Imperfect Christians

Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. Romans 3:9-11 NLT

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. Romans 10:12 ESV

It is clear from Scripture that we are all sinners before an almighty God. In Bible times it was the Pharisaic Jews who claimed the high ground of being special, but we learn very quickly that Jesus died for all, whether Jew, or Gentile including those learned and clever Greek philosophers. Today we would think that it’s the Evangelical church goers who are the special ones, and we would look down on all those others, because they don’t measure up to the right (that’s our) standards. Nothing much has changed in the past 2,000 years, has it?!

Now as then, we are tempted (and we fail at this) to see ourselves as ‘above’, and those others as ‘beneath’ because they don’t act like us. Or speak like us. Or dress like us. Or give like us. Get the picture?

Since we have God’s Word telling us that we are all sinners, and that includes those inside and outside the church, why oh why are we so quick to decide how people should behave? Those people call themselves Christians we say, and yet they might: read the wrong newspapers, or listen to the wrong music, or watch the wrong movies, or mix with the wrong people, or their conversation is too near the bone. They might not swear or curse or take the Lord’s Name in vain, but we reckon they need to clean up their vocabulary.

With all that going on, we wouldn’t want to be contaminated, or for our friends to think we were like them, but we have to be seen to do something. After all, they are not a good example of what a Christian should be like. So, they leave that church because they didn’t address all the wrongs that were going on under their noses, and look for another one with fewer faults and better Christians. My question is this: Who does that sound like? For my part it is too close to the Jewish Pharisees of Jesus day. Too close. Let me ask another question, and I will not give an answer. Faced with these less than perfect Christians, what do you think Jesus would do? I will leave that with you to think about, and ponder.