Good News Bad News?

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..without holiness no one will see the Lord... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Hebrews 12:14 Romans 3:23

I had some good conversations this weekend and several trains of thought have begun. One has been on sin and holiness. After looking at some of the Levitical laws and reading laws such as, Whoever curses his father or mother must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother and deserves to die. Lev. 20:9. I found myself saying to S, "Do you think God really said that?". It seems so barbaric, over the top, unreasonable. He thought for a moment and said, "I suppose it's about holiness". I guess that was God moment because I realised again in that second that God's holiness and our sinfulness are so diametrically opposed that there is no way they can come together. He is life, and sin is death, whatever sin it is. But I am guilty of making out some sins to be worse than others, hence my reaction to Leviticus.

It is humbling to think that if I lived a perfect life and then told just one lie, I would deserve to die. That shocks me, as I think on all the sins in my life, the ones I have committed and the ones I still struggle with. I took these thoughts to worship with me last night and it was transforming. I was not just singing some great worship songs, but lifting up the One who has rescued me from all my sin. He became my sin for me and has taken away the punishment of death that I deserve. This realization, that I am corrupt and deserving of death is good news! Why? Because it takes me again to the cross where I find the solution and receive His life! Without the truth we shall never be free.