Devotion #1: I am Not as Bad as Others

I am often amazed at how a letter written to the church over 2,000 years ago is the very same letter that today’s church needs to hear. God’s Word is absolutely incredible. It is evergreen and always applicable. The book of Romans is no exception. The parallels to our world today are quite astounding! Take, for example, the descriptions of the people of the first century. In Romans 1:29-32, Paul states, “Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” It seems that some things never change. If Paul were alive today, he would write the same thing about our own society. Our world is a mess. People are extremely problematic, completely lost in their sin. Humanity seems to be on the brink of collapse at any given moment. This is all true, but it is not what we are going to talk about today. Instead, I want to discuss a subtle but profound issue that is just as prevalent in today’s church as it was when Paul wrote his letter to the Romans: the temptation of moral superiority and religious self-righteousness.  

It would be very easy for a religious or morally upstanding person to read the verses above and feel a sense of smugness, “I’m not like them. I’m way better than that. They are what is wrong with the world; why hasn’t God wiped them out yet?” However, Paul quickly shuts down this false sense of security, turning the focus on the moralist. He is the one who prides himself on living a moral life or one who believes their religious devotion and goodness will exempt them from God’s judgment.  

I love how Romans 2:1-5 (NLT) combats this mindset, “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”  

I am ashamed to say that I have lived in this place. As someone who is naturally a rule follower, pride, hypocrisy, and judging others have all been a major struggle for me. It is so easy to see and condemn the sins of others while overlooking the sins in our own hearts. We like to read through that list above and pull out the overtly immoral (murderers, haters of God, ruthless, heartless, and faithless inventors of evil) and wonder, “Why does God allow these people to go on committing their crimes? Why can’t He just judge them now?” All the while, we tend to give a pass to the hidden and less offensive sins in our own lives (covetousness, envy, disobedience, and gossip). We sit there in our own self-righteousness, harboring pride and a judgmental spirit, all of which are just as offensive to God. His judgment goes deeper than the surface; it searches the heart.  

While we may outwardly conform to God’s law and may be respected by others for our shiny moral standing, we stand just as condemned as the vilest of sinners. No one can escape God’s judgment by relying on their own religious activities or moral performance. We are all sinners in desperate need of a Savior. However, the incredible news is that His kindness, patience, and mercy are available to lead us to repentance. May we humble ourselves before the Lord, recognizing our need for His grace, not trusting in our own righteousness but instead trusting wholly in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. It is only through Him that we can escape the judgment that is to come and experience the gift of salvation.