Good Friday — Justice and Grace

Andrew Graaff
Jul 30, 2017 · 2 min read

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him shall live” and John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

This Good Friday I thought about what the implication of sin and justice is. Many religions that deal with sin and justice hold a view that God will apply justice by weighing the good of your life against the bad (sin) of your life. This is completely at odds with how law deals with justice. That there must be punishment for the crime committed. I imagine these religions avoid the obvious truth of what justice means because they want a way out on their own terms. They want to say, see I am “good” or I have “earned” my way or I have “proved” myself worthy.

Some religions understand that punishment is necessary for justice. They either initiate the punishment (justice) themselves by denying themselves, beating themselves or submitting to an external party beating them. Or they correctly understand that the only way is to find a substitute (sacrifice). The fact that some old religions offered human sacrifice is a testament to this understanding. These views are flawed, you can’t substitute your sinful self by offering someone else who is also sinful. And you certainly can’t judge yourself.

Christianity seems to offer the only real way out. A perfect, infinite being, indeed the creator of all things, stands in our place taking the punishment for all our sin.

So John says Jesus is the lamb (our substitute) who takes away our sin. Indeed Jesus himself knowing that all sin is forgiven says, “And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven”. (Matthew 12:31). Our sin has been forgiven. Now we have but one thing to do, believe the testimony of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is Lord and Saviour and accept him as such following him as best you can with the help of the Holy Spirit for the rest of your days until you are raised again incorruptible.

The problem is we want things our way. We cannot see the life of abundance promised us. We don’t want the greatest good there is, indeed the only good there is, a Holy God who creator and source of all Joy. So I pray if ever the Holy Spirit does convict you that you put yourself aside and follow him however high the cost may seem. Remember Jesus came to offer you life in abundance.