The longer you have traveled around in various church circles, the more likely you have heard this statement made and probably have been guilty of doing it yourself. It can come across as sounding so ‘humble’, as if we are pleasing God by our transparent honesty. And it usually comes out this way when a ‘seasoned saint’, or your long time Sunday school teacher, or even a preacher says...”I’m just a lowly, wretched sinner who fails God all the time. Don’t look at me, I’m nothing but a mess of a flawed human who is a recipient of His loving grace”, etc...etc.

Can I just tell you honestly, that God is not the least bit impressed with that admission? In fact, He takes great exception to it because when we claim to remain... as wretched sinners who are imperfect humans that continue to fail God, it is a direct indictment on ‘His workmanship' that He supposedly began in us when we first 'came' to Him. (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 1:6; Rom. 8:29) And please don’t bring up all those OT characters and their notable ‘failings’ as that is irrelevant. Also, please know I am not speaking to young ‘babes in Christ’ here either. (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

When did we ‘demote’ God from being the super-natural, miracle-working, Almighty Creator of the universe who allegedly ‘lives’ in us? (Romans 8:11) You know, the one who ‘does exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could think or ask?’ (Eph. 3:20). That would be the same Jesus who reminded His disciples that ‘with men this may be impossible but with God ALL things are possible’. (Matt. 19:26)

Are you aware how foolish we look when we emblazon Phil. 4:13 across our chest/lips that boast how we ‘can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us’, except when it comes to overcoming those pesky little sins and carnal traits rooted in our flesh nature (which is supposed to have been put to death- Gal. 5:24). No....God is not impressed nor pleased with those pretentious ‘humble’ admissions at all.

Think of it this way- You hire a good friend or relative who claims to be a contractor to do some extensive work on your home. What kind of business are you going to generate for him if you start promoting his work, telling the community how he re-roofed your home, even though it still leaks. And he also leveled your house but none of the doors or windows still close properly. Let’s not forget the kitchen cabinets he painted for you that look so shiny new, even though the paint started peeling three weeks later after the job was done. And that new tile floor he installed, is not the least bit squared up with the walls in the room. But bless God...he’s a great guy whom you love and he gave you a great deal.

I’ll tell you exactly what we have been guilty of doing- instead of us ‘becoming like God’, we have foolishly attempted to try and ‘make Him be like us’. Man was originally ‘made in His image and likeness’ (Gen. 1:26-27) and sin messed all that up. Jesus came to reconcile us back to God that we might be transformed through a spiritual re-birth where we are ‘conformed back to His image and likeness’ (Rom. 8:29). And “IF...IF....IF...any man is ‘in Christ’...he will be a ‘new creation’...as ‘old things are passed away and all things become new’. (2 Cor. 5:17)

Look into that mirror again (2 Cor. 13:5; James 1:23-25) and see what kind of ‘advertisement’ you have been for the one who supposedly is doing this new work in you. If you are continuing to live as a ‘sinner’...because someone told you ‘Christians are not perfect, just forgiven’, then I would submit to you that you might be following ‘another Jesus’. (2 Cor. 13:5). And while the time is short, you still have an opportunity to ‘wake up’ and repent so that He can ‘make you ready’ for a soon approaching wedding. (Matt. 25:1-13) You don’t want to miss tomorrow’s message either!