A lady once came to Charles Wesley bewailing the fact that she was the chief of sinners, the worst of transgressors, utterly lost and helpless. Mr. Wesley answered her: "I have no doubt, madam, that you are bad enough." The lady instantly flew into a rage, declaring that she was no worse than others; and she roundly scolded the preacher as a slanderer!
What a sham confession she had made! When Mr. Wesley took her at her word, the utter hollowness of her profession was at once laid bare. There was no reality in her! While it was perfectly true that she was a sinner, a transgressor, and utterly lost and helpless, she did not really see herself so. When Mr. Wesley agreed with her spoken estimate of herself, her innate self-righteousness defended itself and her unregenerate pride rebelled.
When the Psalmist David was confessing his terrible sin to God, he said: "Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts." Psa. 51:6. God wants reality. Self-righteous sinners are not one whit better in God's sight than drunkards and murderers. God has said: "There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:22, 23. He does not acknowledge degrees of sin. In His sight all "sin is lawlessness." 1 John 3:4, N. Trans. And before God one poor, lost sinner is as helpless, ruined and undone as any other poor, lost sinner.
What God wants is that each poor, lost sinner see himself in reality to be "sold under sin"-helpless to remedy his condition, having no hope, and without God in the world. Then to such a one how sweet the gospel message!
"Come to Jesus!"
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21.