A badger recently found itself trapped in a skate park “bowl” in Cornwall, England. The “bowl” is something like a swimming pool without water, but its sides are steeply sloped, providing skateboarders with an adventurous ride. A badger, however, is at a disadvantage as its claws can’t grip the concrete sides, and the slope is too great to climb out of. The badger was trapped.
Dave Hudson of the Cornwall Badger Group came to the rescue. He brought a large blanket and a plank of wood to give the badger something to grab onto and climb out. It took a few attempts, but eventually the badger was able to escape using Hudson’s blanket. You might say Hudson’s efforts were an act of grace.
In his book, Two Roads To Heaven, Ken Stegall uses the image of a turtle sitting on top of a fence post. We can deduce one thing with certainty about this situation: that turtle didn’t climb up there by himself! Someone had to lift him up, though it may not be clear why it was done.
Stegall used that image to describe the grace of God in lifting us out of the “bowl” of sin we find ourselves in. In case you’re wondering what this has to do with you, consider the truth found in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Then ponder the announcement in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“All have sinned” – that includes you, me, and everyone else alive today. If the wages of sin is death, we are trapped in this “bowl” unless someone helps us out. That’s why the last part of Romans 6:23 gives hope: “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God provides us a gift.
Paul had more to say about this saving grace in Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.” How do we receive that grace? He addressed that in Titus 3:5: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” That’s the same idea expressed by Peter in Acts 2:38 after the people asked what they should do about their horrible sin of rejecting God’s Son: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Baptism is the “washing of regeneration”.
We’ve all slid down the slippery slope into the bowl of sin. Left alone to our own devices, that’s where we’ll remain until we receive the wages of our sin. But thank God He came along and provided for us a way to escape that doom! Why would anyone refuse to accept the offer of salvation?
If you’d like to discuss these ideas further, let’s talk. We’ll only point you to what God has said.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2024, Timothy D. Hall
