Fair Trade 💱
"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." ~ 1 John 2:2
Exchanging something that you cannot lose, for something that you cannot keep.
This is essentially what's at the heart of the Gospel message and the offer that Jesus makes to every human being on (or around) the planet.
Give up your sinful self-sufficiency in exchange for a relationship with a loving God, where dependency on your own strength and smarts is swapped out for trust in an infallible plan for your life... designed by the same Person who designed you.
Well, that seems like a no-brainer. So why don't people hands-down see it that way as well?
Either those who reject Christ's offer don't understand that this life is not something that they can hold on to indefinitely, with all its joys, riches, pleasures, etc. or they don't understand that eternal life through Christ is something that they cannot lose.
It is therefore our job and mission to be ready to explain that true fact to everyone who would maybe want to listen.
One big obstacle, is coming to terms with the depth of the problem we face as humans, on an eternal scale: the fact that we have a broken relationship with God and need it mended.
Clearing that, the next hurdle is accepting that God is so full of love and compassion that "yes", He will totally forgive us, welcome us and adopt us for all eternity to live with Him in eternal joy.
The joy and beauty that this world offers is fleeting, much of it disappearing even before we "check out".
Once we help our fellow humans clear those 2 stumbling blocks it makes for a much clearer path for them to walk to and with Jesus.
Why? What are we left looking at?
Well, let's see... on one hand, we have the weight of sin and shame, the void and discomfort from lacking that intimacy with our God and Creator... and on the other hand we have unspeakable joy and assurance, living free as children of the King for all eternity.
Trading the Guilt of Sin, for the Gift of Salvation... it seems like we're getting the better end of that deal to be honest... but what we do know from God's Word is that from His perspective, He's okay with treating it as a Fair Trade.