The heavenly Father is not looking for ways to punish people; He is not trying to amass an account of debit against anyone!
But it's not merely emotionalism that makes Him to be so gracious to us: there is a solid legal or judicial reason for His kindness to us sinners:
(a) His Son, Jesus Christ, has come down from heaven, surrendered His high position at the throne and has become one of the human race.
(b) He has taken upon Himself the fallen, sinful human nature that Adam has passed on to everyone; therefore judicially the Father is free to treat every person, no matter how sinful, as though he or she has never sinned.
(c) This is what we can experience in "justification by faith."
(d) To be justified is to be cleansed, corrected, made "at one" with Christ.
(e) To be justified is infinitely more than just having your present quality of life extended indefinitely; such "eternal life" would not be a blessing!
(f) To be at one with Christ in character--this is what it means to "receive the atonement."
(g) But the Lord will not force such sublime "eternal life" on anyone; He will give every one of us what we really want above all else.
(h) Therefore He has given us "today" so that we may learn to be happy in union with Christ.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
