“What resonates with us more today than the idea of sin is the feeling of not being good enough. I won’t ask for a show of hands for who among us feels like we are not good enough. We think we are not smart enough or not kind enough or not brave enough or not young enough or not old enough…. The list goes on. We too often go day to day thinking we are not good enough. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” That is that feeling: Not good enough. Short of the glory of God. Same thing.
Paul is trying to say, “You are good enough!” You are good enough. Not because of anything you have done, but because God made you and Jesus altered the universe so we can experience salvation every day. By faith you can know you are participating in God’s divine plan and give in more deeply and fully than you would if you didn’t have faith. “Justified by faith” is just a fancy way of saying, “don’t worry, Jesus made it all right for you!” We hear “justify” and cringe thinking it must be like “horrify.” But it’s not… it means don’t worry, Jesus already did everything, now you just get to participate in the radical love and abundant life offered in this here and now salvation.
There is no one beyond the love and grace of God. Not you, not me, not the woman being prostituted, not even the john or the brothel owner. Not the man who struggles with homelessness and had a court date. No one! Jesus has already paved the way. Everyone is good enough to choose the path of abundant life. No one is beyond the grasp of God. Everyone is invited to participate in the family of faith, as dysfunctional as we may be, we try to latch onto what God is doing in this world and allow God to use us to bring about justice and joy. No one is outside of God’s grasp of grace, You are good enough! And God will use us to further the plan for here and now salvation.
Thanks be to God. Amen.