What God Is Showing Me…
Part One of a Three-Part Biblical Teaching Series
By Superintendent Dr. Gary L. Cordon, Sr.
Romans 3:23 (KJV) — “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
The Lesson at the Kitchen Counter
I was standing at the kitchen counter when my wife asked me to open a jar for her. That seemed simple enough. After all, she wasn’t asking me to perform surgery, repair an automobile, or solve some complicated problem. She just wanted me to open a jar!
So, with the confidence that a husband ought to have when his wife hands him a jar, I took it. I held the jar in my left hand and grabbed the lid with my right hand. Then I twisted.
Nothing happened! The lid didn’t budge.
I adjusted my grip and tried again. Nothing! I tried several more times, applying more pressure and determination. Still nothing!
Now, I don’t know how things work in every household, but when your wife hands you a jar to open, there’s a certain amount of masculine dignity involved in getting that lid off! (Smile.)
But standing there, something occurred to me. That experience illustrates a simple truth about sin: I was unable to accomplish what was required.
Before we go any further, let me make something clear. There was nothing sinful about being unable to open that jar. Physical limitations are not automatically moral failures. However, my experience provides a useful illustration of what the Bible teaches about our relationship to God’s standard of righteousness.
1. Sin Means Falling Short of God’s Standard
Romans 3:23 (KJV)
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Notice those words: “Come short.” God has established a standard of righteousness and holiness. That standard is not determined by our opinions, preferences, cultural traditions, or personal abilities. It is established by God Himself. When we sin, we fail to meet what God requires of us. We come short.
1 John 3:4 (KJV)
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
Sin is not simply failing to accomplish something difficult. Sin involves violating God’s righteous will. Sometimes that happens through what we do. Sometimes it happens through what we refuse to do. Sometimes it involves attitudes we entertain, desires we nurture, or commandments we knowingly disregard. And every one of us needs God’s mercy because every one of us has sinned.
2. When Inability Becomes Unwillingness
After trying unsuccessfully to open that jar, I stopped. But something happened inside me. Because I couldn’t open the jar, I no longer wanted to open the jar!
Now, don’t miss that. At first, I wanted to accomplish the task. I understood what needed to be done. I was willing to do it. But after discovering that I couldn’t accomplish it, my attitude changed. I no longer wanted to do what I had originally intended to do. My inability began influencing my willingness.
Sometimes we struggle to obey God. We attempt to overcome certain habits. We try to forgive someone who has wounded us. We try to surrender a particular attitude. We try to live according to what Scripture teaches. But when obedience becomes difficult, something dangerous can happen.
Instead of seeking God’s help to overcome our weakness, we begin questioning whether obedience is necessary. We start making excuses. We begin justifying what we previously recognized as wrong. And sometimes we eventually decide that what God requires is something we no longer want to do. What began as a struggle becomes a refusal.
3. Knowing What Is Right Is Not the Same as Doing What Is Right
James 4:17 (KJV)
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
James teaches that sin is not limited to doing what God forbids. Sin also includes knowingly failing to do what God requires. We sometimes call these sins of omission. There are things God commands us not to do, but there are also things God commands us to do: love, forgive, pray, walk in truth, practice righteousness, live holy, show mercy, and obey His Word.
When we knowingly refuse to do the good God requires, we cannot excuse that refusal simply because obedience is difficult. Difficulty does not cancel responsibility. And unwillingness does not change God’s commandments.
4. We Must Not Change God’s Standard to Accommodate Our Weakness
Suppose I decided that because I couldn’t open the jar, opening it was no longer necessary. Would that change anything? Of course not! The jar would still be closed. My wife would still need it opened. And the fact that I had changed my mind wouldn’t change the original task.
Now bring that into our spiritual lives. God commands us to forgive, but forgiveness is difficult, so we begin explaining why our situation is different. God calls us to holiness, but holiness requires surrender, so we begin redefining holiness until it accommodates the things we don’t want to surrender. God commands us to love, but some people are difficult to love, so we convince ourselves that they don’t deserve it. God commands us to obey, but obedience may require sacrifice, so we search for reasons why His commandment shouldn’t apply to us.
We cannot make disobedience righteous simply because obedience is difficult. God’s Word is not subject to our convenience. His righteousness is not determined by our comfort. His holiness does not change because our flesh resists surrender. His commandments do not become optional because we have difficulty obeying them.
5. God Has an Answer for Both Our Inability and Our Unwillingness
Thank God, the lesson doesn’t end there! The Christian life is not simply a matter of trying harder. We are not saved by becoming strong enough to meet God’s standard through our own efforts. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. And through that same grace, God works within us to transform our lives.
Philippians 2:13 (KJV)
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
God doesn’t merely help us accomplish His will. He works in us to desire His will. He deals with our inability, but He also deals with our unwillingness. He changes what we love, what we pursue, how we think, and how we respond. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, He enables us to live in obedience to His Word. That is why we must surrender ourselves to Him.
What God Is Showing Me…
“Sometimes, the greatest danger is not discovering that we cannot do something. It is deciding that because we cannot do it, we no longer need to.”
“Don’t lower God’s standard to accommodate your weakness. Surrender your weakness to God so He can transform your life.”
Remember what I often say: “Don’t just think; think about what you think about.” Examine the reasoning behind your decisions. Are you struggling to obey God? Or have you begun convincing yourself that obedience is unnecessary? There’s a difference. Recognizing that difference may be the beginning of your spiritual breakthrough.
Personal Reflection
- Is there something God has been requiring of me that I have found difficult to obey?
- Have I allowed repeated failure to influence my willingness to try again?
- Am I seeking God’s grace to overcome my weakness, or am I making excuses to justify it?
Closing Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, help us recognize the difference between our weakness and our unwillingness. Forgive us for the times we have attempted to justify what You have commanded us to surrender. Give us hearts that love Your Word, minds that receive Your truth, and spirits that remain sensitive to Your correction. Work within us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Coming Next: The Difference Between Weakness and Wickedness
Can a person struggle without being rebellious? Does temptation mean that we have sinned? How does God respond when His children genuinely desire to obey Him but stumble along the way? Those questions are too important to leave unanswered.
Continue Growing With Us
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Superintendent Dr. Gary L. Cordon, Sr.
Senior Pastor, The Evidence Churches — One Church • Two Locations
Superintendent, The Historic Edenton District COGIC
Our Mission: Win Souls, Keep Souls, Train Souls to Win Souls!