“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” – 2 Corinthians 10:12
I AM SURE that you have experienced, or you have observed this over a thousand times in your life. You see others who measure themselves by themselves, and Scripture tells us that this is not wise.
Scripture warns against the folly of comparing oneself to others using worldly standards, ie. fallen men.
The verse explains that this practice is “without understanding” because those who measure themselves by themselves lack a wise and proper standard of judgment (Acts 17:31).
Instead, the focus should be on God’s standards for spiritual growth in Christ, and the approval that comes from Him and Him alone, rather than self-commendation or the validation of others.
“Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.”-Acts 17:31
If I were to go out today and ask people the question, “Are you perfect?” I’d be willing to say that 99 times out of 100, they would answer with “No, I am not perfect.”
Of course, the one axiom that all Americans will vote for is, “Nobody’s perfect.”
Now, Scripture tells us, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
In 2 Corinthians 7:1, Scripture adds, “…let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Yet, when people respond with “nobody’s perfect,” that doesn’t seem to bother many people. As if to suggest that man has now become the standard, and not Christ.
However, I can tell you what does bother people. It is when I tell them that scripture says, “Be ye Holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
For Christians, Christ is the standard and He should be our end aim (Hebrews 12:2). We are to be clothed with Him who is our righteousness (Romans 13:14), not fallen man and his carnal standards. We look to Christ, not to them around us, as to what is the standard.
Though there is not one person in 100 who will claim to be perfect, there’s not one of those people who understands the seriousness of not being perfect because the standard by which we will be judged ultimately is not a curve, but it will be the standard of God’s perfection, who is the risen One, Jesus Christ our Lord.
I can just hear Someone say, “Yes, Bradlee, but everybody’s entitled to just one mistake.”
Did the Lord ever say you can all have just one mistake, just one free sin, just one free act of treason against His authority, just one free insult to His integrity?
He never said that, did He? Nope, He did not! As a matter of scriptural fact, the Bible tells those who have repented to “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11), and that they are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
The people say that everybody’s entitled to just one mistake. Nonsense!
But you see, non-Christians are comfortable with their imperfections and therefore, men judge themselves by themselves.
Sometimes, when I look at myself in the mirror and see how short I have fallen of the standard, I abhor and loathe myself.
“hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” – Jude 1:23
Friends, if we have the heart of the Lord (Romans 5:5), we should hate what the Lord hates and love what He loves (Psalm 97:10). How could it be otherwise to one who has been born of His Spirit (John 3:3; Titus 3:5)?
Charles Spurgeon was right when he said, “If you are a lover of holiness, you will be half sick of man.”
“Man left to himself without the Grace of God is half devil and half beast.” – George Whitefield
Do you ever loathe yourself for your offenses toward the Lord, your falling short of His standard? This is a blessing and not a curse (John 16:8).
Why, you ask? It’s because the Holy Spirit is working in you to rise, by His grace, to the level of His expectation so that you might be found in His Son, and in His Son alone.
