Luke 13:5
…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Assuredly, you’ve heard it said of some Christian or another that he is an arrogant and self-righteous sort. Quite frankly, if the assessment has any accuracy to it, it simply can’t be true. It can’t be true because no true Christian can be self-righteous. A true Christian can’t be self-righteous because to be a Christian is to be a man or woman that knows the only thing they bring to God is their sin-confessed repentance. The real Christian knows their sorry plight and humbles themselves before the cross of Christ where God, imputing to them the righteousness of Jesus, declares them holy and blameless. Thus, no true Christian could ever be anything but humble, meek and mild. The arrogant and angry soul isn’t one that has drunk deeply of the precious cup of repentance and grace.
The true Christian knows that if he got what he deserved it would be a fast ticket to Hell and torment because he has lived a life as if he or she were God.
So, the self-righteous Christian is a contradiction in terms. Jesus doesn’t say, “only the sinners should repent.” No. He flatly states that unless all repent, they will likewise perish.
What’s singularly remarkable is that his audience isn’t a group of prostitutes and tax collectors. These are Jews and disciples. These are people that regard themselves as above the rabble, better than the Gentiles, and the special covenant people of God. Now, of course, they were these things and yet even they had to bear this stinging rebuke. The best among us are told that they need to repent or they rightly and deservedly will inherit not eternal life, but destruction. This is the great truth that wounds human pride. All have sinned; all must repent. All have fallen short, lived by their own judgements, thus calling God a liar and, therefore, all have reserved for themselves a personal seat in flames. There are no qualifications in Jesus’ statement.
So, this business about Christians being surly, bossy, condescending, and self-righteous – where does it come from? It comes from either those that aren’t really saved by our Lord, but are false converts, or from those that are so immature in the faith that the true depth of their sorry plight without Jesus hasn’t yet taken hold. We remember the ludicrous audacity of John and later he becomes the apostle of love. We remember Moses’ frightful temper and the Lord bears with him, leads him, and in grace makes of him a leader. Similar things will happen to us if we will submit.
But how do we submit? It’s easy: we submit by learning to completely agree with God. How does God accomplish this – in effect turning rebels into loyal subjects? Easy: He gives us the Scriptures, prayer and fellowship with other true Christians. Like this, the work of sanctification is done but it can only be done on a foundation of sound theology. It cannot be done when the sinner doesn’t think he’s so bad because then, consequently, God can’t be so good and that is the killer of grace and faith’s work.
Do you not know that you deserve as bad or worse than all the evil that has befallen man since Eden? Do you not know that God is gracious even to give you air to breath, you rebel and sinner? If not, then you don’t truly know the beautiful and wondrous God that saves sinners unto Himself. And He doesn’t just pardon sinners and send them on their way, He adopts them as sons. Do you understand that all the way through your bones, Christian? It is the life altering truth! The saved Christian is the one that knows that God owes him nothing but gives them everything in and through Christ.
This is why the real Christian smiles and faces hardship with peace. And this is why it’s impossible to truly see a sanctified Christian awash with spiritual pride. God opposes the proud because pride declares, “I am an island,” and it bellows, “I don’t need a savior.” The Christian cries in joy, “I was lost and am found!” The prideful will praise and glorify themselves. They are damned. The Christian is humble and will be exalted.
Recent Comments