Grading on a Curve

I loved those words, “I’ll be grading on a curve.”  Anytime a teacher let us know that perfection wasn’t the standard, there was reason to celebrate.  The highest grade in the class would be the rule the instructor would use to grade the rest of the class.

It’s not that way with God.  His standard is perfection.  His standard is holiness.  Paul let’s us know that if we’re not keeping God’s law one hundred percent of the time, then we’re not keeping any of it.

The apostle tells the Galatians that if they want to follow the counterfeit gospel of the false teachers, here’s what they can expect.  A curse.  Not just any curse but God’s curse.

“For all who rely on work of the law are under a curse” (v10).  The Greek term here is καταρα/katara.  It describes a covenantal curse for those who fail to keep the law of Moses.  In other words, God doesn’t grade on a curve.

The bad news is that when it comes to God's grading scale, He’s using a pass/fail system.  We’re either in or out. Nothing in between.  Unless we’re perfect, we don’t make the grade.  See, I told you it was bad news.

And here’s the Good News.  Jesus did for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves.  He was flawlessly obedient to His Father’s impossible standard.  

He invites us to place our trust in what He’s done for us.  When we do, we get credit for His perfect performance.  See, I told you it was Good News.

So when we hear God isn’t grading on a curve, we can relax.  Jesus doesn’t just get an “A” but graciously shares it with the rest of us.

©2012

Jay Jennings