The Lord Must Intervene

7           “How can I pardon you?
Your children have forsaken me
and have sworn by those who are no gods.
                        When I fed them to the full,
they committed adultery
and trooped to the houses of whores.
            8           They were well-fed, lusty stallions,
each neighing for his neighbor’s wife.
            9           Shall I not punish them for these things?
declares the Lord;
and shall I not avenge myself
on a nation such as this?
Jeremiah 5:7-9
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The Lord Must Intervene
Our sins are great. There is none that is righteous. Our filth is from the inside out. In Adam's sin we have shattered the whole perfect image of God. We need God to intervene and rework our image and our heart. We need to be cleansed from the inside out. So, he creates a new heart for us. He casts out the heart that is black with evil intentions and puts in its place a heart that is a temple to the Holy Spirit. But he must punish for the iniquity of man. The sins must be paid for. He does so by sending his Son. He sends Jesus to take your sins and kill them on his cross. He takes your punishment and suffers it for you. He takes your place. How can God pardon you? He puts Jesus in your stead and clothes you in Jesus' righteousness in your Baptism. Jesus takes your sin and gives you his righteousness. In this way, he restores the image of God to you and pardon's all your sins.