“Really! There’s no such thing as self-rescue, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. The cost of rescue is beyond our means, and even then it doesn’t guarantee life forever, or insurance against the Black Hole.”
Psalm – 49:7-9 Message
Well it is a new year and with every new year comes resolutions for self improvement. Last year, I made a resolution to lose 20 pounds for Meghan and Josh’s wedding. I lost 13 pounds so I came up short. However, over the recent holidays, I have gained 5 back. It is a never ending battle that is hard to win. Most resolutions for us fall hopelessly short despite the best of our intentions. It is because the system is flawed. A flawed system will never succeed despite our intentions. Some resolutions last longer than others, but it is so hard to keep them.
A resolution for rescuing ourselves from judgment is an even greater fallacy. Yet so many think they can by self-effort please God. God is not impressed with our self-efforts. Self rescue or self justification is beyond our ability because we are flawed because of sin. Our sin makes self justification impossible. The NAS version of the above passage even states “the redemption of the soul is simply too costly” and “we should quit trying forever”. We could never self-justify ourselves to salvation because our redemption is simply too costly. It is a leap over the Grand Canyon, it is a swim across the Atlantic. We could get a few yards out and hopelessly drown or we could even get a mile or two out, but still drown.
Fortunately, self rescue is not necessary. God has provided a means for rescue and it is in the form and atoning work of Jesus Christ. He made the impossible possible. He has already rescued us. No self rescue is necessary because the rescue has already been made. Our job is to accept it freely and appropriate what God has already given us. God alone can achieve redemption. The resolution all of us can keep is to accept it.
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