Too “Good” to Be a Sinner?

“When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  Mark 2:17

Some folks think that they are too “good” to be a sinner.  Sure, they say, “Well, I know that I am not perfect, but I am a pretty good person.  I pay my taxes, don’t cheat on my spouse, show up for work on time, and attend church once and a while”.  However, this doesn’t meet God’s definition of a righteous person.  It is true that attempting to stay out of trouble and not cause anyone any harm, making right decisions, and being a “model” citizen are all examples of how folks should carry on their lives, but man’s standard of “good” is far from God’s standard of being acceptable to Him.

In this particular passage in Mark, Jesus had just called Matthew, also known as Levi, to be one of His disciples.  Matthew invited Jesus to dine with him at his house, and other folks were there, the disciples and many publicans (tax collectors who were likely Matthew’s associates because he, too, was a tax collector) and other sinners, those with whom the religious leaders would not fellowship.  When the religious leaders, Pharisees, and scribes saw Jesus eating with these “hoodlums”, they were astonished.  First of all, how did they see these folks dining together?  Were they also invited?  If they knew who would be there, I doubt they would have gone.  Did they gather outside after hearing about the crowd inside and peer through the windows?  They were always looking for something of which to accuse Jesus, and this is all that they could come up with?  Eating and drinking with folks they didn’t like?  They were even bold enough to ask Jesus’ disciples how come it is that He is eating with these ne’er-do-wells?  They likely wondered why, since He was so “righteous”, then why would He hang out with sinners and tax collectors, of all people?  Did they want Him to hang out with them?  I kind of doubt it.  They just wanted Him gone.

Of course, Jesus heard their question.  He answered that those who were healthy don’t need to see a doctor, but it was those who were sick in need of healing.  He then said that He didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  His answer used to puzzle me.  Isn’t everyone born with a sin nature and thus aren’t all people sinners?  Isaiah the prophet wrote that we are all sinners, and our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).  As far as I know, the word “all” still means “all”.  Did Jesus’ statement infer that there are some folks who are righteous and need no repentance?  Yes, there are, but not in the way that some might think.  Many folks are righteous in their own minds.  They don’t consider themselves sinners, like these religious leaders would never admit that they were sinful.  These “righteous” people believe that they are acceptable to God because of their prideful assumption that their positions, piety, privilege, and good deeds give them special favor with the Lord.  In their minds, they are too “good” to be sinners thus no need to repent. However, there is a real problem with that attitude.  A person cannot be made right with God unless he or she admits that he or she is a sinner, repents, and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation.

Jesus’ use of the word “righteous” was actually hyperbole, an exaggeration for effect not to be taken literally.  He used hyperbole in other places, for example, He said that one must hate their parents in order to be His disciple (Luke 14:26), but, of course, God doesn’t want us to hate anyone.  Jesus said for us to even love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).  He used the word “hate” to indicate that whoever follows Him must love Him more than they love their parents, children, or siblings.  Their love for their family must seem like hate when compared to the love that folks have for Jesus.  He also said for those who cannot keep from lusting with their eyes, to pluck one of them out.  That is a pretty drastic way to avoid sin, but Jesus was emphasizing the seriousness of sin.  We use hyperbole all the time.  We say that we are “starving to death” when we are just really hungry here in this land of plenty.  Or how about when we say we have nothing to wear standing in front of a packed closet?  We are so pathetic.

It is interesting to note that it was the common folks who were able to humble themselves and see their own sin, thus coming to Jesus for help.  The elite, the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ day who were the religious leaders, (and many of our leaders today, both political and religious), were so blinded by their own pride and self-importance that they couldn’t recognize their own sin if it bit them on the behind!  Some people know that they are sinners, but they don’t want to give up their sin.  Others won’t admit that they are sinners and thus stand afar off from God.  Both will be held accountable.  Then there is another group, the small remnant, and I say “small” because, compared to the billions who are lost, the number is small of those who perhaps once were like one of the two groups above, but were convicted as sinners by the Holy Spirit, received a clear picture of their own hearts, which showed them how sinful they were and thereby completely separated from their Creator, but didn’t want to stay that way.  They turned from their sin and gladly received Christ and His sacrifice in exchange for their sin.

Now, tell me.  Which group has the clearest understanding of God’s will?