In a consumeristic society where capitalism defines the value and worth of our material possessions, this conceptual element gives way toward our moral understanding of liberty and justice. Take for instance, a brand new car taken from an automotive dealership looses its value once it exits the premise. From a judicial standpoint, the outcry of "the punishment must fit the crime" mirrors the value of justice and the undergirding conviction of a moral objective truth. Social outcries against ethnic injustices derives from a foundational understanding of human dignity. The worth of a human being transcends the social and economical trends of our current cultural climate. A young Hmong student, Dylan Yang, stabbed an assailant armed with what seemed to be a deadly weapon and potentially faces conviction and a life-long sentence. While a caucasian man murders three individuals and could possibly receive a reduced sentence due to a plea of mental illness. These examples form the basis on how the intrinsic value of human life play a tremendous role in the realm of justice.God Came Down:
The same rationale can be placed upon the weight of eternal justice when the salvific and redemptive ramification are in view. Some may pose the question of God's justice in light of so-called minor sins such as white lies. How could God send people to hell for something as simple as a lie? This does not fall into our definitive box of justice. Yet upon further investigation one can begin to see the eternal worth of sin in light of the Person in which humanity has sinned against.
Treason Against the Creator:
Within the narrative of creation we gain access into the rebellion that is committed against the Creator. The Scriptures clearly indicate that God is the transcendent being outside the time space continuum. Moses articulates this account in saying: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). The implication that is mounted is two-fold: (1) God stands outside of time and orchestrates the beginning of the creative order, and at the same time (2) He is not reduced to the material world rather He creates ex nihilo (out of nothing). As the Creator He is the ultimate Designer, Author, and objective standard to creation.
Therefore, the deception surrounding the words of God (Gen. 3:4) and the rebellion toward God's command against the eating of the fruit (Gen. 3:6-7) has direct correlation to His infinite value as the Creator. The sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, was intrinsically linked to the devaluing of God's infinite worth and the trampling of His ultimate glory. With God impressing the definitive standard of value by declaring, "it is good," the contrasting element arises when Adam and Eve valued their autonomy over God's life-giving Words. The redirecting of worth is the undergirding reality which gives birth to sin. James articulates this when saying: "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (Jas. 1:14-15)Consequently, eternal punishment is interrelated with the infinite value of God. Eternal damnation, properly understood, is the seeking of justice for the treason or rebellion forged against the infinitely worthy entity—God Himself. Eternity in hell equates to the treason that is committed against the eternal God. To this end Scripture communicates that "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). Death meaning the eternal separation from the infinitely valuable life source, God Almighty. To this end, the punishment does fit the crime, regardless of how we try to minimize sin.
Image of the Invisible God:
If this reality is true, then, humanity has an enormous weight hanging over their heads. An impossible feat to climb and a hopeless chasm to leap. The infinite value of God can not be reconciled by mere finite beings. In light of our current situation, the fate of mankind looms disastrous unless there is an intervention of heavenly proportion.
Good News! In the person and work of Christ this chasm as been leaped and this feat has been overcome in one bound. In the person of Christ we find God incarnate, meaning God becoming flesh (John 1:14) in order to become our righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and to take our place in punishment (Isa. 53:5). Jesus, who is the "image of the invisible God" (Col. 3:15) and the "exact imprint of His nature" (Heb. 1:3), paid the infinite value of our treason with the infinite worth of His being. When looking at the cross of Christ we can not just acknowledge the redemptive work of Jesus (though it is monumental), but our eyes must be fixed upon the infinite worth of the eternal Son. In doing so, we not only understand the sacrificial element of redemption and ultimately the biblical definition of love, but we are awaken to the infinite value of our reconciliation in Christ. Our eternal reward is granted through His infinite value. Our eternal life is fixed within His infinite worth.
Infinite Worth:
An elder once posed the question: "why do we call it Good Friday if our Savior died?" The answer looms in the fact that our Creator sought after us in such a way as to become a man and die on the cross for our salvation. Good Friday is in memory of that day in which the bondage of sin was broken and the gift of life was granted. The central emphasis of the Gospel's salvific work does not terminate upon the individual's confession, but rather in the Savior's infinite value.The salvation in which the community of saints find themselves saturated in is not contingent upon the size of their faith, but rather the object of their faith. The Good News is mounted upon the reality that the eternal chasm that separates creation from the Creator is reconciled through the eternal worth of the second person of the Trinity—God the Son. In seeing and savoring the beauty and worth of Jesus Christ, we can begin to feel the weight and majesty of the cross. In doing so, we can begin to rest in the finished work of Christ knowing that our eternal life does not start when we pass from this world, but rather when our eyes are opened to the new life we have in Christ Jesus today. Happy Good Friday!
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McYoung Yang is the husband to Debbie Yang and the father to McCayden (7), McCoy (6), McColsen (4), and DeYoung (7 months). He graduated from Crown College in Saint Bonifacius, MN with a Youth Ministry degree and has served as a Youth Pastor in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota for over 8 years. He is currently studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY for his Masters of Divinity. He hopes to use his training to serve the local church in living life through the Gospel lens.
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