Christians are the WORST!

      I think we have all at one time or another in our conversations with non-believers have come across a person asserting that they know of some people that are better than most Christians. Often the person makes this statement in an effort to end a discussion on the Christian faith rather than deepen it.  Its assertion is that you can be a good person without being a Christian and those professing to be in the faith fail to live it. In the past I would either have tried to argue that the people they know who are Christians that they are comparing to are not maybe a good representation of all of Christianity.

     But now I would take a different approach to the issue. I would probably say to that person

“You know? You’re probably right, because God doesn't call the righteous who think they don't need him but instead calls the sinners who want to change"

     When Jesus was having dinner with tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners he was confronted by the Pharisees.  Jesus said to them 

“It is not healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance “

      Take note here that Jesus doesn’t diminish the sins of the people that he’s dealing with. He doesn’t try to tell the Pharisees that "Their sins are no worse than your sins!" or “These people are really good people if you just get to know them”.  He also does not minimize their sins by saying "These people have no choice! They are just trying to survive!". No! Instead, he refers to them as sick people who need a doctor and Jesus is their doctor. 

     The "tax collectors and sinners" that Jesus is with know they’re sick and know their need of a doctor.  There is no hiding their sin anymore.  The Pharisees are sick too, but they have masked their sin with the opioid of self-righteousness which dulled their need for God's forgiveness.  A doctor can’t do anything for you if you won’t tell them what’s wrong with you. If you go to the doctor and he asked how you are doing, and you say “GREAT! I have never felt better!” then there’s really nothing the doctor can do for you. It’s only when we are honest with the doctor and tell them about the pain that we’re in that they can then apply medicine and bring healing to that part of our body.

      Today people use other opioids to convince themselves they don't need what Christ is offering them. These include drugs, alcohol, work, meditation, lies, sex, wokeness, wealth and even good deeds. Jesus, the doctor, waits patiently for them to admit their problem and say, “Lord have mercy on me a sinner !“ 

   But what do you say when the person points to how these Christians don't live up to their faith?  The answer is that we are never going to become perfect and our repentance is a lifelong action.  Members of Alcoholics Anonymous never say they are rid of their addiction but admit to each other in their meetings that they will always be an alcoholic.  Like them each week we announce to each other we are addicted to sin and are in need of God's forgiveness. We are never going to be freed of that addiction to sin this side of heaven.  Even the Apostle Paul writes in Romans about his own constant struggle with sin.

"For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing... What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ!"

     Reading this you would think Paul was a horrible person.  Paul acknowledges he struggles with sin every day.  Paul doesn't trust in his own righteousness but in the righteousness given to him by Jesus.  We must also follow Paul's example and confess to those around us that we are sinners too in need of forgiveness.

   So, the next time someone says to you, "I know some people who are better than most Christians!", don't be angry at them.  Instead, agree with them and say, "I agree! Christians are the worst, but God loves us anyway and forgives us!"