The Human Element
Joe R. Price

We make mistakes. And, we sin. We hurt ourselves and others with our mistakes and our sins. The English poet Alexander Pope wrote, “To err is human; to forgive is divine”. We have all experienced the first part of that statement. But, are we willing to practice the second part?

On Wednesday night, June 2, Detroit Tiger pitcher Armando Galarraga pitched a perfect game – right up to the 27^th batter. The umpire blew the call on what would have been the final out of only the twenty-first perfect game in Major League Baseball history. But, the ruling stood, and the victory was recorded as a one-hit shutout.

After reviewing the video of the play, the umpire admitted he blew the call and expressed deep regret for his mistake and its impact on Galarraga. We admire his willing admission of his error and the sorrow he expressed over his mistake.

The pitcher was gracious in his response. He did not speak ill of the umpire. He did not bemoan his bad luck. He did not lash out in hateful anger. “I say many times: Nobody’s perfect,” Galarraga said. “Everybody makes a mistake. I’m sure he don’t want to make that call. You see that guy last night, he feels really bad. He don’t even change. The other umpires shower, eat. He was sitting in the seat (and saying), ‘I’m so sorry.'" (“Selig won’t overturn call for Galarraga”, foxsports.com). We admire Galaragga’s grace throughout this incident.

In these events we have an example of “the human element”. By that we mean that we (and everyone else) make mistakes from time to time. In baseball, it is this “human element” that eases the pain of a blown call or a botched play. Nobody is perfect; and try as they may, umpires sometimes miss a call. All of us have made and will make mistakes.

We must distinguish the difference between making a “mistake” and committing a sin. There is a difference. Mistakes are errors or miscalculations that do not necessarily contain a moral or religious element.  A mistaken baseball call was not a sin, even though it affected others. Sin is the violation of the will of God (1 Jno 3:4).  When it comes to sin the Bible emphatically declares “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). This is not an excuse for the sins we commit. It is a description of the human condition (cf. Rom 3:9-19). The reality of sin persuades people of faith to confess their sins rather than saying, “I have not sinned” (1 Jno 1:8, 10).

“I’m only human!”

Sometimes we hear people say “I’m only human” as an explanation or excuse for their sin. The idea conveyed is that since “nobody’s perfect” and “everybody sins”, their sin is not really a bad thing after all; it’s just a “mistake”. That is the devil’s lie. Sin is very serious, causing the death of our souls (Rom 6:23). That is much more than a “mistake”.

We need to get serious about sin and be able to tell the difference between a mistake and a sin. The idea that “I’m only human” is sometimes used to blur this distinction, easing our conscience toward our sin. As long as we convince ourselves that what we feel is right, even if it is a sin against the will of God, somehow or another it is okay. (As if we have the right to sin, call it a “mistake”, and never address the sin in God’s way.) If that is the way we treat our sins we will carry them with us to the judgment seat of Christ and be eternally lost because we would not confess and repent of them. Remember, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov 14:12).

“I’m only human” can also be used to try to shield ourselves from righteous judgment. “You can’t judge me”, we are told, because “I’m only human”…”and so are you”! In other words, since we have all sinned, none of us should ever make a judgment!  This could not be farther from what the Bible teaches. Jesus said to “judge righteous judgment” (Jno 7:24). Righteous judgment, He taught, is accomplished when we use the right standard of judgment (God’s word) and keep the right motives in our judgments (God’s will). Hear Jesus in John 5:30: “I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me”. When one decides to do God’s will he will listen to the word of God, not the deceptive leadings of the human heart (“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”, Jer 17:9). Thus, saying, “I’m only human” becomes an excuse for sin; not a righteous judgment of it.

“I have sinned”

The prodigal son had to “come to himself” before he would go to his father, confessing and repenting of his sins (Lk 15:17-21). The father, because he always loved his son, received his confession of sin and showed him merciful forgiveness (Lk 15:22-24). This is the way God receives us when we come to Him with godly sorrow, confessing and repenting of our sins against Him (Psa 32:5).

The confession and correction of sin requires:

   1) Respect for God and His will. Only when we truly respect God will we return to Him according to His word; No excuses. (Matt 7:21-23)

   2) Humility. Pride will prevent many souls from being forgiven. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6). We must forgive sinners when they humbly seek our forgiveness, just as our Father forgives us when we seek His forgiveness (Matt 18:32-35).

   3) Works worthy of repentance (Acts 26:20). Repentance is not being sorry for sin; it is changing our heart toward our sin so that now, our actions will be different from before. We will not continue to sin; we will serve righteousness (Rom 6:11-14).

The “human element” (that we all make mistakes) is not given in the Bible as an excuse for sin. Let us be careful not to comfort ourselves in sin by using such false reasoning.

Many people chafe under the righteous requirements of God. Such a person views the exercise of proper authority over them as an infringement of their rights. These have not yet learned a fundamental element of the Lord’s commandments: they are for our good.

Moses said to Israel, “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” (Deut 10:12-13, emp. mine; see Micah 6:8) Similarly, the commands of Christ’s gospel are for our good (Matt 7:21).

God places requirements upon us. All of us. Christ has “all authority”, and the heart of faith willingly yields to His will. God is not trying to control us; He is trying to help us choose and live a blessed life, now and eternally.

1. God requires men to fear Him. This is reverence, the dread of displeasing God that prompts us to honor Him through our obedience (Eccl 12:13; Heb 10:28).

2. God requires men to obey Him. Just as Israel was to “walk in His ways”, Christians are to walk in the light (practice the truth), 1 Jno 1:6-7. No one should expect God to bless them in disobedience (Rom 2:6-11).

3. God requires men to love and serve Him. Loving God, as with loving people, is known through actions, not words (Jno 14:15; 1 Jno 3:18). Such love is “with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deut 10:12; Matt 22:37). Micah described the loving service God requires as “walk(ing) humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

The humble in heart will see the blessing of obeying God’s requirements. They are for our good. God gives grace to the humble, but resists the proud (Jas 4:6). Let us humbly meet God’s requirements and be blessed.

The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
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