes sin. And it shows us how much he loves us. To us, sin doesn’t seem such a big deal sometimes. We wonder why God doesn’t just wipe it out. But God sees sin as it really is, a violent, destructive, evil force, which seeks to deny him his place as Lord over his creation. It must be dealt with, and dealt with permanently. Even if we don’t see it now, the reality of hell shows us how serious sin is.

I agree that sometimes it seems unfair that God would send people to hell, but I wonder if that’s coming at it from the wrong direction. What we all deserve, you and me included, is to be punished. If anything’s unfair, it’s that God allows anyone to be completely forgiven when we sin, through Jesus death on the cross. That means we don’t get what we deserve; it means we get forgiveness and eternal life, rather than judgment for our sins. That is unfair, don’t you think so, but in a good way! And the gift of forgiveness is available to anyone who will put their trust in Jesus and follow him. The gospel is the power of salvation, and the revelation of God’s righteousness is the solution for the sin. God has acted to rescue people, to save them, to restore them to righteousness.

As Christians, we are saved because our sins are forgiven. Rather than spiritual death, we have eternal life. Instead of God's wrath and the second death, we will have deliverance and reward before Christ, "...Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matthew 25.21 KJV bible). In Christ, we are saved from all types of spiritual condemnation, being resurrected from death, and delivered from wrath, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5.24 KJV bible). So we understand the manifold riches and grace that is being given to us as servants of Christ, who continue to walk by faith, and not worldly sight.