My Two Cents Worth!
Romans 2:11-12 For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.
Recently the Patriots played the Colts for a chance to go to the 2015 Superbowl, the game of all games. The final outcome was lopsided with the Patriots winning by a landslide. However, it has been established that of the 24 balls used in the game, eleven were underinflated by two pounds and those were the balls used by the Patriots to win the game in wet rainy weather. Now the question is, “Did the Patriots, cheat?” The answer seems to be quite clearly, “Yes.” That eleven balls used by the Patriots were underinflated is not being questioned. That all the balls used by the Colts were properly inflated is not being questioned. Other quarter backs have stated that underinflated balls are easier to control in bad weather. If weather alone caused this problem it would seem that all the balls would have been affected. A player from the losing team made an interception and recognized that the ball was soft. It is fairly obvious that someone cheated.
Dealing with Sin
Generally people are dealing with this issue in the following ways: 1. Nothing really happened or the referees would have picked up on it. 2. Nothing happened that makes any difference. 3. These kind of things happen all the time. It is called “competitive edge.” 4. If something did happen, why should one man’s “sin” affect the whole team? 4. Why investigate the whole thing since the Patriots would have won anyway.
My observation is that since the twelve balls used by the Colts were ok, something happened to the evenly underinflated balls. I haven’t got a good answer for the fact that one ball was “legal.” Since the referees should have noticed the soft balls, they must have been a part of whatever happened. Now many of you are going to say that I haven’t a clue and that is all right because really I don’t. I am just observing and noticing that people are handling this sin (and to me it is obvious that there was intentional sin here), the same way they handle sin that offends God.
They deny it or they deny its importance in the following ways. Some will say that society has changed so God’s standards have changed. Others say, "lt doesn’t really matter because everyone does it.” Others will say that the rule that they have broken makes no sense.
Man shows Partiality
To me this last week has been a lesson in dealing with “sin”. Big money is involved so everybody wants to look the other direction. We know right now that the Patriots should be asked to forfeit the game BECAUSE THE TEAM DIDN’T FOLLOW THE RULES. However, nobody is likely to suggest that because of all the money that is involved, including the money being bet on the game. So we are being taught an important lesson: if you are going to cheat, make sure that you are rich and good looking.
Fortunately, God does not think like man thinks. He holds us accountable for big sins and small sins. He holds us accountable for sins of commission and sins of omission. He holds us accountable for intentional and unintentional sins. THERE IS NO PARTIALITY WITH GOD.
God provides Forgiveness
But while God does not let anyone off the hook, the good news is that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We are so unlike God that if the Patriots and those involved in Deflategate actually confessed that they had sinned, I am sure that those who would lose money because of it would never forgive them. In addition, no one that I know of is willing to step forward and say that they are willing to pay any and all penalties if the transgressors will just fess up. But that is what Christ has done for us.
There is just too much at Stake for a True Confession
Man has no real solution for sin. God does. Wouldn’t it be nice if the Patriots would just step forward and say, “We cheated, we are going to forfeit the game since we didn’t win fair and square.” I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I am sure that is not going to happen.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of January 25, 2015