The importance of being a miserable sinner!
This week brings some theological reflection comparing the Christian view that we are sinners, loved by God, with the modern view that we must be considered absolutely right just as we are. 5 parts to come.
(Note: when I say “miserable sinner” I mean it in the humorous sense of the old fashioned preacher thundering at his congregation: “You miserable sinners!”. I hope you detect my joy in accepting the term)
Part 1: Understanding yourself as a sinner is a positive thing
A TV advert for a perfume consists solely of a series of people saying, “I’m perfect. Perfect. Perfect”.
What a destructive lie! No, you are not perfect; no-one is perfect. Very importantly, we do not have to be perfect in order to be accepted, loved, valued. This is one of the mistakes that modern ideologies make: the belief that I must be beyond criticism if I am to be acceptable – and anyone who does criticise me is thereby demeaning me and infringing my human rights.
Christianity has a much healthier attitude because it has a deeper understanding of human nature.
As a Christian, I freely and gladly accept that I am a miserable sinner. But, crucially, I am a sinner who is loved by God. So, although some might regard being a sinner as a depressing, guilt-inducing belief, perhaps counter-intuitively, it is a joyful, liberating belief. I am free to accept that I am far from perfect – but I am still loved. Not that I therefore become blasé about my sins – falsely believing that they don’t matter, because I am loved anyway. My distress for my sins always remains real, and I am continually striving to become a better person, in order to live in tune with the love that God has given me. However, I am able to accept myself and love myself – not because I am perfect, nor even because I am a good person – but because God loves me. God has given me a standard to live up to. I fall short of it, and you might say that without the standard I would not feel so bad, but instead, I am thankful for the standard for it inspires me to try to live up to it, and even when I fail – which is very regularly – I always put more store by God’s forgiving love than by my failure. So, through faith, I have found a way to be myself, as I am, warts and all, while always striving to be better, and often reaching further than I would without my faith in God, while never being distraught and despairing for my failures. Moreover, my understanding of being a miserable sinner not only provides a basis for my life, it also provides the grounds for community life, for, if I value my status as someone who is acceptable despite having flaws and sometimes making mistakes, then I must grant the same to others.
Spiritual Devotion 