A Crucial Hour: A Part for the Whole

Sometimes people accept a “part for the whole” when the “whole thing” wasn’t worth all that much, or they figure it’s not worth the hassle to get the “whole thing.”  You go out for dinner with friends and divide up the bill.  It’s $17 per person.  You forgot your phone so you can’t Venmo $17, but you have a $10 & a $5 and say, “Is this good enough?”  The person says, “Sure,” because they want to move on in life.  Or a company doesn’t have the assets to pay the creditors or they will have to declare bankruptcy.  In this case the creditors will take pennies on the dollar since something is better than nothing.  They accept a Part For the Whole.

The Jews brought Jesus to Pilate with made up charges.  Pilate said, “You brought this man to me as one who is misleading the people. Look, I have examined him in your presence. I have found in this man no basis for the charges you are bringing against him. ¹⁵ Herod did not either, for he sent him back to us.  See, he has done nothing worthy of death. ¹⁶ So I will have him flogged and release him.” Pilate did not want to have Jesus crucified, he hoped the crowds would accept a Part for the Whole.  He would have Jesus beaten and then released.  It seemed to him the Jews would accept the offer so they could walk away saying, “While Jesus may not be dead, we’re pretty sure he learned his lesson.” It was a Crucial Hour for the Jews and the world, if they would accept

A Part For The Whole

When Evil’s Goal is Destruction

The leaders of the Jews rejected this offer for a couple of reasons.

1. They believed they were holding all the cards. In a way, they were right. Their threats to tell Caesar that Pilate hadn’t taken their report of a traitor-king seriously frightened Pilate. They knew Pilate feared Caesar and they knew they would not have to settled for a deal.
2. Because pure evil is never satisfied with partial evil.  The Jewish leaders desired pure evil—the murder of an innocent man. Once they have given themselves over to their evil plot they wouldn’t settle for anything less.

When it comes to the devil and to partnership with evil, we are guilty of falling into the temptation to accept a Part For The Whole.  We think we can give into the temptation partially and the temptation will be satisfied and will leave us alone.  Just like Pilate who convinced himself that while beating Jesus was anything but pure and noble, by doing so might actually end up to be a noble solution!  He was saving Jesus from a worse fate—losing his life—while appeasing the Jews and avoiding a riot that could harm hundreds.  And a side benefit, he was preserving his position as governor.  

We also tell ourselves that when we give into a temptation partially, it will probably release just enough pressure to keep us from exploding into some greater sin that would be far more damaging to others.  I can think of two big problems with this type of thinking.

1. To justify committing a wrong by saying it prevented a bigger wrong implies those were the only two choices we had.  But, there is another choice—do what is 100% right!” To do what is right is always a choice even if one pretends it isn’t.
2. The thought that the devil will settle for only half the evil action when it comes to our soul is foolish thinking.  It’s as foolish as Pilate thinking the Jews would settle for Part of the Whole—anything less than the death of Jesus.

Satan’s goal is always destruction. He and his demons are not content with nibbling at you a little bit and walking away.  No!  “Be alert. Your adversary, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  Giving into the devil the message that you’re willing to give a Part For The Whole sends him the clear signal, “I’m willing to compromise” and he will go for The Goal of Total Destruction. 

You’ve heard the commercials that offer to help in financial difficulties and the creditors are calling.  They say, “Take a loan out with us and we’ll pay the creditors and you pay us back.”  Probably at a much higher interest rate!  No doubt the financial company makes a deal with the creditors to receive pennies on the dollar, but they still own you.  Likewise, when we are tempted to offer the devil a Part For The Whole, we are not only negotiating with the devil, but we’re doing the same thing with God.  However, God’s goal is for us to have 100% deliverance. 

When the Lord’s Goal is 100% Deliverance

So, why would anyone negotiate with God and say, “Lord, how about you take 90% obedience and we’ll call it a day?  After all, that’s about all you’re going to get out of me.”  Think of how insulting this logic is to God!   You would never think to say to your spouse, “I’ll be faithful to you, except for 1 day a year!” This is completely unacceptable.  We would never expect our spouse to take those terms. Yet, why do we expect God to do so as if we’re holding all the cards!  God doesn’t say, “Be holy—but I’ll take whatever you can give me.”  He doesn’t say, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart—or at least with everything that’s left over after you make a deal with evil.”  That’s what Pilate was doing! “See, he has done nothing worthy of death. ¹⁶ So I will have him flogged and release him.”

Just like evil isn’t satisfied with partial evil, God is not satisfied with partial obedience. The Lord’s Goal is 100% Obedience!  Because we can not fulfill God’s demands, we deserve his eternal punishment in hell!  That is the dept we owe him because of our sins.  God will never be satisfied with a little bit of blood from a turnip and be satisfied with that!  First, the Lord God knows the enormous debt we owe could never be paid by us.  No penalty for the sins of the past.  No penalty for the sins of today and for tomorrow.  God would never except a Part for The Whole.  Secondly, We aren’t capable of paying off our debt of sin because our payments are cursed with imperfection.  Any offer to God to pay our debt of sin is only insulting and enraging to God. It is foolish to think that our holy and just God might someone be manipulated to settle for anything less than what we owe.

So, raise your voices in praise that The Lord’s Goal is 100% Deliverance! To Deliver us 100% the Lord didn’t make any deals with us.  No, he made his deal with Jesus!  Jesus is our perfect substitute!  Thank God that Jesus never said, “I’ll go to earth and keep 9 out of 10 of the Commandments.”  Jesus’ commitment to save us was a commitment to Deliver us 100%!  He didn’t pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if it is possible, may this cup of suffering be taken from me, but if not then I’ll drink 90% of it and we’ll leave the other 10% for the people to drink.”  Jesus didn’t say on the cross, “It is finished, at least I paid 90% of the suffering of hell but we’ll let them handle the rest.”  No, at the Crucial Hour of our salvation Jesus did not carry out A Part For The Whole, but paid the full price to accomplish The Lord’s Goal of 100% Deliverance.

This is the wonder of the Season of Lent.  All of Jesus’ suffering, his pain and death were the perfect, complete payment for our sins.  You don’t have to worry that he paid of God with a Part of the Whole and someday God is going to come and demand the rest.  God received 100% of Jesus’ payment to accomplish our 100% Deliverance.

Let’s me share the wonderful part of God’s Deliverance for you and me.  When we recognize all Jesus has done, have the knowledge of that his suffering and death mean for us, when certainly in our salvation is based on Jesus’ righteousness in our place, it touches our hearts to want to give God everything!  I don’t want to give a Part of the Whole, do you?  From your thankful heart give God your

• whole life as a living sacrifice. 
• Give God your entire workweek. 
• Give God your entire marriage. 

For Evil Only Wants Your Destruction, but God Wants Your 100% Deliverance.  So, Don’t give God a Part of the Whole, give God everything. Amen!