“FALLEN SHORT?” WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH YOU?

Here’s a Word of truth and warning: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The “glory of God” fallen short of here refers to what has been lost to mankind through the transgression of Adam: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (5:12). Since you are part of the “all” mentioned above, this is a truth of great consequence for you.

The “glory of God” spoken of here is the essence of everything necessary to true happiness: The glory of being created in the image of God, the glory of intimacy with God, and the glory of living according to God’s intentions. Adam through his sin fell short and forfeited all this, and so have “all” of us.

Mankind is “fallen short” iin terms of the image of God. God created man a tripartite being like unto Himself (Gen. 1:26; 1 John 5:7). He made us with a body for the sake of sense-consciousness, a soul for the sake of self-consciousness, and a spirit for the sake of consciousness of, and communication with, Himself (1 Thess. 5:23). Image-wise, we are now defaced and dysfunctional. That the glory of God is unseen in, and unsought by, fallen mankind is evident throughout the world.

Mankind is “fallen short”in terms of his having any sense of the glorious intimacy that Adam once enjoyed with God, then forfeited for himself and for all of his posterity. A sense of the glorious presence of God is unknown to those who are strangers to Him and without Him in the world.

God's glorious intentions and purposes for man have been shattered by sin as well. Men and women are spiritually dead and incapable of doing nothing except in their flesh. The tragedy of this is that, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). Mankind “fallen short” “minds” only the things of the flesh and can only operate in the energy of fallen, sinful flesh (Rom. 8:5, 7, 8).

Here’s the good news: What sin has done can be undone. The glory of God in terms of His image can be recovered and reflected; the glory of God in terms of intimate fellowship with Him can be restored, and the glory of God in terms of living our lives according to His intentions for them can be renewed and reasserted.

Those who are “fallen short” can be “drawn nigh” again. Why? Because of the victorious work that Christ has done by way of His cross and empty tomb. How? Through “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (James 4:8; Rom. 8:37-39; Acts 20:21).