What did it take for God to save us? To put it into human terms, I would say this:

Suppose I broke into your house, tied you up, and made you watch as I beat your son, killed your wife, and stole everything you owned. You call the police, they come and arrest me, and I am sentenced to die. In the meantime, I am free on bail. So, to stay your wrath, which is firmly upon me, I mow your grass, do your laundry, paint your house and take out the garbage. However, none of these “good deeds” make up for the fact that I have committed such vile offenses against you. There is nothing I can do to cover over my atrocities, and hide them from your sight. Your wrath abides upon me still.

As the day of my execution approaches, you remember your mercy. For no reason other than the fact that you have so desired in your heart, you make me an offer. In order to spare me from death, you will allow your only son to be strapped to that table, have the needles inserted in his arms, and take the penalty that I deserved. Not only that, but you will then adopt me into your family as your son. I plead with you, saying, “No! No! No! I don’t like that idea! I have a better idea! Let me do good things for you! Let me earn my pardon! Let me do enough good things that I don’t have to accept THAT offer!” You look at me and say, “Either my son dies for your crimes–or you pay for them yourself forever. Which is it?”

This is the dilemma facing every single human being who will ever walk the face of the earth. They have all committed horrific acts against the LORD of all the earth. They have walked through His creation, stolen from Him, blasphemed His name–and have rightly earned His wrath.

Everyone.

EVERY.

ONE.

The only way to avoid the eternal punishment we deserve is to accept His offer of His Son, the blood that He shed, to hide our sins from the sight of the Father. Oh, but how many? How many do not bow their knee and confess salvation is through Christ alone! They rather say, “No, God! I have a better idea! I’ll do good things for You! I’ll do such good things that You won’t have any choice but to pardon me!” And they think they are bringing Him gifts of gold, silver, and precious stones. When in fact they are bringing Him a big, stinking pile of used Kotex. Have these people not read the words of the prophet Isaiah? “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”

Used tampons.

Sorry to be so blunt, but I feel the translators were much too kind. All of our righteousnesses are as filthy as the cloths a woman has used during her period of uncleanness. They are drenched with the stain and odor of our own uncleanness. And they are good for nothing but to be thrown into a pile and burned. And yet how many people will approach the throne of God, holding them in their hands as their most prized possession, thinking that the Lord will be pleased with such an offering. And He will say, “Get out of My sight! I can’t stand to look at you and all that waste you have brought Me! Who do you think I am that I can be bartered with such filth? Do you think I would be pleased with all your uncleanness? In fact, who are you? I don’t even know you! I never have! So be gone! Be gone! NEVER approach Me EVER AGAIN! You dirty, filthy, vile miscreant! Be burned with everlasting fire, that I never have to be reminded of you ever again!!”

Friend, if you are reading this, and you have been gathering up used menstrual cloths as an offering to God to bribe Him into letting you into His kingdom–I beg you to stop right this minute. Because what you are telling God is this–that the blood in those bloody cloths you are offering Him is better than the blood that was shed by His dear and precious Son. You cannot assuage the wrath of God with your own filthy garments. Do you think that God is under some kind of obligation to overlook your sins because you have earned enough “attaboys” and have done enough “good deeds?” How much is enough? Who decides? You? Are you the final arbiter of how much good is enough? Don’t even think for a moment that you have the keys of the kingdom of God–those are in the Hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who opens the door to the kingdom, for He is the Door. He opens it, and no one can shut it. But, friend, He also shuts it, and no one can open it.

You have sinned against Almighty God. The only offer there is for your pardon is to accept the sacrifice of His Son on the Cross, and to be adopted into His family as His son. No amount of mowing, laundry, painting, or any other little trinket of a deed you can offer Him will ever take away the fact that you are a sinner. Only the blood of Jesus. That’s what it took.