CRIME and PUNISHMENT
or
CRIME and FORGIVENESS?
As was stated last time, we all sin (commit a crime against God) and therefore are all prone to punishment. The Bible records that “…the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), hence death is inevitable for all of us. But Satan said: “…you shall not surely die”(Genesis 3:4) and that indeed is what happened in the physical sense. However, with sin there was an immediate separation from God and so a death in a spiritual sense did occur. Physically, God instituted a number of punishments as mentioned last time.
As time goes on, however, it becomes evident that what was initially a punishment becomes accepted as the norm and as secular crime often seems to be without punishment then why should sin be any different. After all, men expect that they will sweat some while working, and also to have to always deal with the weeds of life. And don’t women expect to have some discomfort with childbirth and to have disputes over who is really in charge of the household? It’s everyday life. Who hasn’t committed a crime without punishment?
Admittedly, most of these are very minor offences. But even more major offences often seem to go without justice being served: excuses are made, reasons are given, and circumstances are cited as to why punishment should not be meted out; so crime is often not punished. And if that’s the case, why not just do the crime? It almost becomes the norm just as our acceptance of God’s punishment in the past has become. It appears as though humanity now feels we can do whatever we feel is right, just as in the time of the Judges when “…there was no king is Israel: everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).
When we look at the world today, it is easy to assume that everyone feels there are numerous ways to get by without being punished for our crimes or sin. After all, hasn’t it always been such? There seems to be many ways to avoid secular punishment and so why not the same in the spiritual sense? Does the Bible not indicate that God is all grace and mercy? Therefore, there must be any number of ways in which sin can be forgiven as well.
In 1709, Alexander Pope stated in An Essay on Criticism that “A little learning (or knowledge) is a dangerous thing.” This phrase could be used to sum up our problem with the Bible and its teaching. We assume that what we do know is all there is to know and proceed from there. But there appears to be nothing in the Bible separating minor sins from major sins, nor does there appear to be a way to bargain one’s self out of the responsibility for sin, or out of justice served. No excuses, no reasons, and no circumstances can be offered.
But God does have grace and mercy, and He has provided us with an out; with a way to avoid the punishment which is coming “the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7, Luke 3:7 and 1 Timothy 1:10). He has offered us forgiveness for all our crimes, paying the penalty for us and thereby giving us the reward of His mercy rather than the punishment of His wrath. By accepting Christ’s death as payment for our crimes, He has provided us with a door to complete freedom. All we have to do is accept His offer and “walk through the door” promising to try and refrain from sinning any more. An impossibility really, but even future sins are forgiven when we honestly try not to commit crimes and repent when we do.
In Deuteronomy 30:19 it states: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live”
In the past, we have chosen curses rather than blessings; but the choice is still before us. Do we choose the curses God has promised for sins or the blessing of forgiveness He has offered by means of Christ’s death, the payment for our crimes. It’s a simple choice, not complicated and without mitigating factors. You choose life or death, blessings or curses, crime and punishment, or crime and forgiveness.
It’s something one should think about.
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