Holier-than-thou

Today, many people in the world think they have reserved their ticket to heaven because of one reason: “I’m not a bad person.” People can always find someone they are better than. They find a druggie and say they don’t get high. They look at a drunk and say they only drink sociably. They mention a prostitute and say that they are faithful to the one they love. They will never admit, though, that they are just as capable of falling in those lifestyles as anyone.

Many people in the world will lie and give the previous answers, but that isn’t so bad. Sinners do what sinners are supposed to do, sin. The problem is when people who profess to be Christians give the same kind of answers. All over this nation, there are large groups of people that think they are okay because their pastor says they are a good member of the church. Those are the types of people that will one day say, “Lord, Lord.” Then Jesus will say with the saddest voice we can imagine, “Depart from me.”

Nevertheless, an even sadder fact is many saved, born-again, regenerated people think they have arrived and are doing God a favor by serving Him. This is the “holier-than-thou” crowd. The greatest Christian to walk this earth was the Apostle Paul. If we could learn anything about how to be a great Christian it would only be reasonable to see what he thought about himself. Paul said in Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me . . . dwelleth no good thing[.]” This kind of attitude today would be almost completely foreign among Christian fundamentalist. Most say, “I have the right Bible version, wear the right clothes, and preach the right style.” Yet, they forget that it wasn’t always like that for them. It would do good if we would take the same approach that Paul took and lower ourselves so we can magnify God.

One evangelist told a personal experience about this kind of crowd. Once, he was given a five page letter about why his wife was a “wh***” for wearing nylons. Later the preacher found out the man was a cross-dresser. On another occasion, he was given a book on why he was a reprobate for wearing a necktie. It turns out that this man was secretly rapping his own daughter. The Bible says in I Corinthians 10:12, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” If these men had focused on their problems instead of the evangelist’s, maybe they would have stopped these practices before they started.

Before a person is saved, the only body they have to live in is the one they presently have. After a person is saved, they still have only the old body to live in. While a Christian can pray, read his Bible, and be led by the Spirit, they still live in the same flesh that gave them problems in the past.

Let’s always remember that when we get to heaven, the only thing that we will have to boast about is Jesus. Furthering that point, let’s remember that right now on earth, the only thing we can boast about is still Jesus. He is the reason that we don’t do the things that we look so down on. If it wasn’t for Him, we would be in the same place the world is at.