Retribution

If I am afraid of someone or some circumstance more than I trust God then I am in idolatry – which is more common than I would like to admit. If I confess – agree with the Holy Spirit about His conviction – and repent – allow Him to turn my heart away from fear to trust in Him – then I will be saved from a dysfunctional life that short-circuits the power flow into a peaceful, resting, confident, joy-filled witness of what God is really like.

Jesus took upon Himself my identity and accepted the results of the law of retribution. (see My Utmost for His Highest 6-22 for excellent insight on this) He offers me His identity to receive the results of His righteousness under the law.

If I accuse Him of identity theft I accuse Him of having the character of Satan. In so doing I take on the character of Satan myself and refuse Him permission to take away my retribution thereby bringing it back onto myself.

If I indulge in a spirit of fault-finding criticism I will indeed find faults. But to my horror, sooner or later I realize I have found them rooted in me.

I want to employ the universal law of retribution in the positive. That is the essence of humility. Humility looks at the goodness that God has created in others, often that they cannot see themselves. Positive retribution brings out the characteristics of God in me that I discover in others. Humility allows me to actively seek His hidden goodness in others, especially in those who are deeply camouflaged by lies and sinful externals. By beholding I become changed. This is a statement of the principle of retribution.