Comparatively Speaking

When someone says, "I'm just as good as those people who go to church," they may well be right.   The church, after all, is filled up with people who were sinners saved by grace and are now saints who struggle with their flesh, being sanctified by grace. So, you're just as good as people, who, in themselves, are not good. Jesus was quite clear in saying, "only God is good" (Mark 10:-8).

We can all feel pretty smug about ourselves, if we choose the right comparison group. I'm really young and vigorous compared to the folks  in the nursing homes where I see patients daily. I'd dare to say that, even if we fudge on our taxes, drive over the speed limit and don't bother to vote, we are quite the model citizens compared to the inmate population in our country's prisons. 

The truth is, however, as good as we may feel about ourselves, we know people who put us to shame. We know people that are "good as gold," people who have inspired us.  People who never fudge, wouldn't take a nickel that wasn't theirs and would give you the shirt off their back. We're not as keen on comparing ourselves with them.  We know, comparing ourselves to them, we could stand more than a little improvement.

Even so, they are not the standard mankind is called to emulate, they are not good. Even the apostle Paul wouldn't say "be like me." Rather, he said, "follow my example as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Cor 11:1).  Jesus is the standard and that standard is awe-inspiring.  Isaiah, upon seeing the glory of God, cried out, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty" (Isa 6:5).  

Thankfully, while we cannot replicate the standard of righteousness in our lives, we "are saved by grace through faith and not by works" (Eph 2:8-9). It is, however, as imperfect as they may be, in the company of Christians, followers of Jesus, that we are encouraged in that faith, which appropriates that grace. Jus' Sayn.