IN South African Schools before pupils can be promoted from the primary department to the secondary department, they have to pass a written examination. After the papers have been corrected, an inspector comes round and consults the Principal of the school as to the marks gained by each pupil, and after inquiry as to the work done during the year, a decision is arrived at as to whether the pupil is to be promoted from Standard VI to Standard VII or not.
Some think this is an old-fashioned way of doing things, but it is still done. What excitement is produced when the results are known. In one school all the pupils succeed in passing, in another only half are through! Joy and disappointment! A whole year to wait in the case of those who fail before they can attend the secondary classes with all their new subjects—book-keeping or typewriting, mathematics and science, including chemistry, with its fine explosions!
The pupil who fails has come short of what is required. Perhaps it is his own fault, perhaps it is on account of illness, or some other good reason. But in any case, he has come short. In order to enter the secondary classes, the pupil must reach a certain standard of proficiency.
But in order to enter heaven, what standard must you reach? All those who enter heaven must be like Christ.
That is a very high standard, is it not? Who can reach such a high level?
I look into my heart and I feel I must say: The standard is too high for me; Christ is holy, my heart is evil; Christ never sinned, my life is full of sin. I feel I have come entirely short of the standard required.
What then can be done? If I stand on my own merits, I shall have to perish eternally. My condition is hopeless. But thank God there is a way out! God can cleanse me from my sins. I can be cleansed through the blood of Christ, God's Son. My filthy clothes can be taken away and I can be adorned with the best robe. And that best robe we read of in Luke 15 speaks to us of Christ. If I am clothed in it, I stand before God as Christ stands before Him.
There are teachers who may say to the inspector: Let this child through if it is at all possible; he cannot remain another year in Standard VI, he can get employment if he passes Standard VI.
Will the inspector do this? Perhaps if he is easy to please he will do it, even if the boy does not deserve to pass; but that would not really be righteous. He must not lower the standard of requirements just to let one boy through.
Will God lower His standard to let sinners get into heaven? No; He is righteous and cannot lower the standard.
In any case each one of us comes so far short, that there is no question of nearly succeeding. We must get one hundred per cent. to pass in this examination and actually we have got naught! The work of Christ gives us one hundred per cent. So each one will be either fully blest with Christ or wholly lost.
What about our readers? Will it be one hundred percent or naught?
A. A. E.