So up until now, we've talked about humankind's deplorable spiritual bankruptcy. We're lost. We're ruined. We're nowhere close to whom God created us to be.
The thing is, though, that we seem to be going along on our merry way with no consequences. But Paul, in Romans 2:4-5 tells us not to mistake God's patience and kindness to be tolerance for sin.
"Do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done."
God's standard is righteousness--absolute perfect righteousness. You might think, "well, I'm a pretty good person." Sorry, but "pretty good" isn't good enough. Perfection is God's holy standard.
Years ago, when Beverly and I were painting our bedroom, we ran out of paint halfway through the second coat. We went back to the paint store and gave them the color number and had them mix up another gallon. We took it home, and painted the rest of the room. It looked great--until it dried, that is! Once it dried, it was obviously a different color. Not a lot different, but just enough different that it was unacceptable.
When I was in high school, I was a part of a music class that performed at various school functions throughout the year. Our class had a picture taken for the yearbook, and on picture day the girls were to wear white blouses and dark skirts while the boys would wear white shirts and dark slacks.
When the yearbook was published, there was one poor soul in the class whose mom apparently wasn't good at laundry. Maybe she had washed his white shirt with some colored clothes. Who knows? But his white shirt stood out in that picture. It was just a bit off, but it wasn't white.
That's how it is with God. We may be just a "little off" of perfection, but it is still not meeting His requirements. That's just how it is!
But God, in His great mercy, knows that we can't possibly be perfect! In fact, as we will discover His whole reason for giving us such a high standard to reach is that we will know that it is absolutely unattainable, and we will call out to Him for help.
That's why He sent Jesus! He knew our sinful helplessness, and responded!
I lift up my eyes to the hills--
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121:1-2)
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
(Psalm 121:1-2)
The songwriter said it best:
Though Satan should buffet,
though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate
and hath shed His own blood for my soul!
though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate
and hath shed His own blood for my soul!
We serve a God who not only holds us to a high standard, but then swooped in to save us when we couldn't save ourselves! As I've said in previous weeks....stay tuned folks!
