Diagnosis

Grace, typically Rx'd at 135. Rich does it at 225

Someone asked me a really good question the other day in regards to how I program. She asked how I pick the weight for Rx, and why some days it was heavy and some days it was light. It was a great question, and I will attempt to answer it as best I can.

Some days I want the stimulus to be light, and for people to get more of a metabolic burn (like in Fran) where the weight is light enough that it should not be put down but heavy enough to still make it hurt. Other days, I want it to be heavy enough that people have to drop the bar, take a step back, and reset. Every once in a while, the goal is to get someone to realize how strong they are, or more often than not, how much strength they need to gain. For example, if I were to program 225/155 power cleans, there would only be a handful of people that could actually do it. The goal would not be for people to get discouraged, but rather to realize "okay, if I want to be able to Rx this kind of weight, then I need to get significantly stronger." The WOD is designed to diagnose their lack of strength, not to fix the problem of their lack of strength.

In reading through Romans, I am reminded that in His great mercy, the Lord has given us a similar litmus test designed to diagnose, but not fix a problem- the Law.

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in God's sight, since through the law comes the knowledge of sin." - Romans 3:20

"For sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law." -Romans 5:13

"Now the law came in to increase the trespass..." -Romans 5:20

"For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death." -Romans 7:5

"If it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not know what it is to covet if the law had not said 'You shall not covet.' But sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me." - Romans 7:7-8, 9-11

It seems clear that the Lord gave us the law not so we could keep it perfectly and earn His favor, but rather to reveal in our hearts idolatry, rebellion, and waywardness. Much like an MRI reveals cancer, but does nothing to actually cure it, the law reveals our sinful disposition, but does nothing to actually reconcile us to God. What the cancer patient needs is a cure, a doctor, chemo. What we need is a savior. The law makes us aware of the fact that we are in need, and the gospel holds out for us the medication for our sick hearts.

"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Christ obeyed where we couldn't, and then imparted His righteousness to us through His atoning death on the cross. He took our sinfulness upon Himself that we may be clean (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Blessings