Of The Practical Improvement Which May Be Made Of The Survey Of Our Own Imperfections And Of Those Of Our Fellow Christians.

Adapted From A Sermon By

Philip Doddridge

For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

(James 3:2 ESV)

Our text again this morning is James 3:2: For we all stumble in many ways.

The aim of the previous sermon by Doddridge was to prove the truth of this claim by identifying those flaws present in almost all people who, as there is reason to believe, are genuinely faithful, and from which no man can, without great arrogance and pride, declare complete freedom. We all offend in the formality of our worship; in our forgetfulness of God; in our neglect of our blessed Redeemer, and in our carelessness about the proper use of our time: we stumble in pride and in unjust anger; in grumbling and complaining during challenging situations; in the lack of our kindness toward our fellow beings; in the excessive giving in to our fleshly desires; in the failure to properly control our words; and, moreover, in our excessive attachment to worldly vanity, and a regrettable neglect of our eternal rest.

II. It now remains that we consider the practical lessons we should draw from this reflection. Let us pay careful attention to what follows; and then, let us hope, that though some flaws will remain while we are still on this side of heaven, many future offenses will be avoided through the reflection we have made on past ones and by our faithful application of it.

1. Do we all offend in so many ways? Then we have little reason to boast about our religious accomplishments and much reason to despise ourselves and repent in deep humility. It was pointed out at the start of the last sermon how deeply pride is rooted in human nature and with what clever subtlety it slips into our hearts. It often pulls even our good qualities into partnership with itself, trying to fill us with vanity over our supposed humility. Solomon tells us that "there are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth."{Proverbs 30:12} Shall we belong to such a group?

We are not fully cleansed from our sinfulness; for who can say, I am free from my sin? Shall we then view ourselves as pure in our own eyes? Shall we trust in our own righteousness and look down on others, when in many ways we all offend? Shall we boast about the religious progress we have made, we who are so far from defeating sin that every day of our lives is stained by it?

Surely when we feel that contentment that often arises in the mind from knowing we have done our duty, especially after behaving well for a long time, we should be careful not to let that contentment grow into pride; we should quickly check ourselves with thoughts like those this topic naturally brings up.

"O my soul! It is indeed joyful to have this thought, joyful to have the approval of my own conscience and a comforting hope that my God approves me. But I urge you to remember that you are now reviewing only part of your behavior, and that there is another part far more troubling and painful than this is bright and pleasing to recall. Since you came into being, you have committed many serious sins against the God of your life and the Father of all your blessings, and you do not need to look far back to recall details. You cannot think about the past week, or even the past day of your life, without seeing that in many ways you have offended. Consider, O my soul! how you have been careless in the most sacred acts of worship: consider how often you have forgotten your God despite the strongest reasons to remember him! Reflect on how you have ignored your blessed Redeemer with thoughtless ingratitude, though he died to secure your forgiveness and salvation: recall how often you have felt, and still feel, the rise of pride and the bursts of anger, the stirrings of improper desire and excessive affection! Consider how carelessly you waste your precious time, on the proper use of which your eternity depends: think about how little passion for God, how little kindness toward man, how few strong desires for your eternal rest have been found in you, and how few are still present! With these thoughts, decide whether it is right for you to hold a high view of your religious accomplishments. Instead, let me humble myself fully and be amazed at the richness of divine patience and forgiveness, that I am not brought down to the dust of death and the fires of hell!"

At this point, we should think about all the specific factors that worsen our sins, which may make those offenses that seem small in the eyes of our fellow beings far more offensive in the sight of God than many of the worst flaws committed by those outside the faith. For all these, "let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us."{Jeremiah 3:25} When we thus feel our shame and sorrow, we will become more fitting recipients of that grace which God denies to the proud and arrogant but freely gives to the humble soul.

2. If we all offend in so many serious ways, then let us learn to give up all trust in our own righteousness and most thankfully accept that of a Redeemer. From the review of our character’s flaws, one might think that nothing would be easier than this; yet such is the natural pride in our hearts that nothing is harder. We are not so foolish as to claim that our own righteousness is perfect or complete, or that it can, by strict justice, earn anything from God’s hands. Nor do we hesitate to admit in words that we must place all our trust in Christ, and that only through him can we gain forgiveness and salvation. Yet we are, sadly, too quick to forget these truths, and we do not act as those who are truly convinced of them.

It is possible that an awareness of this may be strong in the mind right after committing some serious sin, yet at other times, especially when we carry out our duties smoothly, it tends to slip away unnoticed, so that the essential teaching of our dependence on the atonement and righteousness of Christ, though never denied, is often ignored by us, and ignored to a deeply unfortunate degree.

Let us then use what we have recently heard. Let it convince us more deeply of our need for a Savior and encourage us more thankfully to accept the offers of forgiveness and joy through him. Let us, through the reflection we have now made, seriously think about what our own righteousness is, and we cannot help but see that it is but as filthy rags;{Isaiah 64:6} and that it is so far from earning God’s favor that even our best deeds deserve punishment, as they are mixed with guilt.

In a repentant awareness of this, let us join with the apostle Paul, who had far more legal righteousness than we, and declare that it is our most earnest desire and careful effort to win Christ, and be found in him, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, "but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."{Philippians 3:9} Let a sense of our daily guilt add respect to the name of that holy Person through whom we hope to receive not only forgiveness but life. Let us strive to feel the burden of sin, that we may more eagerly turn to him who has invited us to come, that we may find rest for our souls.

3. Do we all offend in so many ways? Then what reason have we to receive all the blessings of our lives with grateful amazement! We know that they all come from the hand of God. Now God is a Being of such pure eyes that he cannot endure evil, and he cannot look upon sin. How amazing then is the care he shows for us, who are such sinful creatures and, for that reason, do not deserve even the smallest of his mercies.{Genesis 32:10}

Our Lord points out as a striking example of divine goodness that God "makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."{Matthew 5:45} Surely, when each of us, who, compared to the rest of mankind, are righteous and good, examines our own character, we must admit that it is astonishing that God grants us so many blessings, and it is even more astonishing when we consider that God, in his great goodness through Jesus Christ, forgives the eternal punishment our sins deserve. Surely we might expect that, even if he ultimately forgives our sins, he would, in the meantime, punish our wrongdoings. We might think that some severe temporary hardships would strike us, or at least that the blessings of his provision would be interrupted or lessened.

Yet behold, he renews them upon us day after day; and, despite all the offenses of yesterday, this day is like the last, and, perhaps, in some ways, is even more plentiful. We often accept these daily blessings with an attitude of indifference and carelessness, as if we possessed them by natural necessity, as if they were our automatic right, or as if we had earned them through the decency and consistency of our behavior.

But let us learn, from what we have recently heard, to correct this foolish and ungrateful attitude; and to receive them while remembering that our peace and our well-being, our health and our friends, and all the comforts and conveniences of life come not only from the hand of a God who is infinitely above us, but from the hand of a God whom we continually offend, and from whom we might justly expect misery and judgment; and with this perspective, let us view them not only with gratitude but with awe.

4. If we have all offended in so many serious ways, then we certainly have strong reason to quietly accept whatever hardships God may place upon us. Even if we were completely innocent, our awareness of God’s greatness, wisdom, and goodness, along with our memory of the many blessings we have received from God, should urge us to patiently endure those situations that are currently very troubling and painful to us. Nature would then guide us to think as Job does: "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"{Job 2:10}

But the force of this idea is clearly much stronger when we admit that, through the guilt of our rebellion against God, we have deserved all this, indeed, far more, so that, overall, as much as our present difficulties are more tolerable than eternal suffering, we have reason to confess that he has punished us less than our sins deserve. This thought should lead every offending creature to humble acceptance; and we, who are sincere Christians, should be especially touched by it, because our sins carry such serious worsenings that cannot be found in the offenses of those who do not know God and do not believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, even if we were disciplined every morning and afflicted all day long, we should resolve, with Micah, that we will bear the indignation of the Lord, because we have sinned against him.{Micah 7:9} And we should be fully silenced by those words of the prophet, "Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?"{Lamentations 3:39}

5. Do we all offend in so many ways? Then let us not admire others too much, nor speak of them as if they were completely without fault. It is surely our duty to observe the characters of others and to judge them with kindness and fairness. When we find something truly worthy in them, we should value it, treasure it, and delight in it; we should always take care to treat people with respect matching the worth of their character. However, we should make sure that we do not take this to such an extreme as to hold men in excessive admiration. We should be careful not to praise people too much, lest others, who know them better than we do, question the soundness of our judgment and, as a result, lower their respect for those we praise due to such overstated compliments.

Likewise, we should be very cautious not to expect too much from those we generally think well of. We should not assume they will act perfectly in every part of life; that we will experience only joy and contentment, and no unease or disappointment from them. This caution is especially fitting when we are forming close and deep friendships, particularly those meant to last a lifetime. In such cases, we must remember, as Mr. Bolton wisely advises, that it is not two angels forming a bond, but two of the children of fallen Adam, who carry the flaws of a sinful nature and have much to challenge the kindness and patience of each other.

Moreover, since in many things we all offend, we may learn not to treat the examples of others, even the best of men, as a perfect guide for ourselves in every detail, so as to follow them blindly without care or doubt, since if we do, we know it is very likely we may follow them into sin. Therefore, when the apostle Paul offers his own example for his Corinthian friends to follow, though he had come as close to perfection as any mere man seems ever to have done, he finds it necessary to include this limit: "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ,"{1 Corinthians 11:1} so far and no further you may venture to imitate me.{1 Corinthians 2:1}

6. Do we all offend in so many ways? Then surely we should not be quick to judge others harshly. When we feel a strong desire to be severe about the faults of those around us, let us seriously ask whether we ourselves could withstand such judgment. Do we not depend on the kindness and good nature of our friends to overlook our own many weaknesses and flaws? If so, how can we expect others to show us such mercy when we are so cruelly critical of them? At the very least, we must all admit that, no matter how faultless our actions toward others may seem, none of us could bear the strictness of God’s judgment. "If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?"{Psalm 130:2}

Therefore, let us be careful not to invite such judgment or, in effect, demand it through our own harshness and lack of kindness, for it is the same as calling for such strictness after what our Lord has declared: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged:"{Matthew 7:1, 2} and "judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy."{James 2:13} If we are mercilessly harsh on others’ characters, what is this but saying we will face God's judgment, demanding judgment without mercy?

Perhaps when we condemn others and speak badly of them, our own conscience shows that we are guilty of the very same faults. "Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things."{Romans 2:1} Or perhaps, if we are free of those faults, we are guilty of others far worse, and then Christ’s rebuke applies to us directly: "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"{Matthew 7:3}

However, even if, after the closest self-examination, our conscience clears us of the same or similar faults, since we still carry the traces of a sinful nature and are constantly falling into some kind of guilt, it is right for us to remember that we could fail in the same way as others have. The harsher we are toward others, the more reason we have to expect the same treatment toward ourselves. This should teach us not to speak ill of others when they are not present and should also make us gentle and kind when we choose to point out their faults directly. In both cases, the apostle’s advice seems fitting: "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."{Galatians 6:1}

7. Do we all offend in so many ways? Then surely we should quickly forgive those who offend us. We are driven to seek daily at the throne of grace for the forgiveness of our repeated offenses, and does it suit a creature, who relies completely on God’s mercy, to be unmerciful to his fellow creatures? Consider how Christ has shown this in the powerful parable of the unmerciful servant, and remember how this parable ends: "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."{Matthew 18:35} So shall he do to you, that is, he shall deliver you to torment and cast you into prison until you have paid the very last penny.

Is your debt so small that you can easily pay it? Think about the truth that in many things we all offend, and then decide whether you do not have great need of God’s forgiveness; judge whether you should ignore that without which God has said he will never forgive. Moreover, to remind us of our duty to forgive wrongs, the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, when we pray, to make our forgiveness of others the measure by which we ask forgiveness from God. "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."{Matthew 16:12}

Lord, if I forgive my offending brother, I seek your forgiveness; but if I do not, I accept your strictest judgment. One would think it hardly possible to stress forgiveness more strongly than by commanding this prayer; yet our Lord, to make it even more forceful, highlights this request for special comment, repeating the same point twice, both in story and directly. "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."{Matthew 6:14, 15} Given how strongly forgiveness is emphasized in scripture, consider whether such offending creatures, who daily need it, should refuse it to those who have wronged them.

8. Do we all offend in so many ways? Then surely it is right that we should accept correction with patience and gratitude. Knowing our current flaws, it should be our constant goal to overcome them and aim for perfection as much as we can; therefore, we should welcome anything that helps us see our faults and encourages us to fix them. It is clear that the correction from our friends can be very helpful for this purpose. We should, therefore, receive it with kindness and thankfulness, valuing that they take the effort to watch over us and point out what they think is wrong.

You may perhaps argue that they misunderstand your character and accuse you of faults you know you do not have. It is possible they do; but then consider why they correct you. If they are people with any sense of faith, they would not dare say you have certain faults if they believed you were free of them; so, you can reasonably conclude that they share their honest thoughts, driven by kindness and, likely, a sense of duty. Will you be angry with them for this? At worst, it was only a mistake—an honest mistake, probably rooted in care—and surely you, who offend in so many ways yourself, should not be overly upset by this.

Moreover, let us be convinced to think again: are we sure our friend is wrong about the faults they mention? We see that everyone around us is partial to themselves, and we know we hold much pride in our hearts. Is it not possible, then, that this bias and pride may affect us in this case? Let us look into the matter carefully; if we find the correction valid, let us openly admit it to our friends, thank them for their kindness in this instance, and ask for their continued advice in the future. If, after careful thought, we decide the correction was baseless, let us not be so ungrateful as to make it a dispute, but rather kindly acknowledge their concern and promise to be watchful against the small errors that may have led our friend to misjudge us.

Surely we are bound by conscience to accept correction in this way; but even if we are not, a sense of honor and a wise concern for our reputation should be enough to urge us to do so. Such humility and gratitude under a discipline that is naturally somewhat unpleasant and painful shines a light of virtue on the person who shows such self-control. It not only gives hope for improvement but also shows a current level of wisdom and goodness that makes the corrector almost forget any fault they once saw, now seeing so much to admire.

On the other hand, if we receive correction with anger and bitterness, it will not convince our friends or others that it was undeserved; rather, it will likely be seen as further proof that the correction was needed, showing a new flaw in our character, perhaps worse than the one we were corrected for—namely, that we are so unaware of our own flaws that we cannot bear being told about them, which seems completely unjustifiable given the points I have made. These reasons will weigh even heavier when we consider how often God speaks with scorn and judgment of those who cannot handle being told of their faults. "He who hates reproof is stupid:"{Proverbs 12:1} 'he who rejects reproof leads others astray,'{Proverbs 10:17} and "fools die for lack of sense."{Proverbs 10:21}

9. Do we all offend in so many ways? Then what reason have we to question the dependability of our future promises and to place full trust in divine grace. Surely, when our hearts have so often deceived us already, we would be completely foolish to trust them again.{Proverbs 28:26} Concerning those specific offenses our consciences blame us for, have we not repeatedly seen their guilt and foolishness; have we not, with great seriousness, vowed to avoid them? Yet have we not fallen into them again and again despite these pledges?

Let us not then suppose that, because these beliefs and promises are now renewed, they will never be broken again; instead, let us approach the throne of grace, humbly giving up all confidence in ourselves, and seek the help of that holy Spirit who can give strength to the weak and restore power in those who have none. Let us sincerely pray for the help of divine grace whenever we come before God in our regular worship; let us work to keep an awareness of this reliance throughout the day, and if we do so, we will find, according to his kind promise to the apostle Paul, that his grace will be sufficient for us, and his strength will be shown in our weakness.{2 Corinthians 12:9, 10}

10. Are we all prone to offend? Then let us decide from now on to be careful of future temptations and to keep constant alertness of spirit. We have already made mistakes; since our flawed and sinful nature remains the same, we should not carelessly put ourselves in the path of these dangers. The hurt of our past errors should surely teach us to protect ourselves against them: as our Redeemer has taught us to pray, lead us not into temptation, so we should also maintain steady watchfulness to avoid falling into it. We should be wise in foreseeing and careful in approaching temptation, trying to steer clear of it whenever we can; but if God’s plan requires us to face it, we should meet it with a sense of fear and dread, equipped with our strongest determination, so that we are not defeated by it.

11. And finally, an awareness of our own flaws and those of our fellow Christians should encourage us to long for that blessed place where we and they shall be made perfect in holiness. The pride, strong emotions, worldly focus, and critical attitudes found in many whom we might hope to consider sincere Christians make this world much less desirable than it could be; yet our own shortcomings burden us even more heavily than those of our brothers, or at least they should, and they will often lead us to cry out with the apostle, O "wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"{Romans 7:24}

Let us be forever thankful that our blessed Redeemer has purchased our deliverance at such a cost, offering us hope through his grace.