Good Enough?

Years ago I was involved with a service project in the local church.  We were doing some outdoor work.  One of the volunteers repeated what soon became a mantra for the day:  "Good enough for government work!"  This struck me as odd on many levels.  Do we expect less quality from the government?  What is good enough?  Should we be content with the implied "good enough for the church" effort?

When it comes to salvation no one is "good enough" for all of our righteousness falls short of the glory of God.  By the works of the flesh no one will be justified in God's sight.  The Holy Scriptures require of us our best.  Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce (Proverbs 3:9).  Whatever you do in word or deed do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Colossians 3:17).

The firstborn was offered to the Lord and dedicated to Him.  Sacrificial lambs were to be one year of age without blemish or spot.  People and priests in Malachi's day were weary of giving the best to the Lord.  The  people offered inferior animals for sacrifice.  These were the diseased, injured or crippled.  The priests made no protest and offered what was presented to them.  The Lord was furious. God instructs the people to give the governmental leaders such inferior gifts and see how they would react.  It would be a great insult to the ruler and bring disfavor and reprisal upon the one who presented such poor fair. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.  For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts and My name will be feared among the nations (Malachi1:14).

Why do we think that God is satisfied with second best or the dregs of what we have to offer?  He is a great and mighty King, the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.  The Lord gave us His very best as Jesus became man and dwelt among us.  He took the worst humanity has to offer and bore its weight and consequences upon the cross.  The Father laid on His Son the iniquity of us all.  Less than best would not do.  We would still be in our sins if Jesus was blemished, lame or sick.  There can be no good enough for the Lord who demands perfection  (Matthew 5:48). The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart.  This He will not despise.

Who are we to blame for the malaise of "good enough for the Lord" prevalent today? Pastors blame sin filled congregants still guided by the flesh.  Teachers lament student's out of school life and how difficult it is to teach contrary to the world and one's sinful flesh.  A growing number of Christians favor their own opinions in place of what is written and revealed in Holy Scripture. Christians expect opposition from the world.  When it comes from within the church it seems to hurt more.

The Lord holds His servants accountable for tolerating the sins of the people. Priests should never have accepted inferior animals for sacrifice.  They are to uphold the Lord's standard.  If they don't God was going to wipe their faces in the offal and dung of the animals they accepted.  God expects more from pastors and teachers.  He expects them to be the faithful stewards whom He has called.  For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.  But you have turned aside from the way.  You have caused many to stumble by your instruction.  You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts (Malachi 2:7-8).

You have no one to blame but yourself is the judgment from God through Malachi.  Is the law you teach and proclaim faithful to the Lord who gives it for instruction of His people?  Do you shy away from presenting the law in its full sternness afraid that it might scare people away?  When you do this it is the same as accepting crippled, lame and inferior sacrifices and calling them good enough for the Lord.  Where is the fear and reverence of God?

Here we need the Lord's best.  We need Jesus the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  He is here for you.  Jesus ransomed you from the futile, sinful ways inherited from your forefathers.  He did this not with gold or silver but with His holy and precious blood like that of a lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:17-21).  Jesus suffered once for your sins to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit to bring you to God (1 Peter 3:16-18).  It is Jesus who causes you to be born from above in the waters of baptism.  He joins you to Himself and calls you to be faithful unto death so that you may receive the crown of life.  Jesus' life, death, resurrection and ascension are what is good to the Father.  His righteousness for your unrighteousness is the greatest trade ever made.  Nothing else is close nor good enough.