The Real One and Done

           

Eventually in sports, everyone loses. Kentucky won their first 38 games and lost one. Unfortunately for them, one loss means no national championship. I am sure if they could, they would trade one of their victories to replace their loss. However, that is not how it works. When it comes to the NCAA national championship, it is perfection or nothing else. It is not about how good you are, it is about being perfect for 6 games.

         We understand this when it comes to sports but fail to understand this concept when it concerns our salvation. Many believe that being good is good enough to enter into heaven. However, that is not true. In fact, when you commit one sin, you are truly one and done. Earning heaven is being perfect and without mistake. When it comes to sin, it is one and done.

         You see the price of sin is death. Romans 6:²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. All sin is equally wrong. James 2:¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. ¹¹ For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. We are all sinners. Romans 3:²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. As a result, once I commit a sin I have become guilty. My punishment is forfeiting heaven. If I am not going to heaven, then my punishment is hell.

         Someone might say, "I am a good person that has done many good deeds. My good deeds should erase my mistakes." That is not true. No matter how many good deeds I commit, I will never be able to erase even one of my sins. Just like one loss in a tournament means I lose the championship, one sin means I lose heaven.

         At this point, the illustration is depressing. Yet there is one thing I get in my life that a ball team does not get in a tournament: a redeemer. Jesus Christ came to save the world. John 3:¹⁶ 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.  Christ was willing to take the place of the sinner at the cross. He is willing to pay the price for my sin. Even though I am a failure and have forfeited my prize, I have one willing to exchange His innocence for my guilt and pay my price. I have been redeemed.

         Ephesians 2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

         Tonight, 66 teams will have to watch two teams play for a championship. Only one will win. 67 teams will forfeit a prize based on their failure. There is nothing that can or will change that. The winner is not going to trade places with the losers. That is not how sports work.

         Tonight there are people who are in their sins who have forfeited their prize of heaven. However, you do not have to remain in your state. You have a redeemer who is willing to give you a victory. You do not have to sit there with a loss; you can choose to regain what was lost. The Bible teaches that if we believe that Jesus is the Christ, confess Him as our Lord, repent of our sins, and we are baptized we will be saved. Will you choose to stay in your imperfections or will you allow yourself to taste the victory?