Horse Shoes and Hand Grenades

Photo by Jason Armstrong

How often have you heard somebody say they don't need Forgiveness because, "I'm good enough?" Or,  "She's a really nice person. Of course she's going to Heaven?"

I suppose it's a comforting sentiment, and we may well forgive our friends their confusion. But the problem isn't whether these friends are swell, or even nice,  people. It's a problem of standards.

Romans 3:23 tells us "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."

Imagine the most beautiful sunrise you've ever seen. The other day, I looked out the window as the sun was coming up over the fog-covered city. Right outside, as mist rolled between the orange and gold autumn leaves, rays of sun cut through into a kaleidoscope of color.

Or, consider the images we have of deep space, the swirls of gasses into an impossible palette of majestic hues, or the mysterious beauty of the ocean floor.

Now think of the most realistic artist you've ever seen. Given the right color of paints, and enough time and inspiration, that artist could create something beautiful, looking almost like a... photograph... of what God created from nothing.

Image from the Hubble Telescope

Even the best artist in the world can create, at best, a facsimile of the Creation of God. Simply put, the artist doesn't have the tools to produce anything but a paltry, though beautiful, copy of God's original.

Righteousness works the same way. On our own, we simply haven't got the ability to be anything but sinful. And no matter how many kind -- even good -- acts we perform, we will never be as Good, as Pure, as Holy as our Creator. It is not in us to measure up to the standard He has set.

Fortunately for us, Jesus can.