Higher Status Demads Greater Purity

I swaggered to the throne and slightly kneeled,
Knowing God would welcome me in great joy;
Had not I in His name preached to and healed
Many lost souls, the most in His employ?
Lesser lights have to live a purer way,
Careful not to taint the Kingdom of God;
Not I, whose higher status lets me stray;
I have more license to veer as I trod!
Does not one of greater rank deserve more?
He need not abstain from forbidden fruit!
I smirked as one ahead entered hell's door,
Sure by self-logic, I was resolute,
Until, aghast, I heard, "Depart from me!
Your higher status must the purer be!"

A great obstacle to convincing non-believers to accept Jesus is the sinful lifestyles by well-known preachers. Greater publicity erupts when a popular evangelist is discovered being sexually unfaithful or dishonest with finances than with persons in other professions. After all, the old saw "Practice what you preach" is essential for one who is publicly telling others their lives are sinful and will result in sending them to eternal torment. The great Mahatma Gandhi said, "I would be a Christian if I had not seen them." Celebrity has a way of causing a person to rationalize away his will to remain pure and sinless. The more acclaim he receives, the more Satan whispers in his mind, "Go on, take her to your hotel room. She's so easy; nobody will ever know. After all, haven't you done yeoman's work for the Kingdom and need some recreation? Surely, God won't hold this against you, as hard as you work." Rationalization can break the strongest resolution.

People who are being witnessed to about becoming Christian often feel that the one doing the witnessing thinks he is better than they. Every believer continues to commit sin after he becomes a Christian. He knows he is not perfect, and will never be as long as he lives. When Jesus told us to love everybody, He also taught us that no greater love for another can exist than in leading him to Christ. When a preacher preaches to you, it is because he loves you and wants your life to lead to eternal life in heaven. Everyone that witnesses to you is really saying, "Look, I'm a sinner just like you. The only thing I have to offer is to get you to working at trying to keep from doing those things that offend God. You won't succeed any better than I have, but I love you and want to see you accept Christ, so that you will live forever in heaven. Don't think my lifestyle is perfect; only Jesus lived without sin."