Oppositeville

"If the anointed Kohen will sin, bringing guilt upon the people..." Lev. 4:3 Tanach (Hebrew/English Old Testament)

What a raw deal! It's understandable to be guilty for one's own deeds, but for some one else's? That's just not fair. The Bible never calls God fair. He is just.

"...and there is no God else beside me: a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me." Isaiah 45:21 (KJV).

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you," Psalm 89:14 (NIV).

The truth that God is always just makes Leviticus 4:3 appear not only unfair but also, unjust. How can God violate His own character and remain God?

Throughout the Bible I find what I term the Law of Divine Opposites. My former pastor and friend, Rocky Thompson calls this Oppositeville. For example, if righteousness and justice form the foundation of God's throne, we know that the enemy's is the exact opposite. In Leviticus God wasn't looking to dump guilt on innocent people, just the opposite.

God provided the legal framework that allowed the sin of one to be transferred to all so that in Oppositeville the converse would be possible.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross," 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV).

Applying the Law of Divine Opposites, God made it possible for the righteousness of the Kohen or High Priest to be imputed to all the people. All He needed was a someone to meet that qualification.

Paul quoted Ecclesiastes 7:20 when he wrote, "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one.'" Romans 3:10 (NIV). When the writer of Ecclesiastes penned those words there were no righteous people including the High Priest. It was B. C., Before Christ.

High priests descended from Levi. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah but that wasn't a problem for God.

"The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'" Psalm 110:4 (NIV).

Per the Law of Divine Opposites or Oppositeville, if the guilt of one could be placed on all, then the righteousness of one could remove it and reconcile them to God. Perfectly legal.

"... so that him we might become the righteousness of God" 2 Cor. 5:21. (NIV).

How about you? If you've already been reconciled to God how would you describe your righteousness in Christ? If you've not thought of yourself in this way before, how will your image of yourself change in the face of this truth? When you meditate on this, how can it re-frame your identity? If you've not received God's reconciliation, why not? Do you really want to turn down God's offer for a chance to live in Oppositeville?