THE ALMOST CHRISTIAN

The following (extremely applicable article) was written back in 1161, by Matthew Mead. It is taken from "The Almost Christian":

"There is a proud heart in every natural man. There was much pride in Adam's sin-and there is much of it in all Adam's sons. Pride is a radical sin, and from hence arises this over-inflated opinion of a man's spiritual state and condition: 'The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: God, I thank you that I am not like other men- robbers, evildoers, adulterers' (Luke 18:11). This is the unsaved man's motto.

A proud man has an eye to see his beauty-but not his deformity. He sees his abilities-but not his spots. He sees his seeming righteousness-but not his real wretchedness. It must be a work of grace-which must show a man the lack of grace. The haughty eye looks upward-but the humble eye looks downward, and therefore this is the believer's motto, 'I am the least of saints-and the greatest of sinners!'

"'But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner!' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God!' (Luke 18:13-14).