Throughout history, people have yearned for justice. Everyone wants to see their enemies get pay back for their wrongs. However, the ‘justice’ humans give out is rather empty. Human vengeance can never make up the offense, because the guilty person deserved the consequences, but the innocent did not (McKelvey 220). Thus, it is impossible to really pay people back sufficiently for their wrongs. So maybe justice is not human revenge or court sentences. But if that is not justice, what is?
Can a murderer, condemned to death, die in the place of another condemned person? Of course not. The murderer has only one life to offer, and that life must die for his own wrongs. This brings up a key point: the guilty cannot atone for the guilty. After all, a man whose debt is in the trillions cannot pay off his friend’s debt. In the Old Testament, this concept was symbolized in animal sacrificial system. The animal substitute always had to be perfect (Lev. 1:3; 10). No one who is imperfect can take another’s sin upon himself. According to the Bible, “all have sinned” and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). Thus, everyone has a debt of death. Because everyone is a wrongdoer, no one can pay the price of even anyone else’s sins. Further, no sinner can make up for his own sin, because transgressors are incapable of atoning for even their own wrongs. In a human court, someone condemned to death is certainly able to die as a consequence for his own misdeeds. But on a spiritual level, everyone will spend eternity either alive with God or completely separated from God’s presence in Hell. Because in God “we live,” a place apart from God is like forever death, but without ceasing to exist (Acts 17:28). Both Heaven and Hell are forever- Heaven, because its inhabitants death wages have been fully paid; Hell, because its residents will never be able to pay their debt. No mere human can ever pay for their sins, even in Hell. So it goes on forever. If sinners could pay for sin, Hell would be temporary. But it is forever. Since “the Lord is a God of justice,” the only possible conclusion is that no guilty human can ever fully pay even their own death wages (Isa. 30:18).
Using this reasoning, a works-based salvation begins to crumble. First of all, it assumes that we can pay our punishment through good works, while the Bible says the price is death (Rom. 3:23). Even if the verse did say the wages of sin is good works, it would be impossible to do “good” works with the right motive. The aimed reward would be completely atoning for personal sin, not pleasing God. “Good” works like these would be lip-service to God while really seeking your own desire. This is self-idolatry, which would only break the first commandment. God clearly wants the heart, not just the externals, of people (Matt.15:8; 22:36). Secondly, because sinful people cannot make up for their trespasses, they could work forever and still would never earn forgiveness. People do not live on earth forever, so even after a lifetime of work, they would still have to go to Hell, never reaching freedom.
Presumably, people have no hope for escaping judgement. God created a perfect world, but people rebelliously sinned against Him. Because he is just, God cannot let the rebels go unpunished. Moreover, guilty people cannot appease God’s righteous condemnation. So in Hell, God will continually inflict judgement on sinners forever. God cannot be unjust and release sinners from his wrath without payment, but humans cannot provide any adequate payment. Thus, it logically appears everyone is sentenced to an eternal, but never satisfied, judgement. However, not only is God perfectly just, he is also loving. Rather than abandon everyone, God provided someone to take their place- his own Son. Jesus, fully God, is perfect, but also fully man. As a person, he could suffer God’s wrath for mankind. As an infinite God, he could endure all of God’s wrath for all people. Jesus declared “no one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6). As the apostle Paul explained: “In him we we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us” (Eph. 1:7).
Going back to the trillion dollar debt analogy, maybe people could give God a proverbial five dollar bill by doing good works so he will pay their ransom. Even this sounds rather ridiculous, but sinful humans cannot even pay the $5. Before someone is a Christian, they are spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-5), and, as such, cannot gain God’s favor. On top of that, earning Jesus payment undermines God’s generosity and denies that salvation is a gift. After all, a gift, by definition, is not earned. God says forgiveness is a gift, so our best efforts are not what causes Him to forgive us (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:8). Further, the Bible makes it clear that God saves people out of love and mercy. (Eph. 1:4-5). Titus 3:5 proclaims: “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.” Plainly, people’s efforts are not what causes his forgiveness. In the end, God has already given his very own Son; his just death sentence on humanity has been fulfilled. Why, then, would he ask people to work to receive His blessing?
Christians have “a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus” as it proves that God’s judgement is totally satisfied (1 Pet. 1:3). It vindicated his prophesies concerning his own death and resurrection, such as in Luke 9:22. Further, by proving his innocence and goodness, the resurrection showed Jesus deity, as “no one is good except God alone,”(Mark 10:18). Just like the Passover lambs in the Old Testament, Jesus was “without blemish or spot,” (1 Pet. 1:19). Accordingly, Jesus did not have to spend an eternity in Hell paying for peoples’ sins. God poured his full wrath on Jesus. Since Jesus is innocent, he could suffer the wages of sin and fully pay them. The Resurrection proved that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice and the judgement was over. Jesus had completely paid the wages of death, and therefore did not have to stay dead. The debt was paid, and the payer could go free. Because Jesus resurrected, Christians know their death wages have been completely paid. Firstly, “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God,”(Rom. 5:9). Secondly, “since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have [died],” (1 Thess. 4:14). These verses make it clear that Jesus completely paid believers’ debts. Therefore, Christians will not have to suffer death wages forever in Hell, even though they may leave earth by physically dying. Jesus’ full payment on mankind’s behalf leaves nothing undone for transgressors to do. God’s forgiveness is a gift, so all people have to do is personally accept Jesus’ payment. Then, a person is “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus” (1 Pet. 1:3).
Truly, Jesus is the only way to be forgiven. All that otherwise desperate people must do is “believe in the Lord Jesus and … be saved” (Acts 16:31). God provided the ultimate true atonement through the only one who was able to pay for sins. Rather, Jesus, “the way, the truth, and the life,” invites you to “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” (John 14:6; Matt. 11:28).
Works Cited
The Bible. English Standard Version, 2011 ed., Crossway, 2001.
McKelvey, Douglas Kaine. “The Places Beyond the Maps.” Wingfeather Tales, WaterBrook, 2016.
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