My friend, Winkie Pratney, shared a fictional story to help
folks understand Easter.
“It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits,and humbly to implore his protection and favors.” – George Washington, first president of the United States
My friend, Winkie Pratney, shared a fictional story to help folks understand Easter.
There once was a land where there was little crime and great respect for the law. Happy people credited that to a wonderful judge who was the chief justice in the nation. He was known for his love and respect for justice and reason in the law.
He was also known as a wonderful family man. He had a son he loved a great deal. There were frequent news stories about the judge and his son going places and doing things together.
One day, tragedy struck. The boy committed the crime of the century. It was a horrible deed that rocked the whole nation. There was no doubt about his guilt.
Folks wondered what would happen. If the judge let his son off, there would be no respect for the law. On the other hand, like the boy, they could not believe he could enforce the penalty (death) upon his own boy.
The boy kept thinking, “Somehow, dad is going to find a way to let me off, I know he loves me.”
The day of the trial arrived. The whole nation watched with deep concern. When the time came to pronounce sentence the judge rose and spoke, “Son, you have been found guilty. The penalty for your crime is death in the gas chamber. The execution will take place here and now.”
As the bailiff wheeled a portable gas chamber to the front of the court room, the people gasped. “Well! At least the streets will still be safe to walk at night.” The son struggled and shouted, “All this time I thought you loved me! You don’t love me, you love the law!” The judge responded, “Son, the law must be upheld. I choose to pay the penalty in your place.”
The judge then stepped down from the bench, removed his judicial robe, entered the gas chamber – and died.
Since the judge had no penalty of his own to pay, he was qualified to pay the penalty for his son. There was no longer any doubt of his love for his son. As the son left the court house, a free man, do you suppose he felt any debt to his father? Do you suppose the people’s respect for law was strengthened? Lastly, what sort of justice do you suppose the boy might expect, were he to commit another crime?
Good law is not the enemy of liberty, it is the guardian. Law is a “rule of action imposed by a superior upon an inferior.” To the extent the inferior is dependent, to that extent the inferior is obligated to obey that law.
For example, “If you are going to live in this house, you will obey our house rules.” Another example, “If you ride in this carpool, you don’t smoke.” In each example, the inferior is obliged only while “living in this house,” or while “riding in this carpool.”
Law without liberty is slavery. A slave has no choice but to obey. On the other hand, liberty without law is anarchy. If each person is lawless, human nature produces a bloodbath.
Let me suggest a solution, “Liberty with law.” When God created everything that was created, he created rules of action (laws) to govern creation. Rocks and seas are governed by cause and effect (gravity, electricity, magnetism are names we give such laws). Trees and crops are governed by such things as sunlight and osmosis. Animals, fish, birds and the like are governed by rules of action we call “instinct.”
Humans must also submit to such laws. Note that violation of these “laws of nature will result in destruction.” Swallows would not find Capistrano. Salmon would not find spawning pools … To the extent the inferior depends upon the superior, to that extent there is obligation.
Only humans were created with choice (free will). We may choose to disobey the rules of nature and of nature’s God. When you choose an action, you also choose a consequence. Laws have penalties. The “laws of liberty,” set down by our Creator, guard individual liberty. Since each of us is dependent upon our Creator in every respect, we are obligated to obey His rules of action in every respect.
Now, can you see why the ungodly are so anxious to separate us from the Ten Commandments? Without them, there are no rules of action to govern freewill (human choices). They are imposed by a superior who wants the very best for each of us.
Law must be respected. When broken, a penalty must be paid. Christ is the only human (i.e. Conceived in a womb, entered the world as a child growing into a man.) who lived His life without violating a single “law of nature, or of nature’s God.”
Thus, like the judge in Winkie’s story, he was qualified to pay the penalty for your unlawfulness and mine. Like the son in the story, each of us should be humbled by that great love and compassion.
The good news of Easter is – Unlike the judge in the story, The Son of God (Conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb, lived a sinless life, suffered and died paying our penalty.) was raised from the tomb and lives today in Heaven as advocate (defense lawyer) before the ultimate Judge, for those of us who have chosen to accept his grace.
Think of that on Easter Sunday morning, then treat it as though your life depends upon it – It does!
