The sheer glory of God is often distorted by man's obsession to get himself straightened out. This ploy is the grand scream of unbelievers toward the church. Plus, it is the strong call of the legalistic do-gooder who never sees his/her own disastrous flaws. God is the true glory; our behavior (as hard as one may try) is not...ever.
Being a follower of God's call is not intended to be a statement that one has arrived. It's quite the opposite. It is a public declaration that we found ourselves too far gone to get ourselves right with God...although we did give such repeated efforts to do so. In the end, we kept coming up short.
Critics, however, spend minute time on self-evaluation. No, when we criticize another (and I'm guilty of this very practice), we speak from a base of blatant blindness to the self. This practice is a desperate move to make self-justification by living in comparison to others. And, of course, such evaluation mistakenly leads the evaluator to be sure to come out better than the evalued one(s).
Admission of our own personal lack, violation, and habit-formed sin is the gateway to the Savior. Otherwise, we find no need for a Savior; we merely wanted a weekend Advisor.
Salvation doesn't ignore our sin. It sees it, addresses it, admits it, and allows Jesus to destroy it. The Cross remains the most powerful hope for every individual. Every one we know has been shut up in disobedience. Why do we clamor as if such doesn't really mean "me"?
For God has shut up all into disobedience that He might show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Romans 11:32-33
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