The Best and the Worst: Romans 3.19-26

Television situation comedies can be divided up into about four categories:

1. The Fish Out of Water. Some examples of this include The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, I Dream of Jeanie and Gilligan's Island.
2. The Slapstick/ Klutz Comedy. Some of these are Bosom Buddies, Three's Company and I Love Lucy.
3. The Family/Moral to the Story. These seem to be the most endearing and the most enduring comedy shows. Leave It to Beaver, The Andy Griffith Show, Father Knows Best and the Donna Reed Show are good examples.
4. The Insult Comedy. This is a staple of all eras of comedy television. Everybody Loves Raymond and All in the Family are two of my favorites.

However, my favorite insult comedy show of all time is Welcome Back, Kotter. In this program, the Sweathogs, Barbarino, Washington, Epstein and Horshak, are constantly putting one another down, even though they are best friends. Insults move between affectionate teasing and downright cruelty in this program. Here are a couple of examples:

"Up your nose with a rubber hose."

"Get off my case, toilet face."

God has already said the worst that can be said about you: "You are a sinner."

• All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3.23) Every thought that comes naturally to your mind is selfish in nature. In fact, your nature is to be selfish. You consider self-preservation and self-exaltation. All these things are sin. Every person is a sinner.


• There is none righteous, no not one. (Romans 3.10) There are many people who convince themselves that they are good. They think because they do good things, they volunteer, they give to charity, that they are righteous. There are many people who compare themselves to others. "Surely," they think, "I am more righteous than that person." But there is no one who can stand in righteousness before a holy God.


• The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6.23) The consequences of unconfessed and unrepented sin is separation from God. Do not be confused into thinking that you will live. You may live physically, but death is separation from God. Those who live in sin, no matter how good they may be, are separated from God.

He has also said the best that can be said about you: "God loves you."

• God so loved the world. (John 3.16) God's love is universal, it is for everyone. Not only that, it is personal. My faith can be personal because Jesus' love is personal. He loves me and has a plan for my life.
  
• The gift of God is eternal life. (Romans 6.23) The first part of this verse can be a little discouraging. The punishment for sin is death, or eternal separation from God. However, he has made an allowance. He loves me so much that he is willing to forgive me and give me life.