Speeding Tickets

Is sanctification our responsibility or God's?

Sanctification is being forgiven. Can we forgive our own sins? Nah, I don't think so. I can't do that stuff. God forgives sin.

Sanctification, as far as accepting God's forgiveness, well, there are people refusing that.

I'm no good at theological debates, but I do like telling stories. I guess I see this whole debate in terms of a speeding ticket.

There is a guy cruising down the street, correction: he is whizzing down the street. He is going 70 in a 55 mile per hour zone. Bam! School zone sign that says the speed limit is 25 mph. So here is this guy going 70 in a 25 mile per hour zone with little kids. Big no-no.

So, of course, a flurry of red and blue lights appear behind him, and he gets pulled over and issued a ticket.

On the ticket, it says to show up in court on such and such a date and your fine will be lifted.

“No Way!” the guys thinks. Thats dumb, why would he get a ticket just to have it lifted two weeks later? The guy is incredulous and doubtful, not so sure about this. Where are the loopholes? Where is the fine print?

The guy decides to go to court on the date. The judge knows he was speeding, knows there were children around, but the ticket is lifted. It costs the guy nothing.

The guy starts asking the judge tons of questions. Why would people miss this? How does this work?

The judge shrugs and looks at the guy. The judge says the ticket has been paid. Thats it. He doesn't say anything more.

Baffled, the guy walks away. Thankful and slightly confused.

The end. Well, sort of.

That is how I see this whole process of sanctification. The guy's reaction is all too familiar. I can't wrap my mind around this concept of grace that simply states, “it has been paid.” I know my theology is missing a few key points, like Jesus and being born again and the Holy Spirit and life after being forgiven. But I like to think of it simply, just like this. I like thinking about it simply because it shows that it is nothing that we did to deserve it, we just had to show up and accept it.