Let’s go back to school! No, the end of June is not too early to be talking about going back to school… in August. Wal-Mart is already setting up displays and stocking the seasonal section with all of the back-to-school essentials (and non-essentials) to make the school year start out on the right foot. Let’s face it, how can our children possibly get through the school year if they don’t have another brand new pencil box? No, the one they had last year, in perfect condition, can’t possibly be used again. And those cutesy folders from last year with the kittens and puppies, also in perfect condition, cannot be reused – new pocket folders are required, and this year it’s all about the glitter.
I’m not sure that we’re quite ready to be shopping for school supplies, but the message of being prepared is obviously there – that may prove to be a message in a future post. I’m thinking it has more to do with just getting through 2020 so we can put this year behind us and, with it, all of the new monthly horrors that we’ve found ourselves bombarded with. Fake or not, fear caused by the media or not, the trials that we’ve already faced and may still be facing have left our communities reeling, our churches aching, and the economy suffering. So many fingers being pointed, and it’s sad that there are a lot being pointed, accusingly, at God.
I’m not going to go into much depth regarding the many memes and posts about God bringing this all about so that we will turn back to Him. For that specific post, I hope you’ll check out this link: “Where’s the Wrath?”. Instead, I want to talk about tests, more specifically, pop quizzes. My hubby and I were talking about this just the other day and it was pretty cool to connect how something so seemingly insignificant back then can be so impactful now.
I’m sure you can recall when class would start, the teacher would announce that there was a pop quiz, and a collective groan would rise from all of the students. Okay, so maybe the students who were considered the nerds – the PC version: the educationally-driven – maybe they had to stifle the excitement at the news of a pop quiz so they wouldn’t be teased. Either way, you get the picture. You’re sitting there at your desk, half listening to the teacher who is reminding the students to “…be sure to read all of the directions and turn in the test when you’re done…” Some teachers would instruct the students to simply turn their paper over when they were done. Ugh! Regardless, it was a pop quiz!
As we turn our paper over to begin, we scan over the page of either math equations or geography questions or graphing sentences – don’t get me started on vocabulary pop quizzes. Oh, how our teacher must hate us! We write our name in the field provided and and start answering the questions. Wow! these questions are super easy! I’m going to get an A+ as well as extra credit! Good ‘ol Charlie Brown must be right about peanut butter being brain food because my brain is on a roll! Half of the test is done and I’m seeing the finish line… but I’m suddenly staring, blankly, at questions I’ve never been subjected to even hearing whispers about. Maybe the teacher is just wanting to find out where everyone stands on this new material. I can do it – I had extra peanut butter on my sandwich at lunch.
After what seems like an eternity, I realize that I have no clue how to answer the last half of the test questions. Maybe there’s a hint in the directions… about halfway through them I read: “Write your name in the field provided, turn your page, over and wait for further instructions from your teacher. Do not answer any of the test questions.”
As far as the number of students who were duped, it was usually divided pretty evenly. Individuals so eager to prove themselves, they did nothing other than prove themselves to not even be hearers of the teacher’s instructions, much less heeders. Many of the students failed to read all of the directions. As you’ve probably guessed, this has led me to thinking about something in the Bible and now you’re going to get a chance to read some scripture!
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” John 14:6 (NIV)
Wow! This was a bold statement to say! For almost 1,400 years, the only way to God was through the Mosaic Law. Nothing wrong with the Mosaic Law – it was perfect – but there’s something wrong with mankind: we’re far from perfect. Part of the Law had to do with sacrifices being offered, but they could only be offered certain ways and by certain people and if they didn’t hold their mouth right the sacrifice would be rejected. I’m kidding of course, but you get the idea. But those were the directions: keep all of the Law and be blessed; miss the mark of perfection and be cursed (Deuteronomy 28).The Law required perfection and we could never fulfill it.
Interestingly enough, in Genesis 3:15 (part of the directions), right after Adam and Eve sinned, God addresses the serpent and drops the first mention of the good news of salvation! God already had it sorted! So God explains that there are consequences, tells us He has the solution, and continues in relationship with mankind. God later has Moses present the Law (hence the name “Mosaic Law”) to a very disgruntled, very forgetful, people of Israel. They were first-hand witnesses to God’s mighty power and supreme authority as they were rescued from slavery in Egypt, provided for in the desert, yet they doubted God could deliver them safely into the land that He had promised them. They did not believe God, they decided instead to trust in their own abilities; they received the Mosaic Law.
As a whole, humans are pretty pathetic. Even the disciples suffered from this same issue of forgetfulness their forefathers experienced. Jesus fed the 5,000 (not counting women and children) with five loaves and two fish, yet they freaked out when Jesus strolls up to their boat, walking on the water (about 3 miles away from shore!) as if it was impossible. This all happened on the same day! (Mark 6:30-52)
The solution had been promised by God in Genesis and was repeated over and over again by prophet after prophet: God was sending us the solution to the problem we made – He’s sending us a Savior. We can’t possibly do it all perfectly, so He’s sending the One who can, who did, and who does. Unfortunately, we miss so much when we don’t read all of the directions.
We were told to trust Him. Trust Him and be saved. Believe what He says, who He is, and what He’s done, and be saved. John 14:6 doesn’t say: “No one comes to the Father except through me… and following the Law.” Jesus doesn’t say He and the Law are the way the truth and the life. Our directions are to believe.
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40 (NIV)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life… Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16, 18 (NIV)
We’re not directed to believe and keep the letter of the Law. We’re told to believe. This pop quiz called “Life” is either a pass or fail; there’s no in-between. In order to pass, we have to read all of the directions.
“Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” Galatians 3:23-25 (NIV)
Before I get any argumentative comments or emails, I’m not saying anything about being free to go out and break the law as much as we want. Yes, we’re free to, but the beauty is that we don’t want to! The grace of God not only brings salvation to all who will believe, but it also teaches us to no longer desire to chase after the ungodly/worldly passions (Titus 2:11-12).
“Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” Romans 10:4 (NIV)
The Law was never meant to save us, but always intended to point us to Christ, the only way of salvation. The Law was very important. For ever pop quiz, there is a beginning and an ending. The best, most amazing part of this pop quiz called “Life” is that we need only read the directions (believe), because we could never get a passing grade on our own (following the law). And look at that… our name looks really good written in the book of Life (Revelation 20:12-15).