When I drafted my blogs in the series “Deals About Slavery and Racism” I pointed out that transactions (deals) don’t overcome slavery and racism. Instead, slavery and racism are only overcome with relationships grounded in repentance, justice and mercy.

Therefore, the key to overcoming slavery and racism is not the art of the deal. It’s the art of love. It’s the art of your faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6-7).

Furthermore, the art of having your faith express itself through love (Galatians 5:6-7) will empower you to fulfill the vision of Abraham by living the Way that will bless all people. (Genesis 12:3).

The art of having your faith express itself through love (Galatians 5:6-7) will empower you to fulfill the vision of Moses by living the Way that will challenge all pharaohs to set all people free. (Exodus 5:1).

The art of having your faith express itself through love (Galatians 5:6-7) will empower you to fulfill the vision of Jesus by living the Way that will heal all people and all Humanity (Luke 10:27-37).

The importance of having a relationship with the LORD instead of merely having a transaction with the LORD is sometimes obscured by explaining the Work of Jesus on the Cross as a transaction (deal) that pays the penalty for our sins with the Blood of Jesus—a transaction that enables each believer to enter heaven when they die or are raptured.

Of course, this explanation of the Work of Jesus on the Cross is true and important.

But this explanation misses a deeper point.

The LORD (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) pays the penalty for our sins with the Blood of Jesus because the LORD wants to establish a relationship with us—in this life (now!) and after this life (forever!). This relationship is grounded in repentance, justice and mercy.

Explaining the Work of Jesus on the Cross solely as a transaction—as a “one and done” deal—is like saying that the sole reason a parent pays the price for their child to be admitted to Disney World is to get them thru the entrance.

This explanation for paying for a ticket to Disney World misses a deeper point. The parent pays to get their child through the entrance at Disney World in order to establish a lifelong relationship with them.

The parent wants to laugh on rides with their child. The parent wants to scream on rides with their child. The parent wants to enjoy ice cream and popcorn with their child. The parent wants to share the awesome beauty of fireworks, laser light shows, and stirring music with their child.

The parent wants to be a lifelong good shepherd for their child (Psalm 23).

And so, the parent makes any sacrifice and pays whatever is necessary or desirable to give their child a trip to Disney World and a life that they enjoy fully. (John 10:10).

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

It does the child no good for their parent to give the child a paid ticket, if the child refuses to take the ticket and refuses to enter Disney World. Why?

What is the difference between a transaction (deal) and a relationship? Why?

What is the difference between a date and a marriage? Why?

What is your relationship with the LORD (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) like? A transaction? A date? A relationship? A marriage? Why?

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For related thoughts about the differences between transactions (deals) and relationships, please read my blogs “Deals About Slavery and Racism: The Constitution (1787)”, “Deals About Slavery and Racism: Lincoln in 1861”, “Deals About Slavery and Racism: The Election of 1876”, and “Deals About Slavery and Racism: Harriett Beecher Stowe and Martin Luther King”.

For related ideas about the Way of Jesus, please read my blogs “The Way of Jesus: The Nones”, “The Way of Jesus: Following the Way of the Wisdom That Follows the Way of the LORD”, “The Way of Jesus: St. Francis of Assisi”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth of Christmas”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth of Easter”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth Overcomes Oceans of Hopeless Confusion”, “The Way of Jesus: The Truth Overcomes Oceans of Doubts”, “The Way of Jesus: The Life”, and “The Way of Jesus: Every Knee Should Bow”.