Articles
Proverbs To Live By (20:9)
Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?
It is not uncommon to hear someone say, “I am a work in progress.” And so we are. The above proverb is not a justification of sin. Rather, it is the simple acknowledgement that, as long as we are on the earth, we will be plagued by sinful impulses and the regrettable decisions to give in to them.
In fact, there are clear dangers in thinking otherwise. Jesus’ main opposition came from the Pharisees, a Jewish sect whose adherents seemed to think they had reached a level of moral superiority. In this mindset, they couldn’t accept correction from John the Baptist or Jesus. They not only couldn’t see their errors, but they violated every principle of honesty and decency in opposing the one who would have saved them.
A spirit of self-righteousness creates this blindness to spiritual reality and our need to grow and improve. Instead, let us humbly admit our weakness and limitations and reach for the helping hand of God.
