Speaking from experience as a believer for quite some time in these matters.
I eventually was forced to set aside my pharisee religious cloak on the basis of simple honesty. No matter what external "good" behavior I engaged in I KNEW and KNOW, as Paul did, that evil was present with me. I know this beyond any doubt, because God has shown me the reality of internal temptations. God Himself placed us all, quite purposefully, in a system that consists internally of both good and evil. There is no honestly escaping this conclusion.
So, I had to be HONEST before my Maker. I understand that when I stand before God, I do so with "evil present" with me not one bit differently than what Paul exposed about his own "internals" in Romans 7:7-13 and Romans 7:21. This is the unavoidable conclusion of honesty. It is on this ground that I can only ask, in all sincerity, to obtain MERCY. No different than what Jesus shows us here:
Luke 18:
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,
God be merciful to me a sinner.
14
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
When God in Christ calls us out, He calls us OUT to be HONEST. Honesty is actually a gift of the Spirit. Some have it, many do not. I would hope for such honesty in anyone. Even the unsaved have this much honesty. Obviously in the Luke 18 example one of those men was NOT honest before God whatsoever and that man did NOT fool God one iota.
Now, in the O.T. we hear the call of God to come with a WHOLE HEART.
In that WHOLE HEART there is both good and EVIL. And we are just kidding ourselves if we think that NOT to be the "real" case.
In addition, I will also readily admit to seeing only in part, which automatically means I do NOT see Perfectly. In fact I might not even want to see this way, as I may see more than I care to see. I am somewhat glad that Perfect Sight remains only with our Maker, and NOT in myself. I'm sure that there are things that God Is Capable of looking at, from the Superior Vantage Point, that I don't want to see.
I know this is a fact. I come before God in Christ with factually CLOUDY sights. Call it partly clouded. If you want to observe with me "how" Jesus comes, He comes in the CLOUDS. This is what that means. He comes to people who are CLOUDY in their sights. Who only see in part. And will return, likewise.
When we are called out with a whole heart though, honestly, that heart is both good and evil therein and
THAT is the whole heart God DESIRES to see, as this brings the FRUIT of HONESTY, as HIS GIFT to us.
From this point, the whole heart, recognizing "ourselves" for what we "really" are within, on this ground we come to this realization, that it was always Gods Intentions for us to RECEIVE HIS MERCY as a real live demonstration, because of our factual adverse internal condition of having evil present within us.
Matthew 9:13
But
go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for
I am not come to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance.
We do NOT become "sinless" after salvation, period. I "seek" and "hope" to put on the Righteousness of Christ, when my vile body passes. In the meantime however, I take pleasure in living HONESTLY before my Maker, not vainly trying to HIDE the evil present within me. Even though I may not perceive this to be so using my rosy colored dishonest pharisee glasses. It's still a fact regardless of my "perception." Any who enter herein will find evil take a lot of steps BACK to hide it's presence, to make it appear otherwise.
