By chance, their security rope snapped and they both banged their way down to the bottom of the chimney. Neither was hurt, but by pure happenstance, each of them rubbed against the chimney differently. One man’s face was covered in soot while the other’s face was unaffected.
The man whose face was dirty looked at his clean friend and assumed his face was also clean, so he went back to work. The man with the clean face saw his filthy comrade and assumed his face was also dirty, so he went and washed up. Each judged himself by the appearance of the other.
Paul discussed a similar spiritual situation as noted in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “… they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” This phenomenon might be termed “spiritual relativity.” Instead of comparing ourselves with the absolute standard, God’s Word, it is far easier to compare ourselves with those who are less spiritual and perhaps even evil.
Thus, when we err, it is easy to reason, “Well, at least I’m not as bad as others.” Without even hesitating, it is easy to see that this is spiritual relativity. “So long as there is someone worse than I, then I am acceptable to God.” With that logic (?), then only the one very worst person in the world is sinful. Paul refutes this in Romans 3:23 where he says that “all sin.” It began with Adam when he said, “…the woman you gave me.”
As members of the Lord’s body, do we make the chimneysweeps’ mistake? Do we look at the unchurched or members of various religious groups and thus compare ourselves? This is a natural manner of thinking. “So long as I am not like church A, or church B, or a criminal, or an atheist, God will be pleased with me. 1 Peter 4:18 is directed at each of us. “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Before comparing ourselves to others, let us recall Paul’s words in Romans 14:12, “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
Let us remember that “comparative religion” is not from God but rather another of Satan’s devices. Let us know the word, live in the word, be in the word, and love the word because we will be judged by the word of God.
Ken Smith