In this blog post, covering the topic of why humanity needs redemption, we will see the glorious truth of God’s love for all mankind and His redemptive plan for all who will believe the gospel. Due to the nature and the depth to be covered, this will be a multi-part blog series. The material presented first may not seem to be relevant to the topic, but it is necessary to present this information up front, so please follow along closely and think with us because all of this is leading to the very important truths of this topic.
Understanding the Vast Difference Between God and Humanity
As humans, we do not possess nearly the amount of intelligence we think we do compared or relative to the Almighty Creator God of the Universe. The key words to remember throughout this entire blog teaching are comparison and relative. In fact, I submit that they are the key words to everything pertaining to God from our human perspective. We obviously can only think in human terms, but God, well, can we even begin to image the mind of the infinite being that He is?
It is impossible for us to understand the mind, ways and thoughts of God. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9) (emphasis mine).
Everything presented here will be from the point of view of comparison and relative to. As common sense should tell us, there is a vast difference (to say the least) between God and us humans in terms of knowledge, intelligence, and all the essential aspects of life (though listening to some people they appear not to think so).
This blog post must of necessity begin with some proven scientific facts about the human body and the universe, which of themselves are far beyond our ability to comprehend in their functioning capacities. However, this information is essential to put in perspective the enormous distance between our “intelligence” and that of the Creator God of the Bible.
In the Isaiah passage above regarding how high God’s thoughts and ways are, compared to us, God uses the earth and heavens as an illustration.
The Universe Reveals the Greatness of the Creator
The earth’s atmosphere extends up to about 6,200 miles above the surface! Most of it is concentrated within the first 10 miles.
In 2 Corinthians 12:2, we are told of a “third” heaven. So where exactly is that? We don’t know. Not everyone in the scientific community agrees where outer space actually begins. Most scientists agree that what is called the Karman line, is situated 62 miles above sea level and marks the transition point between Earth and space.
But even if there is agreement on that, the real issue and thought to consider with respect to God as it relates to us is, how big or vast is outer space?
This is where we just begin to get a very, very slight glimpse of the true awesomeness (not in the use of that word of ordinary routine things that is so overly misused by many today) of God.
Think about this.
With all the technology available today, the observable universe alone is believed to be about 92 billion light-years across, and it may be even larger or infinite! One light year is about 5.8 trillion miles!
So here is the point.
When we sincerely want to know and understand the things of God as it pertains to all His miraculous ways toward us, we should not think that any of His methods for achieving His purposes are strange or impossible, as hard to comprehend as they may be. Logic and common sense should tell anyone that thinks rationally, that a “Big Bang”, no matter how many billions of years ago it is alleged to have happened, could never produce the extremely complex life forms, ultra intricate and sophistications of every living organism on this planet.
The Human Body and Creation Point to Intelligent Design
Additionally, the law of biogenesis is clear. It states that life arises only from pre-existing life, not from non-living matter. Yet, there are still literally millions believing in the theory of evolution and it is being taught as fact in schools.
Just think about this for a minute.
DNA is so important because it contains the instructions necessary for life. The code within our DNA provides directions on how to make proteins that are vital for our growth, development, and overall health (healthline.com/health/what-is-dna). The entire human body contains trillions of cells. If we could connect all the DNA from every cell in our body end-to-end, the length would be truly astronomical. The combined length would stretch from the Earth to the Sun and back over 600 times!
That should serve as tangible proof of the utterly amazing efficient creative structuring of our complex bodies which obviously requires design and not randomness.
Darwin knew nothing of DNA or the structure and the operation of the cell, because its knowledge was discovered after his time.
For more detailed important information on the human body and universe see our blog posts:
- The Human Body – Clear Evidence of God
- In the Beginning God – A Logical Argument for God’s Existence
- There is No Creator God? – Really?
Suffice it to say, science and reason demand the very God the Holy Bible presents. Except for God’s unique qualities of self-existence, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, sinlessness, etc., we humans reflect, though imperfectly, God’s characteristics.
Made in God’s Image: The Eternal Nature of Humanity
God created man (humans) in “His own image….” (Genesis 1:27), not physically, because God is a Spirit (John 4:24).
Hence, we humans must also be a spirit living in a physical body. There is no other reasonable explanation for our intellectual abilities to form ideas and express them in words since emotions, thoughts, will, etc., are not physical but spiritual. That provable fact (though some obviously would disagree) involves serious consequences from which physical death provides no escape. There are numerous examples in scripture that prove that we are a non-physical soul and spirit living in a physical body.
For example, “….may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT (emphasis mine).
Bodies, being material, begin to die from birth, deteriorate, and eventually return to dust: “…for you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19 NLT)
But the spiritual part of us, which thinks and makes choices, the soul and spirit, are not visible to physical eyes, and not subject to deterioration and must continue to exist forever.
“For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” – 2 Corinthians 4:18
Why Humanity Needs Redemption
The fact that death does not end human existence carries awesome eternal consequences. God is perfectly holy and by His very nature must punish sin by banishing the sinner from His presence.
Many people appear to have an issue with the use of the word sinner when it is used from God’s perspective to describe the condition of a person who is not in right relationship with Him.It is very clear from just listening to the general description people give of themselves or others, that if they are not in right relationship with God, they do not see that as a big deal or being in a sinful state the way God sees it (they appear to view themselves as a “good” person).
Sin as God Himself defines it is, “…the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4); “All unrighteousness is sin:..” (1 John 5:17). Romans 3:23 in the NLT puts in this way, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Are People Really Good? God’s Standard of Righteousness
Suppose there was a worldwide survey taken to ask this question, “Do you consider yourself to be a good person?” Undoubtedly, the overwhelming response by the vast majority would most probably be that they do consider themselves to be a “good” person.
Typically, people tend to respond positively to this question because as humans we tend to make that judgment from a comparative or relative perspective, i.e., comparing ourselves to others.
The problem with that perspective is two-fold.
First, there is grave danger in comparing ourselves to others. God tells us it is not wise.
2 Corinthians 10:12 says, “…but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
Jeremiah 17:9, ““The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (nkjv)
Secondly, God’s evaluation of the self-righteous human condition is alarming.
He stated in Isaiah 64:6, “…and all our righteousness are like filthy rags;”
When we look at what the Hebrew word ʻÊD was translated “filthy” as in this verse, and not to be vulgar here, but this Hebrew word means “the menstrual flux (as periodical).” This is saying that all our “human goodness” from God’s perspective, is as a menstrual cloth.
I am sure there is probably not one person who sees themselves, in their natural human condition, outside of Christ, this way. This is certainly an eye-opener.
Now of course, we are not saying that there aren’t some “good” people in the world and that many people do possess good qualities, etc. But again, let’s go back to our words, compare and relative. In comparison to God, our “goodness” just isn’t good enough when it comes down to the ultimate issue.
This is not presented to make anyone feel guilty before God, though when a person is not in right standing with God, they should feel guilty (Romans 3:19) because then they are in a mindset that leads to repentance. There is clearly a significant moral difference between how we humans view ourselves and how we truly are compared and relative to the holy, perfect, and only true God (John 17:3).
The Consequences of Sin and Humanity’s Separation From God
When sin entered the world through Adam (Romans 5:12), Eve was his accomplish, the Spirit of God withdrew from their seditious spirits, bringing immediate spiritual death, which also affected their bodies and finally resulted in physical death.
Related: What is Death and Why Does Death Happen?
This harsh penalty was not just for “stealing some fruit” but for rebelling against the living God.
Genesis 2:17 says, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (emphasis mine)
Genesis 3:22 also states, “Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” (emphasis mine)
It appears that their bodies could have lived forever if they had eaten continuously. However, it could not restore spiritual life by bringing God’s Spirit back into their spirits. God will not perpetuate man in his sinful condition.
God’s Justice and His Desire to Save and Redeem Humanity
So, what is God to do? Despite our sin, God still loves His creatures and is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). In His infinite love, He “desires all men (people) to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). His desire for all humanity is full and eternal restoration to the glory in which Adam was created, and in a new world where sin can never enter.
However, because of His integrity and holiness He cannot and will not just turn a blind eye to the egregious and sinful condition and acts of His creatures.
Think of it this way.
If a person stands before a judge having been found guilty of a heinous crime, murder, rape or some other horrible offense, and the judge just lets that person go free because the judge is a “good” person, would we consider that judge a “good” jurist. Of course not. There is not a civilized country in the world that does not recognize that crimes should be met with punishments.
Psalms 89:14 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.”
How Redemption Reconciles Humanity to God
God is perfectly just. God’s love, compassion, and mercy cannot override His justice, which will not allow sin to be forgiven unjustly. Nor will God’s integrity allow Him to go back on His Word.
Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (emphasis mine)
A wage is obviously something we earn, usually monetary, after we have completed a specific task. We don’t typically think of it this way, but from God’s perspective, all of humanity has earned the death penalty. That takes humility to accept.
It is a very hard thing for us to accept, but unless we see it that way, we cannot begin to understand the degree and depth of what sin is to God. It is profound, intense and serious to Him. When we begin to see it that way, it is then, and only then, can we begin to realize the enormity of the cost to pay for that sin, and why God Himself was the only one who could pay that price.
Sinful man must be reconciled to a holy God and brought back into an intimate relationship so that the very life of God becomes once again the life of mankind or we are doomed eternally.
In the first three chapters of the Bible, Genesis 1-3, we see the account of God creating man in His image, and the following eight chapters actually gives us a preview of the history and events to come through the corruption, catastrophe and confusion that follows. This then leads to the final consummation of the world as we know it through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, to reconcile us back to God the Father.
The Bible calls this reconciliation, “redemption.” It is the amazing love event of God Himself willfully leaving His glory to become a man through the virgin birth, being misunderstood, hated, falsely accused, mocked, rejected, and nailed to a cross by His own creation.
As He hung there, He took upon Himself the sins of the world, suffering and paying the penalty for all mankind demanded by His own perfect justice. From a human perspective, this seems too good to be true. The word “Gospel” means good news or glad tidings.
What Comes Next in God’s Redemptive Plan
We will continue with this topic of redemption in the next blog post.
This will necessitate a look into the Old Covenant/Testament, which is full of pictures pointing to and preparations for the sacrifice of Christ. The Old Testament has several examples of types and shadows that clearly show and records prophesies about the coming Messiah who would usher in the glorious truth of God’s love for all mankind and His redemptive plan for all who will believe the gospel.
In the New Testament we have very solid evidence, based on historical facts, including eyewitness testimony, and even extra-biblical reports that confirm the contours of the events.
