This subject is an old one, but it is still provoking offence
today. When people hear the Christian message and get the idea that God
is going to solve the problems of the world as a result of Jesus' death
by crucifixion nearly two thousand years ago, at times they are inclined
to respond with, 'Is that really the best fix that God could come up
with?' Behind that response is a serious misunderstanding that still
causes people to be offended. Yes, it is a misunderstanding, and
Christians have no intention to cause offence to anyone.
· RECORD
One
criticism has to do with the idea that if God were really all that he
is made out to be, all-powerful, all-loving and all-wise, then why is
the world in such a state, of wars, disease, cyclones, floods,
volcanoes, famines, addictions, prisons, domestic violence, murder,
rape, poverty and death, and those things are only a start. So
Christians then hear things like - 'Is that the best that your God could
do by fixing the world's problems with a man being crucified?'
So,
let's aim to set the record straight. The Bible is the Christian's
ultimate authority, so my answers are based on its teaching.
Going
back to Genesis, we find that the living God made all things through
his creative command, and that everything then was very good. This
included the unique creation of humanity, individual beings with
personalities and moral responsibility to God. However, they were not
automatons, but had the high honour of true freedom to love and obey
God, or disobey him.
· RUINED
These people were the pinnacle
of God's creation, and had been told there would be serious
consequences if they ever disobeyed God. But they chose to disobey under
the false impression they would become wonderfully wise and god-like.
From then on we see the tragic beginnings of blame shifting, hiding from
God, and the slide into further moral anarchy, and a ruined world as a
home to fit their own defiant rebellion.
All attempts now to shift
the blame onto God for all the world's ills should be redirected back
to ourselves - we are the moral agents responsible for a broken humanity
and a spoilt world. Notice that whatever you believe, for instance,
theft, murder and rape, you reckon these are not normal 'good' human
behaviours, but are wrong. This sense of morality comes from our
God-given conscience. We know our humanity and the world is deeply
abnormal, but now we know that God did not fail in trying to create a
perfect world - for we are the moral failures.
The big penalty for
our sinful rebellion is death. Death is not natural, it is alien and an
enemy, but part of God's holy judgement that he said would happen,
first as a death to the close relationship Adam and Eve enjoyed,
followed by a physical degeneration ending in death, after which comes
judgement.
· REBELLION
This moral rebellion is so serious
that only a solution from God would be able deal with it. This is where
God's power, love and wisdom are shown in this world. This is when God
sent his own eternal Son, Jesus Christ to be born into our humanity.
Jesus was without sin and the only true representative able and willing
to die on behalf of the guilty rebels. Only Jesus was willing to be
publicly crucified, for all to see, in order to die, suffering the
sentence others deserved. This was the one way God chose to satisfy his
holy justice, so that all who now look in grateful trust to what Jesus
fully accomplished in his death may freely receive God's forgiveness and
a new life of peace with God.
· RESCUE
But for those who
think it absurd that one so high would stoop so low to death on a cross
in order to save people from condemnation and reconcile them to God for
ever, take offence at Jesus' death. This confirms what the Bible says
that, 'the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing' but
conversely, 'to us who are being saved it is the power of God' (1
Corinthians 1:18). This is also made clear that for those who reject
Jesus' saving work that the same good news becomes 'A stone of
stumbling, and a rock of offence' (1 Peter 2:8).
Incidentally,
secular beliefs may also cause offence, even though it is unintentional.
On the basis of secular beliefs like atheistic humanism there is no
final or objective basis for our true value or respect, so we finish up
being nothing more than meaningless garbage.
But, if you have been
offended by Jesus' death now is the time to see that it is the most
amazing and wonderful revelation of God's mercy and love, which places
an infinite value on humanity, and by which he will rescue all from
everlasting destruction and bring them to know and love him. Now is the
time to see you offence transformed into grateful wonder as you trust in
Jesus, the one whom God raised from death to be the ever-living Saviour
of all who will come to him
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