This past weekend was crazy to say the least and to top if off we experienced some of human depravity first hand. Usually we just discuss things, but Sunday afternoon was a time where we were not only able to share our faith in God, but also learn a little bit about apologetics and human depravity and everyone’s need for Jesus.

My wife and I were at a friend’s house where we met some other people. One used to go to church, the other is a former catholic who goes to another church because of his wife. Both my wife and I were stumped. We didn’t know what to say, our heads were swirling as they continued with one accusation after another. It was interesting how easily it was to attack catholics, then protestants, both the hypocrisy of the church and also its exclusivity. It didn’t help that my wife pointed out we went to presbyterian church (highly exclusive) and that I was a deacon…

It didn’t occur to us until after we left the party… it was supposed to be a kids party, but some of the adults got out of hand and so we were more than happy to make an escape for it. But it was a shame we didn’t have the “right words” to say while there. On our drive back home, we prayed and finally understood what we “should have” said. Even during the conversation, my mind was being pushed to the Matthew 7 passage:

1″Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3″Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

But I didn’t know what to make of it. Finally in the car it occurred to me that we were all so quick to judge, even myself, that we didn’t really understand the extent of Christ’s words. We are far worse than we think we are. The bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God… we are all under condemnation. The conversation never went to that extent and I think we all missed it.

We think we merit something because we are better than Catholics or other Christians, but we all have that plank in our eye and we all have specks in our eyes. It is only through the saving work of Christ that anyone can be saved. One argument that was brought up was the righteous Buddhist monk that lived a life that far exceeded any Christian… Would he too be sentenced to Hell just because he didn’t believe in Jesus? In our eyes, he probably was a saint and angel… but in God’s eyes, which sees things much differently… sees through the heart of man knows the corruption that lays within, far within. And it is only being in Christ that God sees a man as being righteous. That’s the difference between faith and unbelief. One is willing to accept things from God’s perspective (we are far worse than we think)… the other fails to see God’s ways because of our limited perspective (at least we’re better than those people).

As we drove home, we realized that unless we understood fully our own depravity, we would be useless in sharing the Gospel. Unless we stopped judging other people and started judging ourselves, we would be totally unequipped to know and share the Good News…

I’m bad. I’m evil. I’m corrupt. That is the reason why I need Jesus.