All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64: 6
The only righteousness we can claim is because we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself to cover our filthy rags. Yet there we can stand in judgment of the world. Condemning that which we have no right to condemn. Yet only by the grace of God are we still not walking in that same darkness. We are just sinners saved by grace but we can forget that as we continually look outward instead of inward. The enemy wants us focusing on the outside so we can feel better about our own fallen state.
This outward focus is not limited to the looking toward the world either. We also fall into the trap of maintaining a critical spirit towards those in church as well, maybe even towards the leadership. What better way to sow dissension amongst the brethren? In Proverbs God outlines the seven things He hates and sowing discord amongst the brethren is one of them. Yet there we can go, judging what God has not given us to judge. Accusing without knowing what we are talking about. Criticizing decisions God has not given us to make. It all stems from our prideful state. We trick ourselves into thinking that it's the other guy that is not standing firm. It is the other guy that is struggling with sin. Paul warns us about standing firm:
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 1Corinthians 10: 12
There is a difference between standing firm and thinking you are standing firm. One is a reality and the other is an illusion brought on by pride. That is why the first thing God commands in the verse from 2Chronicles is to humble ourselves. Without humility, we will be unwilling to listen to what we might be doing wrong. Humility forces us to look inward; not outward. That is difficult for Christians sometimes. We can rationalize our pride, after all, "God knows my heart."
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17: 9 (ESV)
Don't worry , God definitely knows our heart. It is deceitful and sick. It can convince us that we are doing ok, instead of maintaining the humble position of the Apostle Paul, who despite evangelizing the known world always maintained that of all the Apostles, he was the least.
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1Corinthians 15: 9
