Level Playing Field

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23

During the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China a controversy arose about the use of the LZR Racer swimsuits by Speedo. These swimsuits, each costing $550 or more, use no thread but have ultrasonically bonded seams and layers of polyurethane and low drag panels built into the suit. Critics claimed the suits made swimmers more buoyant and the number of records set before the Olympics using the suit prove the suits give an unfair advantage to the athlete wearing it. As Christians, it is important to be aware that we start with no advantage over any other sinner. Our redemption comes not from who we are but whose we are.

In the 3rd Chapter of Romans, Paul weighs in on a major argument in the early Christian church about whether Jews and Gentiles were equal in the sight of God. Paul settles the question by reminding them that none of us is righteous by anything we are, have or do. He explains that our righteousness comes from God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. Indeed, he writes, we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The two important takeaways here are to be humble because we are saved by grace and to be forgiving and accepting because the playing field is level and we all need salvation in order to be acceptable to God.

My prayer for you today is to accept the good news that you are just as equal as everyone else.

Deacon Larry Woodard