"We" often speak as if "they" are sinners.
The church puffs itself up in self-assumed holiness that isn't ours in accomplishment. It is ours, however, in reception of His gift of His son to us. Holiness is His to share with us. We are, in Paul's self-targeting words, wretched.
Yet, to the churchful, wretched seems to be more of a "they" thing; more than a we or specifically a me.
This mistaken attitude blocks authentic sinners from finding acceptance in the church path. Yes, these continue to serve among us. They never let their guard down, though, that they don't really feel in because they think they know who we really are.
Truthfully, a look at the Word finds every "they", "we" and "me" poured into the same vat for cleansing. They, we, and me are another trinity of suffocating desperation that urgently needs the message of the cross and the victory of the empty grave.
Communion today will be with this trinity. Around that table will be a new clan labeled "us".
Sin remains a flesh problem. Jesus remains the one and only solution for all of US. From the former, no one escapes its contamination. The harder we try the deeper He will prove us ineffective in our religious snobbery.
The latter, Jesus, is our assurance that while dark sin includes our personal involvement, he has completely and victoriously rescued US....II Cor. 5:21.
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