|
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).
This past week, I had the privilege of walking alongside 54 youth and eight other adults from St. Paul’s at the LCMS Youth Gathering. There was a lot of walking at The Gathering. In fact, I logged just under 65 miles while there. As we walked from our hotel down Bourbon Street, we had a multisensory experience.
Bourbon Street is dedicated to excess, at least for the first handful of blocks leading off of Canal Street. The sights and smells one encounters can be overpowering. In fact, the city of New Orleans employs crews specifically to wash down the street each morning. These men and women clock in to clear away the remnants of the decadence of the night before. The truth is, it can never be fully washed away by their hoses.
Experiencing this as Christians can easily lead one to feel “holier-than-thou.” We can look at those who patronize this street and feel superior. We acknowledge our sin but think to ourselves, “At least I’m not as bad as them.” But, when we do this, we are not being honest with ourselves.
We are sinners who daily violate the laws of God. Even one sin puts us in that category. We are no better and no worse than other sinners standing before a righteous God. Paul writes in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Each of us is guilty and condemned apart from Jesus, no more righteous than those men and women on Bourbon Street. But Paul continues in verse 24, “and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” In Christ Jesus, we are sinners set free from the power of sin, death, and the devil on account of Christ Jesus and His redeeming work on our behalf.
It is easy to look at others and think that we are better, but the truth is that we are not. It is only in Christ that we have been made righteous. In Him we have the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting. As you walk in faith through this life, see others, and feel a bit holier-than-thou, remember this verse. Remember that each person you meet is a sinner that Jesus shed His blood for ... just like you! Pray that they would come to the knowledge of the truth and walk alongside us in faith. Ask God to help you look at them with compassion instead of judgment, loving them as He loves each person He created.
| 
