A dear friend of ours battled cancer for six years and passed away a few weeks ago. My husband and he were friends since they were about seven years old. They went to the same elementary, middle, and high school and even the same college. They grew up in the same church. He was the best man in our wedding and a life-long friend.
I knew my husband was hurting. I asked him if he was OK. He said he was really going to miss his friend, but that he was glad he was no longer suffering. I told my husband that I believe we will see our friend again. And my husband replied to me, "Only if there is wiggle room." I was like, "What are you talking about?"
He told me they were in 7th grade taking confirmation classes at their church. The minister was teaching the class about the Ten Commandments. Paul leaned over and whispered to John, "Do you think God gives us wiggle room on those?" The boys started laughing and Reverend McHenry separated them as usual.
We had a good laugh over the memory.
I told my husband, "Yes, I believe God gives us wiggle room."
And that wiggle room is Jesus.
"Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?"
John 7:19 NASB
as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."
Romans 3:10-12 NASB
because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:20 NASB
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Romans 3:23,24 NASB
We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.
But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:23-26 NASB
But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NASB
We try to keep the Ten Commandments. We try to be good people. We try and try and try and try. And we mess up. We all sin. We all fall short.
nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus,...
Galatians 2:16a NASB
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Romans 10:9 NASB
Yes. God gave us a cross-full of wiggle room.
