God: Our Judge, Jury, Prosecutor...AND Defense Attorney?

I was recently selected to perform my civic duty by serving as a juror. After hearing the case entirely, we engaged in several hours of deliberations as a jury. The most crucial part of weighing the evidence is keeping focused only on the facts and the law - without allowing personal prejudice, emotion or compassion to influence the decision.

In our case, we issued a "guilty" verdict in spite of obvious personal sympathy for the defendant. On the jury were parents, pastors, nurses, professional counselors and a diversity of others who wished we could simply wring this young man's neck for his foolish decisions, and then give him another chance. But that wasn't an option. Our job was to decide his guilt or innocence based on the law. And there was ample evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

That got me thinking about God's role as the judge of humanity. Clearly, even a cursory glance at the Scriptures affirms that humanity is guilty before God for our collective and individual sin. Yet, because of God's relentless compassion toward the guilty party (human beings), He enacted a plan whereby his passionate love AND perfect justice could be carried out at the same time without diminishing or compromising either.

The crucifixion of Jesus is the precise moment in human history when God's wrath against sin and injustice was fully satisfied through Christ receiving the just punishment as our Substitute. This was a mission to which the eternal Son of God voluntarily submitted so that the compassion and forgiveness of God could be freely offered to the whole world - and the guilty could be pardoned through faith in Christ's vicarious death and resurrection.

Some theologians have rightly referred to this transaction as "The Great Exchange" - our guilt for Christ's innocence. And what a deal it is! Imagine if the man our jury found guilty were to hear the following words from the judge at his sentencing: "Young man, you deserve a just sentence for your crime - but my own son has offered to serve your sentence in your place so that you can go free. Your crime will be placed on his record instead of yours, and you will bear none of the consequences." In essence, this is the offer God extends to humanity. He says, "If you want the pardon, it's yours! You've simply got to believe that my offer is real and that I will accept my own son's sacrificial act as full payment for the crimes YOU committed."

That is faith - pure and simple. Trusting in Christ as the only acceptable alternative to paying your own debt. Why do so many people reject this overwhelmingly great offer? There are many reasons - the chief among them being that humanity by nature loves darkness rather than light. But what about you? Have you received the message of the Gospel by faith - or are you still stumbling to light the path toward God with your own flame? Please feel free to comment on your own spiritual journey in response to these thoughts...