Hard life is our kismet, our destiny. Lent is a story of Jesus’ kismet, His fate, His destiny. Lent is not the whole story, but is is a necessary part of the story. The kismet of Lent sets up the unexpected joy of Easter. But we—humanity, human history—cannot get to Easter without going through Lenten kismet. Jesus went through a predetermined and unavoidable destiny through the pain and suffering of the cross in order to bring us the joy of Easter. There was no other way. But not because God needs a blood sacrifice to satisfy His sense of justice, as a recompense for our sinfulness.
Jesus did not hang on the cross because God demanded it, nor because God needed it. Jesus did not do it for God. Jesus did it for us. God didn’t need to see Jesus’ willingness to suffer for the sake of our salvation. Rather, we needed to see it. We still need it! It’s not that Jesus’ death on the cross satisfied God’s thirst for blood atonement. God doesn’t thirst for blood. God doesn’t need anything, and not needing anything, there is nothing that can satisfy God’s need. Because God doesn’t have any need! Atonement is not for God. Atonement is for us.
“Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience” (v. 6).
What kept some of the ancient Israelites from the Promised Land? Disobedience, which the Authorized Version translates as unbelief. …
It’s interesting that unbelief and disobedience are so closely related, as to be the same thing. They are united through the doctrine of works-righteousness. How so? Doing the right things, or obedience, will not necessarily lead to right belief. Unbelievers can do the right things and still end up in hell.
But right belief will necessarily lead to obedience, because truth is compelling. This means that belief that is not yoked with obedience is not true belief. It is not belief in God’s whole truth. …
