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18
Steps to Jesus
about ourselves. We look at Christ’s spotless character and hate our
evil ways.
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The prophet Daniel was visited by an angel from heaven. Glory
shone all around the angel, and Daniel was overcome as he thought
of his own weakness and lack of perfection. He wrote, “I had no
strength left, and my face was so changed that no one could have
recognized me.”
Daniel 10:8
.
Any person who sees this glory from heaven will hate his own
selfishness and self-love. He will search for purity of heart through
Christ’s righteousness. He will want to keep God’s law and have a
Christlike character.
Paul wrote of his own righteousness: “As far as a person can be
righteous by obeying the commandments of the Law, I was without
fault.”
Philippians 3:6
. When he noted just the words of the law,
then looked at his life, he could see no fault in himself. But when he
looked at the deep meaning of the law, he saw himself as God saw
him. He bowed down and confessed his guilt.
Paul wrote, “That is why I felt fine so long as I did not understand
what the law really demanded. But when I learned the truth, I
realized that I had broken the law and was a sinner, doomed to die.”
Romans 7:9
, TLB. When Paul saw how holy the law was, sin looked
terrible. He no longer felt proud, but humble.
God does not look at all sins as equally bad. To Him, as to
us, some sins are worse than others. But even if some wrong acts
appear small to us, no sin seems small to God. Human judgment is
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often wrong, but God sees things as they really are. People dislike a
drunk person and say his sin will keep him out of heaven. But often
these same people say nothing against pride, selfishness, and greed.
Yet these are sins that especially offend God because they are so
different from His loving character. Unselfish love fills every heart
in heaven.
A person who makes a big mistake and sins may feel ashamed.
He may feel that he needs the grace of God. But a proud person
feels no need, so he closes his heart against Christ and the wonderful
blessings He came to give.
Jesus once told a story about a tax collector who bowed his head
and said, “God, have pity on me, a sinner.”
Luke 18:13
. He thought
of himself as a wicked man, and other people looked upon him in