No one is perfect. The average person is imperfect. We know this is true.

We all make mistakes…

Like the time I moved my young family from Massachusetts to Minnesota with no money, and no job prospects.

We all fail…

Like when I thought, 14 years ago, that I was a great husband and found out that Dawn didn’t agree. (Happily, progress has been made.)

We all offend…

For instance, when I jumped to conclusions and mistreated some poor teenager who had the misfortune of being “greeted” by me at our front door. I wrote a post called, Jerk Lon as my confession.

And we all sin…

More often than any of us really know.

Yes, no one is perfect. But, does it then follow that God excuses us? Does God deal with our imperfections by saying, “No worries, Let’s move on?”

Is Christianity just another name for learning how to make fewer mistakes, and commit fewer failures, offenses, and sins? Is it just one more self-help philosophy on how to make better decisions, be better spouses, and get along better with people and God?

No. Christianity is an answer to the fundamental problem of our deserved damnation. Christianity doesn’t minimize our sins. It teaches that though our sins are greater than we imagine, God’s grace to forgive is greater still.

He gives the law (commands) to show us the righteousness He requires from us. But, the imperfect person fails to keep it, offends against it, and sins against God. So God, merciful God, gives the gospel to lawbreakers, who despair of their lawbreaking, that they might be forgiven.

One way of looking at the Christian life is as the slow and sobering process of discovering just how much we need forgiveness, and just how much it cost God to forgive: A perfect Son, punished for our imperfection.

And so, we forgiven lawbreakers, learn the price of forgiveness:

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” – Ephesians 1:7

Ironically, it is being certain of our condemnation, that leads us toward salvation. So then, let us learn the meaning of these proverbs:

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” – Luke 5:31

“Whoever has been forgiven little, loves little.” – Luke 7:47