The Insane Gap
It’s insane when I sit back and really think about it. How wretched I really am. Everyday I drop the ball, and despite my best efforts I fall so incredibly short. Romans 2 reminds me of this. Paul doesn’t mince words when he says in verse 1, “you, the judge, practice the very same things.” After listing the long list of depravity in the previous chapter.
This realization is heart-stopping. I have declared Jesus as my Savior and have been born again now for more than half of my life, my entire adult life in actuality, yet even I needed this reminder this morning as I processed through this chapter of Romans.
The reality is I fall short every day. Every time I show the slightest bitterness towards another, raise my voice in discontent or shake my head in frustration, ignore the homeless person asking for help on the Magnolia off-ramp hoping they think that I didn’t notice them, or the times I decided to rather log in to my favorite video game instead of fulfilling the responsibilities before me. How about the times I boast about my achievements, or point out that flaw in my co-worker or student. This list could go on and on, and as it does, wretched becomes an understatement.
The truth is, everyone, even Christians, fall short, everyday, all the time. Later in Romans 3, Paul declares, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” The gap between us and the goodness of God is incredible because there is no “almost” when it comes to our salvation. You can’t be almost saved. You either have eternal life through Jesus Christ as your Savior, or you have eternal damnation separate from the goodness of God. That sounds terrifying…
And it is. There is no reason to beat around the bush and mince your words. Paul doesn’t. After all as the saying goes, “Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades.” Finally! Found an application worth using this for.
This is where the Grace of God steps in. The full passage in Romans 3 reads:
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:21-25)
This is how much God loves us. We all deserve death, everyday (Again, even christians!). The wages of sin is death. This is clear all the way back in Genesis through the entirety of the Bible. I deserve punishment and judgement, every day, all the time. But how good is our God?! This is the beauty of grace. Grace covers the insane gap. Grace covers the almost.
It doesn’t mean we stop trying and just let Jesus fill the gap for us. No! It means that we actively pursue holiness, fall short, but God loves us enough to fill that insane gap through his gracious sacrifice of His Son on on the cross.
That’s my prayer of gratitude everyday, and my joy that we get to thank God for that. That not only does no sin go unpunished, but also no sin is so punishable that the grace of God can’t cover. This is why pursuing Jesus is so important. Life is already tough, and our depravity is already horrendous. But with Jesus we have hope. If we follow Him, His way, and accept Him as the truth, we have life. That’s the gist of it. Do you believe Jesus? Do you accept Him? Do you Embrace Him?
So my challenge to you today, where in your life do you need the Grace of God? Write these areas where you fall short of the glory of God down on a piece of paper or your journal. Once you write these down, commit them in prayer and embrace the struggle to learn a new way of life. I encourage you today, to repent and accept Jesus and ask Him to show you through the Holy Spirit a new, a better way of life. To leave the old behind embrace what it truly means to live life by faith.
Further Readings for Encouragement:
Romans 1-3
Psalm 97:12
Psalm 37:4
1 John 2:15-17
Titus 2:11
Ephesians 2:4-9
A Worship Song of Encouragement:
