One day a young man was heading out to his first day on the job as a waiter. It was a fine restaurant and all the waiters had to have a clean, well pressed white shirt.
As he headed out to the bus stop it was dark and raining. Just as he hit the curb a car came by and he was splashed. He felt a couple of drops hit his face. He thought he might have to go in and get another shirt but as he looked down at his shirt, in the darkness, he didn’t see any stains and proceeded to the bus stop.
As he came closer to the light at the bus stop he looked at his shirt again, he noticed a small spot or two, but thought they wouldn’t be noticeable.
Once he reached the bus stop and stood under the bright street light, he realized his shirt was filthy. It had several mud stains. He had to rush home and change.
COMMENTARY
The truth is that the majority of us who call ourselves Christians think were pretty clean overall. We do our best to treat others as we would have them treat us. We are honest at home and work. We may even attend church and help others.
But according to the Bible, however, we are all filthy compared to the purity and holiness of our God. When Isaiah, one of the greatest of all prophets, saw the Lord he said, “Woe to me!” I cried. “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.” ~ Isaiah 6:5
Later Isaiah also said, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” ~ Isaiah 64:6
Regarding what level of righteousness we need to obtain to enter heaven Jesus said, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:20
So what does it take to stand pure, clean and righteous in the light of our holy God? Like the old song says, nothing but the blood of Jesus! Paul tells us in the book of Romans, “…There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…” (Romans 3:22-25). It is through our faith in Christ alone, that we are saved.
The sad thing is that so many people who call themselves Christians in the world today tend to look down on others who are not, as least in their minds, as worthy as them. The truth is that we are all as guilty as the righteous man or woman who devotes their life to the ministry of Christ as to the stubborn heathen who live a life of sin.
One day when the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, was riding in his horse and buggy he noticed a criminal by the side of the road in the stocks. He asked his driver to pull over. He got out and asked his driver if he knew what the difference was between him and the criminal. The driver said, “You’re a holy man of God and he’s a lowly criminal. To this Sprurgeon replied, “No, the only difference between that man and me is the grace of God.”
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With Joy shall I lift up my head
His spotless robe the same appears,
When ruined nature sinks in fears;
No age can change its glorious hue;
Its glory is forever new.
Count Zinzendorf
APPLICATION
Never treat others as though they are superior or inferior to you, and don’t let others treat you as though you are inferior or superior to them.
Be humble. Don’t look down on others if they have not obtained your level of righteousness. No matter whom you are or what you have done, if it wasn’t for your faith in Christ, standing under the light of God’s glory, you would also realize your great need to run back home and change your shirt. So put your faith in Christ and not in your works, this can greatly change the way you treat other people and the location of your eternal home.
J. Lawrence Finley
As he headed out to the bus stop it was dark and raining. Just as he hit the curb a car came by and he was splashed. He felt a couple of drops hit his face. He thought he might have to go in and get another shirt but as he looked down at his shirt, in the darkness, he didn’t see any stains and proceeded to the bus stop.
As he came closer to the light at the bus stop he looked at his shirt again, he noticed a small spot or two, but thought they wouldn’t be noticeable.
Once he reached the bus stop and stood under the bright street light, he realized his shirt was filthy. It had several mud stains. He had to rush home and change.
COMMENTARY
The truth is that the majority of us who call ourselves Christians think were pretty clean overall. We do our best to treat others as we would have them treat us. We are honest at home and work. We may even attend church and help others.
But according to the Bible, however, we are all filthy compared to the purity and holiness of our God. When Isaiah, one of the greatest of all prophets, saw the Lord he said, “Woe to me!” I cried. “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.” ~ Isaiah 6:5
Later Isaiah also said, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” ~ Isaiah 64:6
Regarding what level of righteousness we need to obtain to enter heaven Jesus said, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:20
So what does it take to stand pure, clean and righteous in the light of our holy God? Like the old song says, nothing but the blood of Jesus! Paul tells us in the book of Romans, “…There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…” (Romans 3:22-25). It is through our faith in Christ alone, that we are saved.
The sad thing is that so many people who call themselves Christians in the world today tend to look down on others who are not, as least in their minds, as worthy as them. The truth is that we are all as guilty as the righteous man or woman who devotes their life to the ministry of Christ as to the stubborn heathen who live a life of sin.
One day when the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, was riding in his horse and buggy he noticed a criminal by the side of the road in the stocks. He asked his driver to pull over. He got out and asked his driver if he knew what the difference was between him and the criminal. The driver said, “You’re a holy man of God and he’s a lowly criminal. To this Sprurgeon replied, “No, the only difference between that man and me is the grace of God.”
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With Joy shall I lift up my head
His spotless robe the same appears,
When ruined nature sinks in fears;
No age can change its glorious hue;
Its glory is forever new.
Count Zinzendorf
APPLICATION
Never treat others as though they are superior or inferior to you, and don’t let others treat you as though you are inferior or superior to them.
Be humble. Don’t look down on others if they have not obtained your level of righteousness. No matter whom you are or what you have done, if it wasn’t for your faith in Christ, standing under the light of God’s glory, you would also realize your great need to run back home and change your shirt. So put your faith in Christ and not in your works, this can greatly change the way you treat other people and the location of your eternal home.
J. Lawrence Finley
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