...since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24
When I read this passage written by Saint Paul, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” my first thought was, okay, but really now, don’t some people fall just a bit shorter? You can’t help but look at the headlines in the newspapers, or search the internet, or look on someone’s Facebook page, without reading about someone who has “fallen short”! When I look inside my heart and see my own shortcomings, okay sins, they certainly don’t seem quite as bad as other people’s. How can my sins be anywhere near as bad as the person who sinned by cheating on their spouse, or the person who murdered someone? Don’t we all tell “little white lies” when we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, or use God’s name in vain, especially when someone cuts in front of us in traffic, making us late?
But, Saint Paul reminds us that we are all sinners, not just some, but all. It seems we just can’t help it. We have a long history as sinners, and have proven that we are not capable of living the wonderful lives God wills for us. Just look in the Bible and you find plenty of stories of people who have “fallen short.”
Well, the Good News is that God loved us so much he gave us the gift of His son, Christ Jesus. A gift, pure and simple! With this gift God bestowed his Grace upon us, given freely, without any merits of our own. We did nothing to deserve it. And, what’s more, not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him! God set things right for us. We have been justified, pardoned and accepted, just as we are. We have been redeemed through Christ Jesus by the sacrifice that he made for all of us. What a Gift!
Linda M. Stewart
