Making Up

It is because of the fact that the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God that we should relate to him in the natural realm, as Jesus did with the woman at the well. One way to do this is to compare spiritual truths to the things of this life. Take for instance the place of contrition. How can an unregenerate man understand such a deeply spiritual word? The answer is to relate it to something he can understand, such as a relationship with a woman he loves. When they have had an argument, he will have experienced a "barrier" between them. They no longer feel close. That barrier is something called "contention," and with contention comes a barrier of pride. Pride is a high wall that stops him seeing the one he loves. All he can see is his point of view, his rights, his feelings. What is the door that will bring them close again? It is the lowly door of humility.

The same principles apply to the God with whom the sinner is in contention. There is an enmity between the two (see Romans 8:7), and in this case, God is in the right and we are in the wrong. The Law of God lifts us up over that high wall so that we can see God's point of view. It gives us a glimpse into His righteousness and our sinful and proud hearts. It humbles us so that we can find a place of contrition (sorrow) and reconciliation through the blood of the cross.