Blameless?

Today one of my friends brought up the point that, basically, Christians can be hypocritical.  Well, the way I see it, we are ALL hypocritical.  Sin is in our nature and though everyone may not always see it, we all have a tendency to say one thing and do another at some point, even when our intentions are to do the right thing.  It's just like Paul said in Romans (7:15 CEV), "I don't do what I know is right. I do the things I hate."  To REALLY live for God we have to fight our sinful nature on a daily basis (Luke 9:23), it's just that simple.  

She made the comment, the same people at church on Sundays are the same ones out and about on Monday cursing and being mean, and she's speaking truth.  Yes, we're supposed to live a life that shows our love for God, in our words, and even more so in our actions, but it's hard battle.  We don't always come out on top.  Why?  Because we're human!  It's, literally, something that we have to consciously make an effort to do, on a daily basis.  If, like me, you weren't always living for God, then you understand.  

Not so long ago, it was me, out there living without purpose or meaning.  I was getting drunk on Saturday night (among other things) and going to church on Sunday mornings, cursing out my co-workers and even my boss (I'm surprised I didn't loose my job), being careless with other people's feelings, and being selfish about my own.  I was mean, moody, arrogant, and just plain old nasty.  People have always complimented my looks, but there was nothing beautiful about me, then.  When I think back on some of the things I've said/done, I feel so ashamed.  It's almost unbelievable, to me, how much I've changed.  In saying that, everyday I still have to fight the things that once made me so ugly, inside and out.  Some things have changed inside of me (God did it) without me noticing it, yet others are daily battles.  Just because the problem has become easier to maintain, doesn't mean it's non-existent, right?
 

So, I say that to say, we all have our own battles and we are all human.  How can one person point their finger at another, when they aren't perfect themselves?  No sin is bigger than the other.  Sin is just that.  SIN.  I told her that maybe the ones pointing fingers and ignoring their own faults, are the ones who only KNOW God and have yet to experience Him.  Knowing God is one thing, but experiencing Him is another world, entirely.  I can say that with confidence, because when I just knew God, I pointed fingers too.  Once I experienced Him, though, that changed.  Instead of me seeing everyone else's faults, I saw MY faults in everyone else.  It's was like God had handed me a mirror and EVERY TIME I saw myself in someone else, I was convicted.  Once you experience God, you see everything differently and you realize that you can't point fingers at anyone, because they are human just like you. 

"If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!"

-Jesus 

{John 8:7}