September 19, 2019 (Thursday)
Fifty-two years ago I had a conversation that I have never forgotten. After preaching that evening about Jesus being perfect, and saying that no human is perfect, one of the men in the congregation asked to speak with me. He said, “You said in your sermon that there is no such thing as a perfect man.” “That’s right,” I replied. He stepped back on one foot, held out his arms as if to say, “Look at me,” and declared, “You’re looking at him!” He is the only person who has ever said that to me. I sort of think that he and I were not speaking the same language.
I have never had a problem with Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” I know I have sinned. I can remember knowing full well that I was doing something seriously wrong as early as my pre-school years. I recall a preacher who was talking about our sinfulness and he said, “If any of you men think you are perfect, just ask your wife about it.” None of us is perfect. That’s the truth. But those of us who have come to Christ as Savior are forgiven.
I have said all that to say this: the man who will become the new pastor at the church where I have been interim pastor will not be a perfect man. I do not know him, but I know that no one is perfect. And the church, as wonderful as it is, is not perfect. No church is perfect. We are all human beings who have inherited a carnal nature that leads us astray, but as God’s children through faith in Christ, we have a spiritual nature, and we want to live a godly life.
Realizing that none of us is perfect, let us love one another. forgive one another, be kind to one another, and do good for one another. Let us reach out to people everywhere with the message that we can be saved by the matchless, wonderful grace of God.