God, The “Big Guy Upstairs?” Really?
All “sin” really boils down to a root cause which is rebellion against God’s plan, purpose, and desire for mankind. But, “God is Love,” is the verse that is heard bandied about and that is true, but there is a but, and it is a big one. Yes, God is perfect in love, BUT, He is also perfect in judgment and herein lies the problem.
Some people reveal how they have marginalized God by occasionally making statements like: “When I talk to the Big Guy upstairs.” What? How delusional can people be? In the scriptures nearly everyone that got close to God were so effected by His Holiness, they fell flat on their faces. Genesis 13:3, Numbers 22:31, Joshua 7:6, Ezekiel 3:23, Matthew 17:5-7.
In Isaiah 29:16, God talks about those of His creation who think that they are “all that.” “Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me?” Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it,“He has no understanding?” Later Isaiah says: But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8. So, a crucial step in establishing a right relationship with God is to know His place, and your place.
God is just and merciful, but He is also stern (perfect) in judgment. To gain an understanding of how serious God is toward rebellion, consider that reconciling mankind to God, required that mankind’s rebellion had to be punished. In the days of the tabernacle, and later the Temple, the reconciling was through the shedding of blood of innocent animals; animals specially chosen without spot or blemish. The animal sacrifices ordained by God were just a temporary measure to cover the sins of the people. The blood didn’t do anything magical, it was part of instructing mankind (starting with the Jews) an impacting awareness of what the consequences of sin looked like. As they saw the blood flowing, they realized it. The sacrifices were an action of trust (faith) by those being obedient to follow God’s instructions in regard their sins. Of course this awareness and symbolism ultimately looked forward to the time that Jesus, the Lamb of God, would be sacrificed to universally atone the sins for those who trusted in Him as their atoning sacrifice. John the baptist understood it when he declared: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Consider this. If the only way that God’s justice could be satisfied was to have the only one qualified, His only Son atone for it, how likely is it that God would let your transgressions slide or accept some other way at mitigating them? No chance at all. God offers forgiveness of sins to everyone that will trust His instructions and claim His Son, Jesus, as being their personal “Sacrificial Lamb.” Sadly though, relatively few will accept His generous offer as Jesus warned: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
Far from the, “Big guy upstairs,” God is the Creator of all and He has given you life and not only that, eternal life with Him if you want it. He has demonstrated His love by atoning for your sins Himself, subjecting His Son to the evil in this world and opening the door for your salvation. He is precisely just in judgment and will not allow any rebellious deviation from His offer of salvation however good they seem. God’s menu says, “No Substitutions.” I encourage you to give in to Him and take your proper place in His plan, which is adoption into the eternal family of God. Do it today.