In the world of archery, a bulls-eye is the best result we could imagine, anything less is not what we are aiming for. Though the other colored rings are good, they still are not the red center of our intentions, but as we know, the area is relatively small and difficult to hit. Did you know the word “sin” (in the Hebrew) that is used in the Bible is a derivative from an archery term? It is the term used for “missing the target,” or “missing the mark.”
In relation to the Bible, sin is when we “miss the mark” in regards to doing the will of God. We can do things intentionally, that we shouldn’t do, and that can be a sin. Or, we can fail to do something we should do, and that can be a sin. Either way, we are missing the will of God. We are out of step with what God would have us do. We are failing to hit “dead center.” Romans 3:23 tells us “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” In other words, we didn’t even hit the target at all; our “arrows” fell short of the intended goal. And that is our purpose, to hit the goal. Christ said in John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” Christ had the same goal, or purpose, to hit the mark, dead center.
So who really cares if we miss the mark? …Who cares? If you were in your backyard, flinging arrows all around your neighborhood, that would be pretty bad. I would care if I lived near you. The truth is that sin, our sin is offensive to God. Sin is the barrier that keeps us from having a good relationship with Him. It either keeps us from establishing a relationship with Him in the first place, or it severs the intimacy of an existing relationship with Him, at least until it is dealt with. It is a barrier between God and us, and we do not want that wall of sin between us.
“Fair enough,” you say, “But how do I do that? How do I keep that wall of sin and separation from building up?” Well, the answer is in the Bible. God doesn’t just say, “Obey me” and move on. He gives us direction in His commands in the Bible. His Law tells us how to hit the mark. If we are not using the Word of God as a manual, we are not going to hit the mark and succeed in our goal. Can you imagine putting on a blindfold, and trying to hit the bulls-eye? It wouldn’t be likely, would it? How comfortable would it be if multiple archers were standing in a circle, blindfolded and trying to hit the target? It would be certain death. That is why God gave the Bible to His Church, to help us not kill ourselves, or each other, but live according to His will.
Now, it doesn’t take too much time to realize we are human, and we often fail; that is why we need God’s help. The truth is, we are not able to keep every Law in the Bible all the time, at least not in our own strength. We are in great need of Christ. Galatians 3:24 says, “Therefore, the Law has become our tutor, to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” The Law shows us the desperate need we have for Christ. We do not earn our way to heaven by trying to obey the Law, rather, we come to God through His Son Jesus Christ. We are saved through Christ, not by works of the Law. Still, with God’s Spirit in our lives, we are better able to walk according to His will. We are able to hit the bulls-eye a little more often.
Thank God for that!
