God's Grading System: Pass-Fail

 "Oh, what are we to do? We've been trying awful hard!"

In real life there is an equation I + T = F (Initiative + Trying = Failure)

The equation has two outcomes though. "If at once you don't succeed try again". Then the equation takes a loop:

I + T1 + T2 + T3 ...  T(n)  = F If you try, try , try again! However, one can add "Doing" to stop the loop of trials:

I + T(n) + D = S (Initiative + Trying + Doing = Success). It's possible to skip the "trying stage" because that is an admission of failure (F) and go right on to "Doing::

I + D = S, and nowhere to be found in the equation is "Trying" nor "Failure". Hence, we conclude that "Trying" is unnecessary and non-value added.

This demonstration is for general use. When the teacher does the evaluation and says "Jimmy gets and "E" for 'Effort' because he 'tries' hard!", that means that Jimmy isn't meeting the the standards of performance set by the authorities, whether it be the teacher, the school system or the Department of Education.

Yes, standards are set by an authority! Let' look at life's standards, "natural law" or what's really God's Law.

We must have standards so that it's clear whether we're meeting what's required. If the standards are "required" those standards become "commands". If he teacher says that a student needs at least a "D" to pass, it's not optional. It's a requirement. Those in charge demand that the standard be met or the student fails! Hence, grades are not  "suggestions", but  "commands" to perform to a certain standard to meet the expectations of those in charge.

Standards are a requirement to be fair. Justice is met when standards are fair to all. Seldom is "perfection" a standard. Knowing that all are prone to make errors and it's fair to err as long as it's not habitual, then the standards allow for some degree of failure. Therefore, a student can get an "A" yet still make an error or two. There is a certain amount of levity built into the grading system to encourage effort. If a student knows perfection is required to get an "A" and is insecure about that extent of performance, the student may not put forth as much effort and miss the mark even more than normal. We all need levity so that we have optimism and optimism leads to less stress and better performance.

Let's say that the U.S. Government sets up a standard for graduation for all students. Or better, yet, let's set up the same standard world wide so that justice will be global!  

The standard is one scenario. It's to test all of what one knows. The authorities even give awards for meeting that one standard. If you are correct then you graduate. If you are incorrect then you don't graduate. There is a bonus if you do right. You get a reward for life because graduation enhances success and with graduation, the bonus is credentials to help you throughout life!

Someone in charge decided to combine the test with career day to make it even more meaningful.

Here's the one question: There is a door to your future. Lying within is an opportunity to success, but hardships are also through that door. There's another door. Success is there too, but  you are required to be a good citizen. However, there are no hardships. Use your wisdom to make a decision. 

That's a fair test. There are two answers, but one is best. This test was chosen because wisdom is "applied knowledge" so it's a test to see if one is learned and knows how to use it!  Such a test is the best to reflect future success. Unfortunately, it's a pass-fail exam. There is no partial credit nor a chance to retake. However, everyone has an equal chance so it's a fair test.

There are others who want you to fail the test for various reasons. Those are called "confounds". Some want you to pass and offer encouragement. Good teachers do that! Therefore, while the good teachers are there encouraging, there are also those there to side track you. Some of the confounds are "Select this door. There will be no hardships!" and "If you pick the other door you'll never have any fun!". or "The grading system has a secret for letting everyone pass even if they pick the wrong door!"

Here's a warning" If you pick the wrong door you've made a mistake which not only effects you, but your offspring as well. Choose wisely!

This scenario paints a pretty bleak picture. Pass-fail is a just grading system, but it doesn't take into account human error. Any of us may get confused and select the wrong door sometimes, but certainly we wouldn't every time if given a chance. So it was decided to come up with other doors to open:

Romans 5:13 "For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

Okay... here's where I'm going:

Before the Ten Commandments there were no standards. The test was a pass-fail. There was one test. The door God gave to select was Door #1. The Tree of Life. It didn't offer reason and pleasure, but did offer many fruits including love, hope, faith, patience and so forth. The other door offered reason, pleasure and wealth. Unfortunately the poor student, Eve, chose Door #2 on "Career Day". She flunked out so to speak, but confounds beguiled her. She failed the "wisdom" test because she knew which door to pick, but did it her way, hoping for better, but knowing better! With Door #2 came eternal death.

With that test, although it was just, it lacked leniency. So God gave mankind The Law.  With the Ten Commandments all anyone had to do was keep ten (oops!) instead of one!  That seems to be ten times harder because scripture says that if one law is broken there's a problem:

James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

This test has eleven doors!  However, instead of one, if any one of the ten within the eleven is selected then the student fails the test. It's actually a test with even less leniency than the first! However, the student knows specifically what he did to fail! That's not a great consolation.

However, the really wise student prayed about his failure to pass the exam and received a secret. "You know, Abe, you can't go without breaking some of those laws, so there must be a different way!. There is!  The pass-fail test was all about love of God. It turns out that the test with 10 standards was all about love of God too! "But", you say, "only the first three are about loving God. The other seven are standards on loving others!"

Well, it turns out that the authority writing the test threw in a trick, so to speak! All ten standards are a test for loving God. Because in the New Testament God says that the Greatest Commandment is to Love God and the One Like it is to love others as yourself!  Then he says "If you love me, keep my commandments!" Hence, there is again only one Commandment which is to love God and to show that you love God; one loves others as well! Consequently, the Ten Commandments, the test we are to pass by getting them all right, is truly only one question we must get right. It's still a pass-fail test, but with ten questions all of which must be right!

However, the Authority is somewhat lenient. That's the levity in the grading system! He grades on a curve!  He knows that even the best student, even with good intentions, can be tricked on individual standards, so he has grace. He's lenient when you keep messing up, but are TRYING real hard!  Here's the case where I + T = S (Initiative + Trying = Success). The "initiative" is to pass the standards, the "trying" is self-control and the "success" is salvation. However, there's a hidden constant in the equation with infinite value. G(I + T) = S. The "G" is that constant "grace"; God giving us something we don't deserve. That's his "grading on the curve".

His best students fail. They get so entangled in keeping each standard that they forget what's important. That's our own contribution to the equation! G(I + T) x F = Salvation, where "F" = faith.

The Authority for this equation is:

Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"

It's easy to see where "grace" and "faith enter the equation for salvation, but the implication is that we get the "gift from God" because we love him, because that's the Pass-Fail Test we must pass! Love is shown by "trying". Hence, this verse spells out the entire equation. We must have the initiative to pass the test.

John 6:44a "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me Holy Spirit) draw him:"

I = Holy Spirit. He's the initiative. Without the Spirit drawing us to Christ, we never have the belief from which faith springs. The Holy Spirit provides that "gift from God", hence the only part of salvation which we must provide is faith and love. Therefore, we pass if we have the wisdom to believe this standard equation"

(Faith + Love)  x Grace = Salvation. You see the "trying" is reduced to insignificance if you love and have faith! "Trying" is a by-product of love so it drops out of the equation. The ten standards (Commandments) then become bonus points! You know that you're saved because you obey his commandments.Simply put if you love God, do what he wills and do what's in the interest of others, you get the bonus points!

You have the faith and love and if you try to be righteous, then God has the grace to save. What's the resource for faith and love. It's the blood shed by Jesus. That's where faith and love arise and is propitiated to you.

Hebrews  9:22b "...without shedding of blood is no remission (salvation)."

Pass-fail? Yes... it still is! Is it fair? Yes, it's just! Is it easy? Yes! All you have to do is have belief!

John 11:25 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"

B = S (Belief is Salvation), so all the grace God has is because you believe in Jesus. That belief gives rise to love and faith, which are by grace. It's a simple pass-fail test. Now get your No. 2 pencil and check it off: "Yes, I believe in Jesus!" This is the only time you pass by "trying" Try it now!