Steroids and the Law

The great debate nowadays is whether McGwire, Bonds, Sosa, etc. should be allowed into the Hall of Fame given their obvious use of anabolic steroids. Many people say McGwire’s (of whom I'm a big fan) use of andro should be permissible because it wasn’t “illegal” at the time. Others say these players should not be punished because who’s to say Mantle, Ruth, etc. did not take illegal drugs (apparently they took everything else). Some perspectives demand punishment for all performance enhancing drugs, but then who defines where dietary supplements end and performance enhancers begin. It’s all one huge mess.

If we live with a relativist’s philosophy, everything is chaos. Everyone has their own perspective and there is no answer. That is why we have the Law. I’m not talking about local law but rather the Law that law is based on. The Law is Truth. I’m not talking about personal truth but rather the Truth that truth is based on. The dictionary states truth as “that which is the same or equal to the original.” What is the original? “In the beginning God...” (Genesis 1:1). Jesus claims in John 14:6 “I am … the Truth…”

Perhaps God’s most direct revelation of the Law is the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). The Ten Commandments are not intended to be a trap. Instead, it is the unbiased truth because it reflects the nature of God. It sets ground rules, so that we can’t make a mess of situations by trying to overanalyze them or add our own biases. It is our measuring stick to see if we make the cut and are worthy. (Psalm 19:7-8)

However, the Ten Commandments prove that “no one’s perfect”, “all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23), and “there are none perfect” (Romans 3:12). Have you ever lied (little white lies are still lies just like little white mice are still mice)? Have you committed adultery? Remember “if you look upon a woman with lust, you have committed adultery already.” Lust and adultery are the same just like andro and steroids are the same; different name but same result. Have you ever taken something that wasn’t yours (this includes virginity, spare change from your friends apartment, a game ball or uniform, etc.)?

According to the Law, no one deserves to be in life’s Hall of Fame. (Romans 3:19-20) No matter what era you come from or what was socially acceptable at the time, we are all sinners. We all admit that when we say “no one’s perfect.” But there is one who “was tempted in all ways as we are but without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) He did what we can not. He has what we need for admittance into life’s Hall of Fame. If we need what He has, then we need Him. Accept Him into your life. Receive His gift of salvation. Then you will be admitted into heaven, both here on earth and hereafter.