Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
The Great Equalizer
What does this verse mean to you? Have you ever really meditated on it? When I think on it I am reminded that all of us, all of humanity has sinned. Myself, my family, my friends, my church - every person in this world has sinned and fallen short of God's plan for them, to be conformed to the image of Jesus. We like to categorize sins into minors/majors with some sins not really appearing all that sinful (especially the ones were guilty of...) We focus on what we see people do. We deceive ourselves into thinking that people are in a neutral condition before God forgetting we are all born lost. In the measure we fail to be like Jesus, in the same measure we sin.
Here is our common ground, our level ground at the foot of the cross. We are no BETTER or WORSE than our fellow man. We are all in the same boat. Most of us are familiar with the almost cliche word - fellowship. Hmmm... fellows in the same ship... All races, sexes, nations, economic classes and creeds are included when we say "all". Let this sink deep down in you and get to the root of any superiority / inferiority complexes you may have.
This verse is used so much in witnessing to others that we forget it applies to us also. Some of us get stuck with religious pride and consider ourselves somehow better than "unbelievers". Secretly, we pray the Pharisee's Prayer - "God, I thank you that I'm not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers - or even as this tax collector." (Luke 18:9-14) We forget or have never learned (1 Cor. 4:7 )- "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" Salvation is a free gift we have received from the Lord.
We have all sinned. We all need mercy and forgiveness. Judging eachother is not only stupid, it's evil. God says we are all guilty. We're all under the same sentence and His free gift of salvation is the only way out.
Thought for Today:
Lord, Thank you for your word. When I'm tempted to despair from thinking, "I'm too great a sinner - no one else is as guilty as me" - let me recall, "all have sinned". When I'm tempted to spiritual pride, thinking I'm somehow better than others - let me recall, "all have sinned". Help me to stay off the "better/worse" teeter totter by hearing and applying your word.