Recently I read a testimony about someone being saved at the young age of five years old. That is such a kind gift from God. To be able to recognise the need for forgiveness, and accept it at such a young age, is truly remarkable.
In my own life this was not the case. I grew up in a family of Christians who were highly dysfunctional (whose family isn't, right!). My parents both had tragic upbringings. They brought their painful past into the new family.
The point of this particular blog is to expose the self-righteousness that comes with hearing some peoples testimonials.
Picture this:
A man stands up in church and gives a heart wrenching story. He was abused as a child. He sought comfort with loose women and wild living. This fast life ran him down a road that ended with him killing a man and going to prison.
While in prison he found God. He studied hard and got a degree in theology. After leaving prison he worked as a janitor for the church whose pastor visited him in prison.
After serving as a janitor for a few years he was asked to lead up the youth ministry. A few years later he became lead pastor of his own church. And now, after all these years, he is blessed with the fastest growing church in the state!
That is an awesome transformation and testimony!! I heard that testimony over a year ago and it blew my mind! God has the power to transform even the most vile man!
Did you see what happened there? That last statement had a peculiar twist in it. It assumes that the sins that guy had done were more wretched than most.
I have heard from people who were like the first guy in this blog. Saved at a young age, they never went and did those things we think of as horrible. However, in Gods eyes, was his sinfulness somehow less sinful than the murderers?
Some who haven't "sinned as much" may wonder how God can use them to reach people.
That whole line of thinking is a lie. It smells like smoke and is from the pit of hell. Riddle me this:
Who gave us the idea that our sins aren't as bad as others?
Who made us think that we were so righteous?
Who said that God can't use us cause we weren't as bad as others?
Does the Bible teach that some people are more wretched than others?
IT DOESN'T WORK!!!!!!
We ALL come to God miserable, wretched, and broken. There is no sin hierarchy. We all have made a hash of Gods law. We all trampled on the cross and cursed at the saviour. Our vileness and corruption hung our dear Lord on the cross.
How dare any of us imagine that somehow we are less guilty. We stand before a holy and sovereign God only because of what He did for us.
The Bible proclaims that our righteousness is as filthy rags.
What, you somehow think your rags aren't as dirty as someone else's? You fool. How can grace have its work on you while you still think you are a good person?
It is important for us not to lose sight of our own deceitfulness. We can very easily begin thinking that God is very lucky, and didn't have to do much, to have saved us.
After all, Jesus only shed a couple of drops of blood for me. Those truly disgusting people are the ones who He had to........
