The best of us are but a mixture
of dirt and sin. By Charles Simeon. Isaiah chapter
64 verse 6. We are all infected and impure
with sin. Our righteous deeds are nothing
but filthy rags. Job chapter 40 verse 4. Behold,
I am vile. Humility is that grace which
is most suited to our condition as sinful creatures. Yet we are
quite hesitant to acknowledge ourselves to be so depraved as
we in fact are. But the declarations of God are
sufficient to humble the proudest heart. It is not only atrocious
sinners who are thus vile, but all, all without exception. Nor
are our worst actions only thus defiled, but all, even our righteous
deeds are nothing but filthy rags. Let all then, without exception,
humble themselves as impure and vile sinners, who are altogether
destitute of anything that is good. Our own righteousness must
be wholly renounced, as the best of us are but a mixture of dirt
and sin. We must enter into the kingdom
of heaven on the very same footing as harlots and scandalous sinners.
This is humiliating to our proud nature, but it must be done.
It would be unfitting to an earthly monarch to present his bride
clothed in filthy rags. In the same way, it would be
improper to present our sinful souls to the heavenly bridegroom,
clad in such polluted garments as ours. Paul himself felt the
necessity of having a better righteousness than his own, and
to be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that
comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ,
the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. Philippians
3.9 Just so, if ever we would find
acceptance with God, we must seek it altogether through the
righteousness of Christ. All who are conscious of their
own depravity and sinfulness should rejoice that God has made
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse
21.