No one will read all this. Too bad.

Published: April 2, 2010
Updated: 3:20 p.m.

Betty Talbert: Easter's boundless grace

By BETTY TALBERT

Story Highlights

When the weight of all sin past, present and future was placed upon Christ at crucifixion, it died with Him.

Anger and frustration have been a sour prelude to this year's Easter celebrations. Many are not used to seeing their government with such clarity. Its sins are laid bare: backroom deals; some states, and politicians, receive more equal treatment than others; the rule of law is skirted, and there is blatant denial of the impact of debt on the government coffers. It is as if the lid to Pandora's box has been ripped off only for state and federal politicians to revel in their financial corruption. Life is hard and progressively so as endemic failures like these impact so many in our country.
In light of these things, this Easter, the wisdom of Psalm 146:3-4 comes to mind, "Put not your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing." Yet, life teaches us that when their reign is over, it all begins again with a new group of princes.

Jim Atherton illustration / MCT

As creatures created in the image of God, we yearn for salvation from and justice amid this type of squalor. Yet the honest among us will admit that we also secretly fear and grieve for the consequences that our own selfishness, pride, arrogance and sin have set loose on others, creating injustice and hardship for them. In those moments, and sometimes in moments years beyond our original transgressions, we pray for a do-over, a place to start afresh to relearn the truths that give life meaning and decency. We want and need forgiveness. The human heart struggles to reconcile justice, sin and forgiveness in our own lives. We know we deserve punishment for our sin against God and others and desire forgiveness for it. Sometimes we even find ways to punish ourselves. These feelings war within us, and if we don't deal directly with the pain of sin in our lives, we suffer consequences of it as one who runs up an unpayable bill eventually suffers the price of bankruptcy for his or her unrepentant profligacy.
The Apostle Paul describes the human condition and Jesus Christ's sacrifice for humanity this way:
"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8).
Easter's message addresses heart of this human condition. Christ pays sin's debt, substitutes death on the cross for our own penalty for sin, bears the weight of our injustices upon Himself, and then creates a new heart that desires to communicate with and love God and humanity.
Søren Kierkegaard's book, "The Sickness unto Death," meditates on the deep despair of being trapped in sin and God's answer to it in Christ. He succinctly states Christ's offer to all men and women who would take it:
"... this human being has an invitation to live on the most intimate footing with God! Furthermore, for this person's sake ... God comes to the world, lets Himself be born, suffers, dies; and this suffering God, He well-nigh begs and implores this human being to accept the help offered to him. . ."
Drawn by God, humility of spirit grows as sins are confessed and the help offered by Christ is taken. With this help, indeed, with this transformation of the spirit by God, the fear of judgment for the pain caused others and self judgment gives way to the joy of forgiveness, a changed life and the promise of our heavenly inheritance.
Jesus' physical resurrection on Easter morning, which Christians teach proves His claims to provide this salvation, preceded humanity's spiritual renewal. In faith we lay our sins, suffering and the cares of this world at the foot of the empty cross of the risen Savior. As a result we receive joy and new freedom from the corrupting influences in our own lives. And so the love of God heals the sinner who humbly confesses his or her sins, accepts help and trusts Christ in faith for what lies ahead on Earth and in heaven.
So salvation is complete: When the weight of all sin past, present and future was placed upon Christ at crucifixion, it died with Him. Those who are joined with Him will not encounter God's anger for their sins. Because they are forgiven by God, they can now also forgive themselves. Justice gives way to God's mercy. Sin is paid for and forgiveness is rooted in the unassailable goodness of Christ. We can now enter into God's boundless grace through every passage of life, until heaven welcomes us home. And hereafter, no matter what challenges life brings, our faith and trust will be firmly anchored in God – not in the princes of this world.
May your Easter be blessed.