We don't talk much about...
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We don't talk much about sin and sinners anymore (perhaps we should). Instead we talk about our type of people and that type of people -- us and them. For most of us, Matthew would not have qualified as our type of person because of the artificial distinctions we make about people.
Saint Paul writes, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." The all is pretty inclusive. Any distinctions we make about us and them are but subtle means of self-justification. ALL have sinned and ALL need God's grace.
The great American statesman, Daniel Webster, attended church in the country instead of the more refined city churches in Washington. When a friend asked him why, Webster replied, "In Washington they preach to Daniel Webster, the renown individual; but this country preacher preached to Daniel Webster, the sinner."
Saint Paul writes, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." The all is pretty inclusive. Any distinctions we make about us and them are but subtle means of self-justification. ALL have sinned and ALL need God's grace.
The great American statesman, Daniel Webster, attended church in the country instead of the more refined city churches in Washington. When a friend asked him why, Webster replied, "In Washington they preach to Daniel Webster, the renown individual; but this country preacher preached to Daniel Webster, the sinner."
