It’s a game. It’s impossible to avoid because we are all wired to play it. It’s the comparison game. It’s based on the belief that there will always be those who are worse sinners than we are. (By whose ruling? Conveniently ours, of course.) It’s righteousness by default. It’s what keeps sinners in bars and the “righteous,” somewhere else.
It takes a lot of our attention to maintain the game. It’s even played in church, where levels of “spirituality” keep us from being totally honest with one another. And it’s an exhausting game that requires a good deal of manipulation of the facts to keep it going.
Deep down inside, we long for God to blow the whistle on the whole game. Deep down inside, we want the truth, and when it finally hits home, it hits with incredible fierceness. It’s the only way this will work. We are—every one of us—completely, utterly despicable sinners who are completely, utterly, and wonderfully saved. We gather around the same table, separated by society yet joined by God—Pharisee and sinner, weak and strong, beautiful and ugly, straight and gay, intelligent and ignorant alike, holding out our hands for the blessed forgiveness. There is no division here. No CASUAL SINNERS over here, or NICE PEOPLE SINNERS over there, or REALLY BAD SINNERS down there and to the left. We are all equally guilty, so we can all be equally and gloriously saved.
No one person in all of heaven will feel like they got there because they deserve it; all will be sure that they don’t; and everyone will be equally astonished at the all-consuming grace and mercy of God.
John Fischer The Catch 
This is really good, John. I know I have to overcome a Pharisaical attitude within myself, “I thank thee that I am not like other men.” I know better intellectually, but your “nice people sinners” comment hit home.
I’m not sure whether it is “levels of spirituality” that keeps believers from being honest with each other. To me it seems more as if this requires a level of trust that does hardly ever develop between people, a level of trust that does only come with a deep friendship.
Like to add a big Amen to this: “No one person in all of heaven will feel like they got there because they deserve it; all will be sure that they don’t; and everyone will be equally astonished at the all-consuming grace and mercy of God.” That hit home w/ me today and thank-you 4 it Pastor John…
I would like to add that each one of us will see someone in heaven who we will be amazed to see there… and that each one of us will not doubt find someone in heaven who is totally amazed to see us there!
How true.
I became a Christian in 1969 or 70. Something really happened. Since then I have searched for that “entire sanctification” that the church taught us about. The thing the could give me power over sin and make me “sin no more” like the woman at the well was instructed. 42 years later I can say I never found the magic. Coming to Christ didn’t make me better than others, only better than I might have been without Him. I don’t remember when I stopped pointing out the sinners but at some place in my journey it became to hard to judge others while looking in the mirror.
My journey is not complete but if heaven is real no one will be more surprised to be there than me.
Reminds me of a quote I recently heard by John Mauceri, Founding Director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and current Chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts:
“I think I was trained to be a snob as a kid, and I’ve learned over my years that being a snob has only closed off experiences for me.
I’ve not gained one thing by being exclusionary – but rather to be inclusive is actually the power and… it’s why American Arts are so successful: because we have always been inclusive and [have] not closed out [‘others’].” (Bracketed words mine)
The above statement can easily be applied to Churches and Christians as well:
We either choose to be snobbish and exclusionary (“us” & “them”), which has not worked out well for the Church over these last several decades or…
we practice inclusiveness and acceptance just as Jesus did and does – it may be difficult at first but I’m fairly certain it gets graciously easier in His timing and time.
Bob