mercy

The New Testament is clear. Through the work of Jesus at the cross, the lost find salvation from sin. The apostle Paul reinforces this truth in the following verses:

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” – Colossians 2:13-14

Catch that phrase: “the charge of our legal indebtedness.” It sounds more judicial than moral. Were we sinners or criminals? It appears we were both!

But Paul wasn’t thinking about arrest records or Roman governance. He was building on an Old Testament principle.

God couches His dealings with sin in legal terms.

Here’s an example:

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the LORD, ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’” – Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)

The Hebrew word for “reason together” (yakah) covers a range of meanings, including proving, judging, reasoning, correcting, convincing, and arguing. These come into play in legal proceedings in the ancient world. Unlike modern systems, those in the Old Testament era were less formal. Bible scholars often refer to such disputes as lawsuits. And they don’t mean it in the contemporary sense of filing a claim through an attorney, serving papers to the opponent, and settling matters in a civil court.

In Israel, people handled controversies in a more spontaneous manner. They would assemble a few elders and witnesses, engage their adversary, and debate back and forth until they resolved the trouble. 

Let’s return to the verse in Isaiah. When God addresses Israel, He isn’t issuing them a summons. He’s calling them to engage Him in a controversy. At issue? Their sins, and what to do about them.

In this verse, the Lord jumps from problem to solution. The sins of the people are real, but they can change. Blood red evil can become snow white.

So God isn’t out to destroy His people. His aim is transformation, not ruination.

But they have a part to play. God invites their input. “Let us reason together.” He won’t do all the talking. The people are free to speak their minds. What will they say?

They can deny their transgressions. The Jews don’t have to change their ways because their actions are fine. All they have to do is convince the Lord they’re right! Their deeds were never red; they were white all the time!

They can excuse their sins. God’s people can explain why they’ve done what they’ve done. And that should be enough to convince the Lord to ease up and back off.

And there are so many excuses!

• You have to be tough in the business world.
• I can control my drinking anytime I want.
• I made him pay for what he said; he deserved it.
• I couldn’t help myself; these websites are all over the place.
• It’s only a few dollars, and besides, everybody does it.

They can repent. If God is right, agree with Him. Concede. Of all the options, this is least threatening. Why? Because God promises blessing, not retribution. Debating with God is an argument you will enjoy losing! Not only do you see yourself as you are, but you also get to see a new you.

And this promise given by God through Isaiah points to the New Testament. It’s in the suffering and death of Jesus that we learn who we are. But it’s in His resurrection that we discover who we can become. Who He can make us.

Christ fulfills the promises of the prophets. So we have nothing to lose. We can reason with the Lord and get serious about the condition of our hearts and our lives. And through the grace of Jesus, we receive cleansing, renewal, and hope. When we lose the argument with God, we win!

So let’s reason together with the Lord!