I think we have all at one time or another in our conversations with non-believers have come across a response from them, asserting that they know of some people that are better than most Christians. Years ago, I would’ve probably addressed this from a statistical improbability by pointing out to the person that there’s about 3 billion people in the world that consider themselves Christian and to assert you have know a “few people that arebe better than half of that number which would be 1.5 billion people” would be highly improbable. Of course you could also discuss the issue of what it constitutes a “better person“ given that we’re not God and we do not know what goes on people’s private lives or what’s inside their mind Every moment of the day.
But now I would take a different approach to the issue. I would probably say to that person “you know you’re probably right! Christians are probably the worst people on earth”. The reason why I would say that is because in reality God does not call the righteous to himself but sinners to repentance and that repentance isn’t a “one and done” situation but an ongoing life of repentance.
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’ve 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 or ignore. He doesn’t try to tell the Pharisees that “these people are really good people if you just get to know them”. Nor does he minimize their sins by saying “well these people have given a really bad lot in life so give them a break”. No! Instead he refers to them as sick people who need a doctor and Jesus is their doctor. Therefore, since God calls sinners to himself and not the good people, it is quite likely that this person you’re talking to does know some very good people (on the outside) who may very well be better than most Christians. You could actually make a bold statement and say,
“I agree with you! Christians are, indeed the worst people in the world“.
Paul writes to Timothy,
“Here is a trustworthy saying ‘Jesus died for the sinners, of whom I am the worst!’”
We, who are followers of Christ, are much like the alcoholics that go to AA and each week announce to each other we are addicted to sin and are never going to be freed of that addiction this side of heaven though Christ has freed us from the consequences of our sin.
The people that Jesus is with know they’re sick and know their need of a doctor. The Pharisees are sick too, but they have masked the pain of their sin with the opiod of self-righteousness which dulled their need for Gods forgiveness. . It would be like a person who is experiencing excruciating pain, maybe caused by a cancer inside them, but instead of going to the doctor, they have chosen to use painkillers to mask that pain and pretend they’re not really sick. 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 amd bring healing to that part of our body.
Many of the people walking around us today are sick inside with the sin that they carry in their bodies all day long. They mask that pain of their sin with a variety of worldly solutions, such as drugs, alcohol, work, meditation, lies, sex, wokeness, wealth and even good deeds. All of these methods do not solve the sin problem, but merely mask its pain and allow that sin to grow and fester and make the person need more and more of their painkillers.
It is only when they recognize they need help from the doctor And say “Lord have mercy on me a sinner!“ That Jesus can help them and give them lasting healing.
