Perspective - How Do You See Things?

Perspective

• Art of drawing solid objects on a 2-D surface to give the right impression of height, depth, width, and position with regard to the other objects around it.

• A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; point of view

In a Sunday School lesson I was studying, the writer observed that the topic could be viewed through two lenses. If we think about it, most topics have at least two views, or perspectives.

As an artist, I teach perspective drawing. I have students draw a building or a bridge by picking their own horizon and one point on each end as their vanishing points. Each student will draw the same building, but the perspective will be their own. 

It’s the same way in life. We all look at our lives, life in general, from our own point of view. Our own lens.

But there is one thing about which we don’t have a choice regarding our point of view. Sin. Since the beginning of time, when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s instructions and sin entered the world, it has brought suffering.  Adam and Eve were removed from Eden and forced to toil the land for their food. Then Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain grew angry at his brother because his offering to the Lord was not accepted and his brother’s was. His anger grew until he killed his brother Abel.  Because of his sin, he was forced to be a fugitive in the earth and his face was hidden from God. (Gen 4)

Later in Genesis 19, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of their sin, as fire and brimstone rained down from Heaven. Throughout the Bible we see sin and how it destroys lives: the woman at the well (John 4), the adulterous woman (John 8). The Jews sinned and turned their backs on God and wandered 40 years in the desert. Abraham, because of his sin, wasn’t allowed to set foot in the promised land (Num 20). 

Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death.” Under the Old Testament law, there was a blood sacrifice demanded to cover your sins. This practice was required until the final sacrifice was given for all our sins, past, present, and future, Jesus. When Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, He took the sins of the worlds upon Himself. He was blameless, guiltless, perfect. Even the thief on the cross next to Jesus admitted he deserved his punishment, but Jesus was blameless and had done nothing (Luke 23:41). Jesus could have stepped down from the Cross, but He knew a blood sacrifice was required.

Now Jesus was God’s son, pure and holy without blame. God could not be in the presence of sin or evil. Sin separates us from God. It is a chasm, a very deep crack that cannot be crossed between man and God. But with His death, Jesus bridged the gap, allowing us to be in God’s presence again. 

When Christ took on all our sins, the pain was not just upon Him. The sin was so great, that for the first time God had to turn His eyes off Jesus. For the first time, Jesus and God were separated. Separated by Sin. The sun went dark and a darkness came over the whole land until Jesus took His final breath. Jesus' perspective was that you were worthy of His Sacrifice.

What’s your perspective?