The Gig Line

        While in the navy, with the exception of boot camp and a short cruise, I spent the whole time at a “school” command. That meant that we had a lot of personnel inspection. We had one every Friday morning at 8:00 AM. Uniforms had to be just about as perfect as you could make them with creases in the right places and free from any spots or wrinkles. The navy jumper, the top worn in the traditional uniform had to have the flap evenly divided into four sections which meant that there were 3 creases in the flap, dividing it into four equal sections. If you had a shirt on, such as a chief petty officer in those days, the shirt had to be in exact line with the trouser fly. It was called the “gig” line because if it was off just a little bit, you got a “gig” which meant you had to do the inspection over on Saturday morning. When you arrived at the office before the inspection, you would not sit down until the inspection was over for fear of getting a wrinkle in the wrong place. Ephesians 5:27 says, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

        The Scripture goes to great lengths to set the standard for the perfect sacrifice and indeed anything that is going to be presented to God. A lamb that was going to be used for the sacrifice could not have spot on it or a leg missing or an animal with spots all over it. It had to be perfect and therefore the best of the flock. It was setting the standard for what was going to come in the future. The Lord Jesus Christ was the Perfect Lamb in every way. This meant that He was the Only One that could make the sacrifice that would pay for our sins. This also means that the church, the Bride of Christ, will be that Perfect One that will be sufficient to be in heaven. It doesn't take us long to figure out that there is nothing that we can do to make ourselves clean enough for heaven and that we need to desperately have the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in order for us to be cleansed. It will be then said that we are without spot or blemish. It is a life long work and one in which we sometimes get discouraged over as the more we try to be Christlike, the more we are evident of our imperfections. The closer you get to God, the more your blemishes become apparent. The greater the light, the more the exposure of imperfections. We are, however, not discouraged but still go on day by day, growing closer and closer to Him and the promised of someday being without spot or blemish keeps us on the right tract. Our spiritual lives are sometimes referred to as our “state” and our “standing.” Our “standing” with God is perfect because of our salvation while are current “state” might be far from perfect. At either death or the rapture the two will become perfectly aligned. The work will have been done in us even as Paul mentioned in Philippians 1:6. “ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Praise God today for the work that He is doing in your life today.