Dirty Rotten Scoundrel

One of the most heinous sins in the Bible is pride.  We all have it.  We should all hate it, in ourselves as well as others.  We all need to pray and work against it through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

But, I gotta tell ya, I was so surprised and delighted when the then-new president of Moody Bible Institute, Michael Easley, was interviewed upon his arrival at Moody.  One of the questions the student-interviewer asked him is "What three words would you use to describe yourself?"  Without hesitation, Michael said "Dirty Rotten Scoundrel."  I capitalized all three words because that's how he said it. With confidence and surity. Michael could have said what I have heard other Christian leaders use as descriptive of themselves: a visionary, a team player, an over-achiever, blah, blah, blah,  ad nauseum. But I was so pleased to hear his answer. He went on to explain that without the blood of Christ washing away his sins, he was a worthless piece of trash (my words, his sentiment).  You know what?  He was right.

Without the atoning sacrifice of our perfect Saviour, we are nothing. We are "garbage for the dump," as my pastor-father used to say so often.  The Bible says even our righteousnesses (the best things about us) are as filthy rags compared with Christ's perfection and holiness.

So, how would you describe yourself? Prize package? Princess? Pretty good investment?  Take a closer look my friend. You were on your way to Gehenna (Hell), and so was I until Christ intervened on our behalf and took our punishment.  Read Isaiah. Then read Romans. Spend some honest moments thinking through your life and the horrible sins you have done. And all of our sins are horrible. They put Christ on the cross, remember!  Read that great sermon by Jonathan Edwards, Sinners In the Hands of An Angry God, preached in 1741, and then come and tell me you are some kind of good person! We need more preachers like that.  We need more sermons like that. When I read that, as a young person, I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. I came face to face with my fallen nature and the dark blackness that was my unsaved soul and was scared to death.

Look at yourself with eyes open and heart softened and with some honesty, and you will conclude that there is not one good reason that Christ saved you at all.

Except that He loves you.  Except that He willed in eternity past that you should and could have a relationship with Him.  Except that He made the perfect plan to die your death, bear your sins, and set you free from Hell and condemnation.  Soak in that for a while.  Let it wrap around you and give you joy.  Let His grace smother you with forgiveness and mercy.  Let His call to you to be His child be answered, today, with a full and grateful heart.