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Themes: "God's Holy Standard, No Sin in Heaven A.J.H. Athletes who dream of being in the Olympics train hard and long for a chance to compete. Many rise early in the morning to exercise before they leave for school. Summer vacations are spent at special camps for athletes. Every effort is made to improve their ability.
But not every athlete goes to the Olympics. Some, being honest with themselves, recognize that they can't make it. They don't even try out for the games. They are content to recognize that they are not able to measure up to the high standard for the Olympic games.
Our Bible story reminded us about men who were unfit for Solomon's kingdom. Our Bibles also remind us about men and women, boys and girls who are unfit for heaven. Some people, when reading the Bible, realize that they cannot get to heaven as they are. They admit to God that they are sinners. Like the publican they say, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13).
There are other athletes who train and struggle to get to the games but never make it. They get as far as the preliminary tryouts. There, they find out that they are not "good enough" to get into the games. Many try out, but few are chosen. They may look as fast, as strong, as able as others, but when the test comes, they are not "good enough".
Just as those who try out for the games but don't measure up, some try to do good to get to heaven. They will find out too late that they have not met God's standard. His standard is so high that no one can reach it: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
There are others who do make it to the Olympics. They pass every test. They meet every standard which has been set. Everything which the judges can see seems to say that they are "good enough". But there is one more test they must pass. It is a test which measures something which the judges cannot see; it is beyond their sight because it is inside the athlete.
A few years ago, one of the fastest runners in all the world failed this test. When he was checked for a chemical called steroids, it was found in his body. He was taking it to try and make him a "better" runner. He was disqualified as unfit for the Olympics.
This is like some who insist that they are "good enough" for heaven. They don't see what God sees. The test of God will show that within, unseen by others, is something which makes them unfit for heaven. There is a sinful nature with all the sin it has produced. We are unfit for heaven and "must be born again" (John 3:7) to enter the Kingdom of God.
Unlike the Olympics, it is when we admit that we are unfit for heaven that God is able to save us and take us to heaven. It is the blood of His Son which makes us fit (1 John 1:7).
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Peter Orasuk
