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We can learn something from the mystery of God that the Gospel revealed to the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews were shocked to learn that the Gentiles who had been outcasts till then were now welcome to a relationship with God on the same level as the Jews. The Gentiles could not believe that they who did not have any access to God at all were suddenly being lifted to the same level as the Jews! The advantage that the Jews used to have was the knowledge of God and His ways. The disadvantage for the Gentiles was that till then they had had no true idea of God and what He wanted. But now it was being made clear to both groups that the access to God for both of them was the same, based on an unmerited favour He was willing show them. The Jews had nothing to boast and the sense of unworthiness that the Gentiles had was removed. The Jews would have felt like the labourers who had worked the full day and yet were equated with those who had worked only one hour. The Gentiles were like those who received a full day's wages even though they had worked but little (Matt.20).

When we have knowledge, name, position, etc., we may feel like how the Jews felt towards the Gentiles. But then, without basing our acceptance before God on such things about which we can boast, we need to remember that it is purely God's grace to undeserving sinners like us that we have been brought near to God. On the other hand, when we consider our sins and our sinful nature and we wonder how we could find acceptance with God, we must remember that it is about Him accepting us because of His love rather than we qualifying for His acceptance.

In course of time, those who enter the kingdom of God as undeserving sinners find themselves receiving knowledge, position, reputation, etc., something they have not been used to, and they were not prepared to find themselves in such a battle against self-righteousness or self-sufficiency. On the other hand, those who started out this journey with assets of knowledge, etc., find themselves unprepared to deal with the sin that they find in themselves! Some of them fall into sin that they never imagined would affect them, and they are caught unprepared. Others merely discover a deeper reach of sin in their inner being which others around them cannot see!

For all of us, there is a battle for sanctification, where we have to be increasingly set free from the power of self and sin in our life and become more and more like Jesus. If we rest in our knowledge or reputation or if we give up because of our self-awareness about our sinful nature, they both tend to hinder us on this path of spiritual growth. Some satisfy themselves with knowing that God has accepted them, and some others make no attempt to move forward because they are too conscious of their failures and weaknesses. But our Saviour Jesus has come to 'save' us from our sins (Mt.1:21). Let us overcome every hindrance that comes across our paths (He.6:1).

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