THE LIMITS OF GOD'S GRACE

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A once-popular TV show celebrated stretching the limits of the law. Its theme song made folk heroes of two good ol' boys," making their way the only way they know how. That's just a little bit more than the law will allow."

The premise was two guys trying to slip past the long arm of the law. The twist was that the long arm of the law was crooked. The local judge was more corrupt than the good ol' boys. The plot depended on the sheriff, who pandered to the judge and was too stupid to know the law.

The idea is not very far removed from the lives of God's people. Sometimes we're like good ol' boys, just trying to get by with a little bit more than God will allow. The difference is our Judge is NOT corrupt! He cannot be fooled. We cannot slip one sin past God. So many tried and failed.

Adam and Eve tried to get by with one more fruit than God would allow.

Nadab and Abihu tried to get by with one more fire than God would allow.

Israel often tried to get by with one more idol than God would allow.

And, David tried to get by with one more sin than God would allow.

Psalms 36:3-4, warns against the mindset of trying to slip sin past God. Such a one "has ceased to be wise and to do good. He plans wickedness upon his bed; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he does not despise evil."

When Christians do not despise evil, we stretch the limits of God's grace. Sometimes we believe we can slip a sin or two past God. We may stretch the law for ourselves, believing a prideful or unforgiving spirit is not wrong. Christians may stretch the law concerning worship, thinking it is not wrong. We may stretch the law concerning idolatry, believing our dependence on worldly pleasures is not wrong. We may stretch the law for others, not telling them their fornication or unscriptural marriage is wrong.

While God's grace is sufficient to cover any sin, there are limits to His grace. The sins which we willingly commit and stubbornly refuse to confess, exceed the limits of God's grace.

Give it up! It's time to come clean before the Judge. Remember, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). For those who come clean before God, "in the future there is laid up for (us) the Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award (us) on that day" (II Tim. 4:8).