nobody's perfect

[JArthur]

I used to be the kind of person who was intimidated around other christians because I felt I could never be "perfect" like they were. As a child I heard all the stories about the great bible men of the past like Abraham and thought I could never be as Godly as they were and I thought I had to be perfect and great like they were. Well there may be those of you today who think that way and I just wanted to point out a few things about some of these men that you should think about.

Noah was a righteous man. Yet Noah, after being delivered through the great flood by God, planted a vinyard, made some wine, and then got so drunk he passed out.

Abraham was a righteous man. Yet Abraham didn't believe God was actually capable of delivering a son through his wife Sarah because she was barren so what did he do? He committed adultery with his slave girl hagar in order to bring about God's plan through human effort. What were the consequences?? Well, Israel today is still paying for that sin by Abraham because Ishmael, the son Hagar bore to Abraham, became the father of the arab races.

Moses was a righteous man. Yet when Moses saw an egyptian harrassing a jewish slave (the soldier wasn't threatening the slave's life mind you...simply harrassing him) Moses murdered the egyptian out of anger. And the kicker in all this was that the bible says that Moses looked around and there were no witnesses and yet somebody managed to rat on him anyway. Now who do you suppose that somebody was... yep... had to be the very jew he was trying to save since he was the only witness to the murder, probably out of jealousy of Moses's position in authority.

How about Kind David. He was a righteous man. Yet David committed both adultery AND murder. He lay with a married woman and then murdered her husband in an attempt to cover up the affair.


Understand I am not trying to belittle these men.... I am just trying to show that nobody is perfect except God Himself. So next time you think you are totally unworthy or feel like you will never be as righteous as some other people... just remember that these are humans and sinners just like you and me. God said "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and that includes Abraham, Noah, Moses, and David.

[mbtcforJesus]

Good post. Yes, the Bible shows what great things He did through ordinary people just like He can through you and me.

[seeker42]

Most people who think that around other christians...should know that those other Christians are no more perfect than they are...we are all still only sinners saved by grace, and our righteousness is as filthy rags...

So its the awsome love of Jesus that is the great equalizer, because He loves each one of us and does so unconditionally. As the first post pointed out, people who follow God and are Perfect don't exist. But God continues to love us and use us.


Seeker

[happy girl]

Thank you, I needed that. :):

[RobinB]

. As the first post pointed out, people who follow God and are Perfect don't exist. But God continues to love us and use us.


Seeker


Yes, and often he used the most unlikely of us for his works :nod

[ILJ]

Great post! And let's not forget Peter, who was with Jesus day in and day out throughout His ministry and STILL denied him 3 times! And what about that Christian-persecutor Paul? He wrote most of the New Testament!

I used to feel inferior to the "super Christians" as well until I realized that they are no more "super" than I am. Perhaps they may be more mature in their walk, etc. but they still struggle with sin, temptation, etc. just like the rest of us "ordinary folks". :B:

Again, great post! It's posts like these that keep people from letting Satan whisper rotten things in their ears such as "Gee, you're not as good as that person so therefore you are not a Christian".

:thumb

PS: edited for poor, inexcusable, terrible grammar! :laugh

[kgreen20]

What about Paul? He was a super-Christian, if anyone was. I could never live up to the standard he set!! (Yes, he murdered Christians before his conversion--I'm talking about his life as a Christian afterward.)



Kathy G.

[Kyrie Eleison]

No, nobody's perfect! What is sometimes perceived as perfect is a lie of the enemy, designed to make us covetous and to think we're unworthy. We're all sinners, we all fall short.

[Jael]

I used to feel inferior to the "super Christians" as well until I realized that they are no more "super" than I am. Perhaps they may be more mature in their walk, etc. but they still struggle with sin, temptation, etc. just like the rest of us "ordinary folks". :B:

:nod I was just talking this over with a co-worker...she was saying the admires how I deal with difficult people, and I told her SHE was much better at it than I! We finally decided that we feel that way because each of us knows what's going on INSIDE of us, when faced with confrontation. She can't see that I am holding onto my temper by my fingernails and I can't see that she is biting her tongue to keep from lashing out. We can only see each other's exteriors, and so we think every one else is holier than we are. But inside, we all share the same struggles...

[ILJ]

What about Paul? He was a super-Christian, if anyone was. I could never live up to the standard he set!! (Yes, he murdered Christians before his conversion--I'm talking about his life as a Christian afterward.)



Kathy G.

I agree with you that Paul was a wonderful person. I truly do look up to him as an example, however, he wrote this about himself...Romans 7:13-25. This makes me like Paul even more because if Paul still struggled with the flesh then I am in good company! :):