How Fast and How Far Can I Go?
The government proposes to raise the speed limit on motorways from 70 mph to 80 mph. It is hoped that the new limit will be better observed than the previous limit which is widely flouted. Will it, or will it be the case that where we now see many doing 80 mph because the limit is 70 mph, we will in future see many doing 90 mph because the limit is 80 mph? It is in our human nature to push the boundaries. Any parent can confirm that this is what children do and we are no different.
The national, speed limit is...  but should it be  ???
Of course things like modest speeding, occasionally parking on double yellow lines or going through traffic lights when they have just changed and we really could stop if we wanted to, are relatively minor offences. Most of those who do these things (and who hasn’t done at least one of these?) are decent people who would never dream of stealing or committing violence.
 You wouldn't even consider committing viiolence, no?
The problem is that compared to God’s perfect righteousness, we all fall short and God cannot relax the rules for us. If we think of life as an exam, the pass mark set by God remains at 100% and only one man – Jesus Christ – has ever attained it. The good news is that when Jesus died for us on the cross, he took our sin (the difference between our score and 100%) and paid the price for our failure. Not only that but, when we accept him as Lord, he takes his exam paper and writes our name on it, making us for ever right with God. He did this not because he was obliged to, not because we deserved it, but because he loves us.
 ...even you...
As Christians we know that Jesus paid for all of our sin, past, present and future. He has saved us because he loves us and he assures us that no-one can snatch us from his grasp. Our salvation is eternally secure. Does it matter then if we continue to sin? We are after all no longer under law but under grace. I say yes for three reasons.
- We are made for the display of God’s glory and when we sin we dishonour God. The Jewish people were earlier chosen by God but their failure to keep the law, part of God’s covenant with them, caused Paul to write “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2.24)
 ..WE ARE MADE FOR GOD'S GLORY ..let's not dishnour Him...
- A casual attitude towards sin will gradually harden our hearts towards God. It will not change God’s feelings towards us but it will change our feelings towards God. A hardened heart finds it hard to hear from God or to respond to Him and with the hardening comes the gradual loss of our peace, our joy and our excitement about the things of God. We should not deceive ourselves that we can safely accommodate a little sin in one area of our life as long as the rest is OK. A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough (2 Corinthians 5.6)
3. Jesus tells us that if we are faithful in small things, we will be given charge of larger things. If we want to do great things for God, attention to the small things is important. None of us is perfect and God uses imperfect people but imperfect people who are aware of their imperfections and weaknesses, are repentant over them and seek God’s grace and mercy. God says “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66.2b)
Freedom to fly high....
It is important to understand that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8.1). We are not to put ourselves down or allow other people to put us down. We should be confident and proud of who God has made us to be. Nor should we put other people down and allow ourselves to feel morally superior. That is self-righteousness which is abhorrent both to other people and to God.
James says that “We all stumble in many ways.” (James 3.2) God understands this and John tells us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1.9) Though we cannot help but stumble, it is important that we keep short accounts with God, admit our mistakes, learn from them and press on to fulfil the call of God on our lives and walk in the good plans that He has for us.
With love,
Mark
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