The diner on East Forty-Fifth Street was crowded, but not packed. Harry and Jim sat at a small table by the window.
“Harry, I still don’t understand it. How does all the personal relationship stuff work again? The dots don’t connect for me.”
“I get it, Jim. The relationship with God almost defies description because of our inability to grasp its magnitude. Let’s try this; imagine your little five-year-old girl works diligently with crayons on construction paper to draw you the ‘most beautiful picture in the world.’ She pours her heart and soul into this one image and comes to you with great pride and a beaming smile, confident she’s created a masterpiece that will please you immensely.”
Jim looked at Harry, trying to discern where he was going with the story.
Harry continued. “She hands you the crumpled and tattered paper, and it’s almost indecipherable scrawling colors, and steps back waiting for your immediate recognition and joyous gratitude for her magnificent work of art. You examine the drawing and declare it is the best drawing of a circus acrobat you’ve ever seen in your life. Your daughter laughs and says, “No, daddy, I drew you a monkey.”
You drop to your knees, laughing, and wrap her entire being up in your arms, squeezing her little body close and loving on her, even though her very best effort to please you fell far short of perfection. You wrap your whole heart around your child. Tears well up in your eyes because of the intimacy of the moment, and you feel as if your body, heart, and soul are enveloping her in one giant spiritual embrace. You know that you would lie down your life for her if necessary.”
“Harry, my father would never do something like that for me,” Jim said in a low, remorseful voice.
“Well, Jim, God feels that way about you, despite how your natural father would act. He feels it so strongly that Jesus laid down His life to pay the full price for your sins. God’s love moving through you allows you to love others like you have never loved them before, including a new and stronger love for your wife.
An unintentional sob broke through Jim’s filters and surfaced before he could stop it. Harry raised his eyebrows.
“Sorry, Harry. I don’t know where that came from. I wish it could be different with Alice, wish it could be like it used to be, but it’s gotten worse. We’re considering divorce, but how do we become more like you and your wife. I think I’m ready to listen to what you have to say now. So again, so why did you say Jesus had to die on the cross? If God is all-powerful, couldn’t He forgive everyone’s sins and let them start over again?”
“It would seem as if He could do it like you said, Jim, but in reality, He can’t. You see, God has to stay consistent with his nature. While it’s true He is all-merciful and all-loving, it’s is also in His character to be all-just.
“How would it be a problem, Harry? I don’t see the issue.”
“Jim, God wouldn’t be a real God if He weren’t one hundred percent lawful and one hundred percent merciful. This brings about quite a problem. If he is totally lawful, and you sin, the Bible says the penalty for sin is death, meaning hell. By sinning, you have rejected Him. Therefore He must grant your wish and send you away from him. To have a just and lawful character eliminates the ability to be merciful. To have a merciful character eliminates the ability to be just and lawful. Do you see the problem, Jim?”
“Yes, I think so. It seems like a conundrum.”
“Sure looks like it, doesn’t it? Couple it with the fact we cannot pay the full price for our sins against God by ourselves anyhow, and we have a real issue.”
“But doesn’t going to hell pay for our sins? My grandmother’s religion said a person could go to a place called purgatory to work off their sins.”
“It’s a comforting thought, but not a chance, Jim. We can go deeper into it later. Let’s get back to the solution to our problem.
The only solution is for one member of the Godhead to become a man, live a sinless life, and be crucified while the Father poured out all the punishment on Him that mankind deserves. This would pay the price in full for every sin committed in the past, present, or future. Now when you stand before God, He sees your debt paid in full. You can receive all of God’s mercy. Perfect justice, perfect mercy! There are no other practical solutions.”
“So are you saying everyone has had their sins paid for, and therefore, everyone is going to heaven?”
“Well, yes to the first part and, sadly, no to the second part, Jim.”
“Huh?”
“The ‘yes’ part is all sins are paid for. The ‘no’ part comes in because not everyone is willing to accept the free gift they have been given. No one is ever required to take the gift He has given them, but if you refuse it, guess where you are telling God you would rather be!”
“You’re saying if I don’t accept the gift, God will send me to hell?”
“No, Jim, that’s not what I’m saying at all. God never sends anyone to hell. People elect to go by not accepting Christ’s free gift of salvation. He has done everything that can possibly be done to allow you to live with Him, but you have complete control over the outcome. All He does is honor your decision.”
“Harry, you make it all sound so simple. Do you think God will still accept me after all I’ve done?”
“Well, he accepted me after what I’d done, and I’ve done some bad stuff. While I was living on Chicago’s south side as a young man, I had to pass an initiation to join a gang. You had to hang with a gang to survive on the streets. As part of the initiation, I almost… well… never mind. I fled to New York instead. The Bible says God will accept ALL that come to Him. You are part of the ‘all,’ right?”
“I give in, Harry. I yield, you’ve worn me down. I want to change. I want to get Alice back. I’ll give up Francine and Gabriella. What do I have to do now?”
“Simple, Jim. All you have to do is admit you have sinned, are sorry, acknowledge Jesus is the Son of God, died to entirely pay the price for your sins, and rose again. Then thank him. Ask Him to live in your heart.”
“That’s too simple, Harry. There must be more.”
“Well, Jim, there is. You have to actually mean it.”
“I’m in! Let’s do it, Harry. I can’t wait to tell Alice all about this!”