Points of No Return

Tom drew a line in the dust with his big toe, and said:
'I dare you to step over that, and I'll lick you til you can't stand up. Anybody that'll take a dare will steal sheep.'

The new boy stepped over promptly, and said:

'Now you said you'd do it, now let's see you do it.'

'Don't you crowd me, now; you better look out.'

'Well you said you'd do it--why don't you do it?'

'By jingo! For two cents I will do it!'

The new boy took two broad coppers out of his pocket and held them out with derision. Tom struck them to the ground. In an instant both boys were rolling and tumbling in the dirt, gripped together like cats; and for the space of a minute they tugged and tore at each other's hair and clothes, punched and scratched each others noses, and covered themselves with dust and glory. Presently the confusion took form, and through the fog of battle Tom appeared, seated astride the new boy and pounding him with his fists...

While constantly walking in the freedom of God's unlimited grace it is hard to picture going so far as to not be covered by it. It can't be done. His love is too great. The blood of Jesus Christ has always been around to sanitize our contaminated souls and give us an unblemished start. Unfortunately we must remember that we live in a world FULL of limitations. Imperfect, troubled, and confined. There are a few points in our finite life, that, once crossed, are doomed to stay crossed. There are some consequences that never go away. There is no way to reverse them. The knowledge that we can "clean up our mess" later, be vindicated for our crimes, or "dip our feet in the water" every once in a while is one of the biggest incentives to do wrong. It is much healthier for us to know now than later that some stains stay put, we aren't always acquitted, and sometimes there is a maelstrom just waiting for our temperature-testing toes. Yes citizens, sometimes when we take a dare so often flaunted by the enemy and haughtily throw our coppers down we get a whipping and "scars remain." Besides personal consequences, as we go through life we will also find that people's forgiving tendencies are not as great as those of the Almighty. We are liable to try their patience a little to far, "cross the line" if you will. To quote Matthew Thiessen of Relient K in "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been":

Stop right there that's exactly where I lost it!

See that line? Well I never should've crossed it!

Stop right there, I never should've said that!

It's the very moment that I wish that I could take back.

http://www.playlist.com/searchbeta/tracks#Who%20I%20am%20hates%20who%20I%27ve%20been%20relient%20k

I say all this not to discourage those who may have crossed a line. After all, who am I to make absolutes. With God all things are possible. As long as there is life there is hope and purpose. However, to spare those who have not made that terrible step. Heed.