We’ve All Been Shot ∙∙
As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one” – Romans 3:10
Romans 3:10-12 No one is righteous, not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.
Black Hawk Down: A Story of Survival
Black Hawk Down is a 2001 war film directed and produced by Ridley Scott, based on Mark Bowden’s 1999 book of the same name. The film earned critical acclaim, winning two Academy Awards in 2002 for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing. It recounts the harrowing events of a 1993 military operation in Somalia, where 160 elite U.S. soldiers, including Delta Force, Army Rangers, and the Special Operations Aviation Regiment, were deployed to capture two top lieutenants of Somali warlord Mohamed Farah Aidid.
A Plan Gone Awry
Under the command of Major General William F. Garrison, the operation was designed to be swift, lasting no more than 30 minutes. Initially, the Delta team successfully captured their targets. However, the mission unraveled when heavily armed Somali militia engaged the remaining forces. Using RPGs, the militia shot down two Black Hawk helicopters, transforming the operation into a prolonged and deadly rescue mission that stretched over 18 hours.
A Battle for Survival
The film vividly portrays the chaos and intensity of urban warfare. Tom Sizemore plays a colonel tasked with leading a convoy of trucks out of the besieged zone. The convoy, however, comes under relentless attack, resulting in numerous casualties. In one pivotal scene, the driver of the lead truck is killed, forcing Sizemore’s character to remove the body. He orders a wounded sergeant to take the wheel. When the sergeant protests, saying he has been shot, Sizemore’s character delivers the iconic line: “We’ve all been shot! Now drive the truck.”
A Spiritual Parallel: Humanity’s Shared Condition
The line, “We’ve all been shot,” resonates beyond the battlefield, serving as a metaphor for humanity’s universal brokenness. Who among us can claim to have emerged unscathed from the shadows of human sin? The answer is a disheartening reality that encompasses us all: no one! As fallen beings, we are all born into sin, alienated from the Father, and in desperate need of rescue. The Apostle Paul captures this reality in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
REFLECT & PRAY
Has any descendant of Adam and Eve escaped untainted by human sin? The answer is bleak and all-inclusive: no one!
Father, I am deeply aware of my shortcomings and the weight of my sin. Yet, I am profoundly grateful for Your grace, which declares me righteous through Christ. Thank You for Your unending love and mercy.
INSIGHT
The Father’s Solution to Humanity’s Predicament
How did the Father address humanity’s fallen state? The Apostle Paul explains this clearly, emphasizing the main issues we face in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Paul highlights the universal nature of sin; no one born of Adam and Eve is exempt. The Father’s miraculous solution was made possible through the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was not contaminated by sin. He lived a sinless life and became qualified as the ultimate sacrifice for humanity’s redemption.
Paul elucidates the Father’s elegant solution with remarkable clarity, in 2 Corinthians 5:21: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Through faith, the righteousness of God is made available. The Apostle John exclaims in one of the most well-known scriptural verses, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The Apostle Paul expands on this truth in Romans 3:21-24: “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”
The Righteousness of God
What is the righteousness of God? The Greek phrase dikaiosyne theou is translated as “the righteousness of God.” To have the righteousness of God means “being in right standing before God.” This righteousness is not earned but is a legal declaration made by the Father in favor of those who accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.
The Greek word for “justified” is dikaioo, a legal term meaning “to be declared righteous.” Before accepting Christ, humanity stands guilty and unrighteous. However, when people accept Christ’s death on the cross, they are redeemed and justified. The Father has cleared us of all charges. Our guilty record has been expunged. We are declared righteous, just as Christ is righteous.
2 Corinthians 5:21: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
This concept is similar to a judicial pardon in modern culture. A person found guilty of a crime is sentenced in accordance with the law. Yet, if pardoned, their sentence is rescinded, and they are freed from the consequences of their crime.
Humanity’s Inherited Condition
The origin of humanity’s fallen state traces back to Adam and Eve, whose disobedience introduced sin into the world. This sinfulness became embedded in the very nature of their descendants, as though it were part of humanity’s DNA.
When the Father justifies a child of the King, it is as though He performs a miraculous genetic transformation. He replaces the old, sin-tainted DNA with a new, sin-free identity. This act of justification forgives, exonerates, and forever expunges our guilt.
How many of our sins were forgiven? The Apostle Paul’s remarkable answer: ALL of our sins! Colossians 2:13: “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.”
The Mission of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world with a singular mission: to save those who were lost.
Luke 19:10: “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
The Greek word for “lost” is derived from the verb apollumi, which is in the perfect participle form. A perfect participle connotes a state of being lost in the past with ongoing consequences in the present. This term does “not imply something merely misplaced but rather something ruined, destroyed, or facing an existential threat.”
The nominal form of apollumi is Apollyon, meaning “the destroyer,” a name for the enemy found in Revelation 9:11. When applied to people, apollumi “conveys the dire reality of being on a path to eternal destruction, separated from the Father and His presence forever.”
Redemption Through Christ
Indeed, humanity was “shot,” wounded, and destined for eternal separation from the Father. Without the miraculous redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ, this trajectory would lead to eternal misery.
Paul explains in Romans 5:15-19 thatAdam’s sin brought death and condemnation to all humanity, fundamentally changing the course of our existence. We were all shot! However, in contrast to this grim reality, God’s gift of grace provides justification and forgiveness. This grace empowers the children of the King to triumph over sin and death, renewing and restoring their relationship with Him. While Adam’s disobedience plunged all his descendants into sin, Christ’s perfect obedience opens a door for everyone who believes in Him to be reconciled and made right with their Creator. Through faith in Christ, we leave the shadow of Adam’s fall and step into glorious redemption.
However, through Christ’s sacrifice, every child of the King is healed from the consequences of their inherited sin nature and personal sins. The mission of redemption has been accomplished, and the Father’s love and grace have triumphed over humanity’s fallen state.
Mission accomplished!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯3-27-2
© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 