It was on the TV screens at the gym that I first heard about Oscar Pistorius and Reeva's trauma. My heart shrank and I felt so very sorry for him. The court cases following later were not easy and there were as many opinions as there was hair on your head.
In the past you didn't have these long processes with arguments flying to and fro. If you took someone's life, you had to give yours in exchange. That was it. It was simple: For every action there was a reaction.
However, this does not apply to murder only. All sin has a reaction. The Bible is very clear about this. The reaction to sin is death. Every human being sins. You and I continuously do the wrong thing. Or we don't do the things we have to do and that is sin too. The reaction to all our sin, what we have to give in exchange for our wrong actions, is our life.
That was the reality before Jesus came to earth. Our sin would've sent us straight into the jaws of death. We actually didn't have a chance of escaping hell. People would've grabbed Oscar right there and stoned him to death.
Fortunately, we have a wonderful Father with a heart bigger than a taxi. Much, much bigger! The fact that his children were being stolen by death was too much for Him. The only way He could prevent it was to have his Son die on the cross. Jesus first had to go through the jaws of death in some way so that we who believe in Him do not have to. The reaction to our sin is not that we should die. No, the reaction to our action of sin was that Jesus was gobbled up by the jaws of death.
11If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Like Paul, you and I may know that we do not have to be afraid of stories about death. We don't have to wonder whether we are going to make it. Well, I can say for sure I wouldn't have made it. I'm simply too sinful and I would've fallen into the jaws of death. But because Jesus was the reaction to my sin, I can say with certainty that I will make it!
Wow, what a wonderful conviction.
Let's make a picture to illustrate it. Let's say it was in Biblical times that Oscar murdered his girlfriend. The city's inhabitants would've met, each holding a rock or two. Everybody know what is going to happen, but just before the first rock flies through the air a man steps in front of Oscar. He says he is prepared to take the reaction for Oscar's offence. He is prepared to give his life for the life of Oscar's girlfriend.
When the surprise is over, one rock after the other hits him. Behind him Oscar's handcuffs are removed and he is free.
That is exactly what Jesus has done for us. He walked into the jaws of death in our place. For my sin. For your sin and today also for Oscar's sin.
Let us live a life summed up by one word: Gratitude. Let everybody see in our actions how grateful we are for Jesus' reaction to our action of sin.
Bible Reading
Philippians 3:4-11
Reflection
What do your actions look like?
Do you understand God's reaction?
What does your action to God's reaction look like?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for what You did. I know exactly what I deserve for all my sinful actions. I know I don't make it and would never have made it through the jaws of death. Thank you for dying in my place. Let my life reflect my gratitude every day. Amen
For more information go to http://www.crossroad247.com
By Gerjo Ben Van Der Merwe
Article Source: Reaction to Our Actions
In the past you didn't have these long processes with arguments flying to and fro. If you took someone's life, you had to give yours in exchange. That was it. It was simple: For every action there was a reaction.
However, this does not apply to murder only. All sin has a reaction. The Bible is very clear about this. The reaction to sin is death. Every human being sins. You and I continuously do the wrong thing. Or we don't do the things we have to do and that is sin too. The reaction to all our sin, what we have to give in exchange for our wrong actions, is our life.
That was the reality before Jesus came to earth. Our sin would've sent us straight into the jaws of death. We actually didn't have a chance of escaping hell. People would've grabbed Oscar right there and stoned him to death.
Fortunately, we have a wonderful Father with a heart bigger than a taxi. Much, much bigger! The fact that his children were being stolen by death was too much for Him. The only way He could prevent it was to have his Son die on the cross. Jesus first had to go through the jaws of death in some way so that we who believe in Him do not have to. The reaction to our sin is not that we should die. No, the reaction to our action of sin was that Jesus was gobbled up by the jaws of death.
11If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Like Paul, you and I may know that we do not have to be afraid of stories about death. We don't have to wonder whether we are going to make it. Well, I can say for sure I wouldn't have made it. I'm simply too sinful and I would've fallen into the jaws of death. But because Jesus was the reaction to my sin, I can say with certainty that I will make it!
Wow, what a wonderful conviction.
Let's make a picture to illustrate it. Let's say it was in Biblical times that Oscar murdered his girlfriend. The city's inhabitants would've met, each holding a rock or two. Everybody know what is going to happen, but just before the first rock flies through the air a man steps in front of Oscar. He says he is prepared to take the reaction for Oscar's offence. He is prepared to give his life for the life of Oscar's girlfriend.
When the surprise is over, one rock after the other hits him. Behind him Oscar's handcuffs are removed and he is free.
That is exactly what Jesus has done for us. He walked into the jaws of death in our place. For my sin. For your sin and today also for Oscar's sin.
Let us live a life summed up by one word: Gratitude. Let everybody see in our actions how grateful we are for Jesus' reaction to our action of sin.
Bible Reading
Philippians 3:4-11
Reflection
What do your actions look like?
Do you understand God's reaction?
What does your action to God's reaction look like?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for what You did. I know exactly what I deserve for all my sinful actions. I know I don't make it and would never have made it through the jaws of death. Thank you for dying in my place. Let my life reflect my gratitude every day. Amen
For more information go to http://www.crossroad247.com
By Gerjo Ben Van Der Merwe
Article Source: Reaction to Our Actions
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