Today was paper grading day. Every job has its bad aspect and this is the part of teaching I totally dislike. Making judgment calls on essays can be so subjective even when using a rubric. What is the difference between a B+ and an A-? I don’t really know. While plowing my way through the essays it occurred to me that if we had to take an exam to receive eternal life we would be in big trouble. Eternity requires perfection. You have to ace life every day. A 99% just one day and it’s all over.
In Romans 5:12 Paul wrote, “. . . through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, . . .” So we are lost not only because we didn’t get a perfect score but because Adam didn’t get a perfect score. At first this might strike us as being very unfair. However, one thing we can always count on is God is very fair. Therefore, Paul goes on to say in verse 15, “For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!”
Jesus did it. He was perfect. He gives His perfection to us. It is His gift to us. By grace we become citizens of His kingdom and members of His family. One thing we can never say is God isn’t fair. He is faithful and just. This is an incredible thing beyond what someone could invent. It is not a cleverly designed fable. This is the core truth of eternity.
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 18, 2013
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org