Have you ever had a hair in your food? Eewww! So gross, right? Or worn a stunning outfit to a special event only to spill something on the front right as the evening begins. Or gotten a scratch on a brand new car. I can remember going to THE fanciest restaurant ever on my 21st birthday. One where you have to wait two months for a reservation, even on a Tuesday evening at 5 pm. I was so impressed when they had one server for each plate they brought out so all the plates could hit the table at the same exact moment. As fancy as everything was, one of my clearest memories of the night was when my entree was placed in front of me, my eye was immediately drawn to an ant crawling around the edge of the plate. I couldn't believe it! I honestly don't remember what I ordered or how it tasted but I won't forget that little ant.
As human beings we have an eye for imperfections. When you turn in a rental car, they don't care how much of the car is not scratched. They thoroughly inspect what scratches ARE there. Or when you tell your kids to clean their room, you aren't too impressed with the five toys that made it into the correct bin but you're more concerned with 30 still scattered around the room. I often wonder why people think their security for eternity will be any different. Most people who believe in heaven would agree it's going to be awesome. There won't be pain or sadness or suffering or humidity or black widow spiders. We will be at peace and have all we need with no concept of lack. Perfect. Completely perfect!
But we are not perfect. I always find it interesting when asking someone about how to get to heaven and their response is, "I try to be a good person." I have bad news friends. No one is good. Not one. Just like the ant at the 5 star restaurant or the stain on the outfit or the scratch in the car, the minute we miss the mark of "good," we are imperfect. When we yell at our parents or lust after someone or have thoughts of malice, we demonstrate those imperfections. Paul recounts teachings from the Old Testament that say, "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; . . . There is none who does good, no, not one" (Romans 3:10-12, NKJV). He goes on to say, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of the God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:23-24, NKJV).
That is our only hope: Jesus Christ. He was the blameless sacrifice for our filth and imperfections, big and small. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all" (1 Timothy 2:5-6a, NKJV). Before the crucifixion of Jesus, the only way to become "right" with the Lord was through sacrificing animals as a way to literally pay for sins. This lead to a lot of self-righteousenss and an all-consuming diligence to obeying the Law (the list of rules, rights, wrongs, and how to stay in God's favor). It gave favor to the wealthy and the educated. Jesus came to fulfill the Law through Himself being the ultimate sacrifice. This has freed us from all the doing and allows us to live by His Holy Spirit through extending grace and mercy, without partiality.
For my dear friends who believe in Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and Savior, this is not new information. Maybe just a good reminder of the awesome gift He has given us. For my dear friends who don't believe that Jesus is their Redeemer and Savior, you are the audience I have in mind as I write these words. How do you know you are "good enough" to enter the heavenly paradise for eternity? Who determines that you are "good?" How can your imperfections be allowed into a perfect place? These are valid questions and that will one day demand an answer, either on this side of eternity or the other.
