Articles
A Sinful Man
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So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." (Isa. 6:5)
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (Lk. 5:8)
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Isaiah the prophet and Simon the fisherman were from very different times and backgrounds, but they shared one thing in common: When confronted by the Almighty, each felt a keen sense of his own moral poverty. We place these men high on a pedestal, but they threw themselves down to the ground in shame. Whatever their strengths, they knew their deficiencies all too well, and that self-knowledge kept them grounded.
This pattern of behavior is found again and again throughout the Bible. Moses was qualified to lead Israel out of Egypt precisely because he saw himself as a failure; the power would not go to his head and corrupt him (Ex. 3-4). David was a man after God's own heart, not because he was so pure, but because he was honest about his impurities (Psa. 38; Psa. 51). A major factor in Paul's success as an apostle was his self-identity as "the chief of sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15--note the present tense here). The nobility of these heroes grew out of their own sense of inadequacy in the presence of a holy God. They were nothing; God was everything.
The greatest in the kingdom of heaven are those who know they are not. We should strive to be better, of course; but we must never deceive ourselves into thinking that we have arrived, that we have achieved a level of excellence that sets us above the rest of the crowd. Once that kind of thinking begins to seep into our minds, we have crossed the line into Phariseeism. We have become too good for God.
This honest self-reflection serves two important functions: First, it keeps us humble. We are quick to acknowledge our mistakes and correct them, rather than cover them up. It is easier to serve others when we do not believe we are better than them. Others can see that humble spirit, and appreciate it.
When we are aware of our own imperfections, it's also easier to be patient with others who are struggling with their own sins. We reach out to others as fellow-sinners who are in this fight together. There is no room for posturing or pretending.
Every time we come before the throne of God, our prayer should include some acknowledgment that "I am a sinful man, O Lord!" We must remind ourselves often of our true place in God's order of things. Without that lowliness of mind, we are the greatest sinners of all--and oblivious to our fate.
--David
