(Article for publication week
of 5-30-2012 AD)
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”
(Romans 3:23). The desperate need of our day is to get men lost. Note well, I
did not say to get men saved, but rather to get men lost. The only kind of
sinners that God saves are thoroughly lost sinners. Until you are convinced of
your lost estate, you will never come to the Saviour of sinners for the
salvation you so desperately need.
Now, this is the way God always works. He gets a sinner lost
so He can save him. This the dear Saviour Himself said, “I am come to seek and
to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). God kills before He makes alive; He
wounds before He heals; He troubles the soul before He gives His peace to the
soul.
And so our text is sent to us to convince us of our lost
condition. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Now some of
you are very despicable sinners. Many of you are fornicators and adulterers.
Many of you are drunkards and dope heads. Many of you are liars and thieves.
Others of you are very refined sinners. You are perhaps quite moral in your
outward behaviour (so you say), and perhaps are well thought of. Some of you
are so good (so you think), you would never need the saving righteousness of
Christ. But I say unto you that unless you are worshipping Christ and bowing
the knee to Him, you are condemned as a wretched blasphemer. Some of you are
members of churches, or religious organizations, but you are as proud as a
peacock and have a heart full of covetousness. Some of you are Sunday School
teachers and preachers, but you have never been really converted yourself. You
have everybody fooled, and perhaps have yourself fooled, but you are not
fooling God.
But whether a despicable sinner, or a more refined sinner, you
stand condemned before God. You despicable sinners look at the refined sinners
and think they are “self righteous”, and they are, but what good will that do
you when you are in Hell. You refined sinners look at the despicable sinners,
and look down your nose at them, (which they surely deserve), but you will be
no better off on the Day of Judgment unless you are saved God’s way. It will no
doubt add to many people’s eternal misery to have to spend eternity with folks
they despise.
Dear reader, do you realise that YOU have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. I am labouring for the eternal good of your soul, and you
can never be saved until you come to the end of your wretched self.
Our text tells us in a nutshell what sin is- coming short of
the glory of God. If you are not doing everything for the glory of God you are
condemned as a hell deserving sinner, whether a most despicable one, or a more
refined (as you like to think) one. The “all “ of my text this week includes
YOU.
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