47. God Must Be Saved from Man's Sin

God Must Be Saved from Man’s Sin 1. In the first place, therefore, salvation must begin in theBeing of God.

If there had been no sin, there could have threatened no antagonistic demand as between justice and mercy. But the moment sin entered, inharmony was thrust in between these central demands of God’s love in a way that required reconciliation between them, else it would be impossible to maintain His love in its integrity.

If the law is broken, not only must the law breaker die or justice will die, but he must also be saved from death or mercy will die. What can love do in such a situation? How can justice and mercy ever act in unhindered harmony in a case like this? How can the apparently inescapable antagonism be so completely removed as to permit them to act in unison?

First, therefore, God’s love must be saved from the effects of our sin.

There must be a reconciliation between justice and mercy. The antagonism which sin would force between them must be made eternally impossible. The antinomy which would wrench God’s love in two must be forever deflected. God’s love must be established in perfect freedom to act on behalf of both the sinless and the sinful. Mercy and truth must meet together, and righteousness and peace must kiss each other. For if these things are not done, the integrity of God’s love will be destroyed in the eyes of His own universe.

God Himself must therefore be saved from such an effect in Himself of the sinner’s sin, because it is only thus that He can save the sinner from his own sin. And so salvation is first of all a problem between God and Himself, before the problem between God and man can be solved. God must find a way to continue harmony in His own Being and remain eternally reconciled within Himself, before He can reconcile to Himself a sinful race. Thus only can mercy be set free to act on behalf of the sinful.

He had given to Himself the race of man that He might lavish His love upon them. The race had been overwhelmed by an enemy, stolen away from Him, and carried beyond the reach of His love. He must therefore be saved from the heartbreak that threatens, if this situation is not ended, that the way may be opened for man to be brought back within the reach of His love.

It is as though a father’s breaking heart cried out for some one to step in and save him from the excruciating grief of seeing a loved but erring son lost to him forever, unless a way could be found to bring the son back to where his father-love could reach and save him.

Just so God’s heart cries out for one who can interpose to bring man back to Himself. His love needs to be saved from the threatened loss of those His mercy cries out to rescue from the banishment His own justice must visit upon them for their sins. God’s love must therefore be saved from the effects of our sin. But in the second place, God’s holiness must also be put right before His universe.

He is confronted not only with heart-wrench, if sin succeeds, but also with dishonor. His holy will has been set aside, flouted, trampled on. Man has denied the righteousness of God’s will by proclaiming to the universe that he prefers his own. He said by that act: My will alone is right. God’s holiness must be saved from this contempt and dishonor which man’s sin has heaped upon it.

Justice must therefore act, or else the integrity of God’s holiness also will be destroyed in the sight of His own universe. For justice and judgment are the foundation of His throne (Psalms 89:14, R.V.), and His throne is upheld by mercy (Proverbs 20:28).