The word ‘repechage’ appears to have won a gold medal in linguistics at the Paris Olympics. It’s French for second chance. In my growing-up years, the word was confined to the world of rowing, with the best losers getting a second chance to make the finals. But now it’s an instrument employed right across the sports. The theory is that an athlete can have a bad day, and so deserves a second chance to show their worth. And in offering that chance, we hear the notes of grace.

When it comes to Christian theology, the repechage exists, but requires some careful handling. If salvation was secured by moral excellence, then repechages would be of no value, no matter how many we were offered. The perfect ten is just not possible for us, despite our best efforts. That’s not the fault of God, nor is God unfair. The problem lies with us, and with our lack of moral performance in both desire and ability.

There is a repechage, but it is delivered by the gospel. The first event on the human competition took place in the Garden of Eden, and resulted in our disqualification. The second chance for us came when that second Adam competed for us, on our behalf, to both secure the perfect ten, and to atone for our negative score; along with the arrangement that the victory spoils can belong to anyone who puts their trust in him. And in that second chance, the notes of grace ring loudly.