Are some Christians better than others?

Most assuredly. Who could doubt it? Each of us is born again from different places, having received different kinds and levels of common grace. The thief on the cross likely had a lot more to learn about obedience to God’s will than Isaac would have. Each of us progresses at different speeds toward what we are supposed to be. None of us arrives at perfection until we pass through the veil. Which means, in the end, that we all started in different places, at different times, run at different speeds and all come short until each of us dies and crosses the finish line. The Bible speaks of the more mature believers being called to correct the less mature. The seven churches Jesus addressed in Revelation were likewise addressed all as believers, but some receiving praise and rebuke, others only praise and one only rebuke.

The real question is, does it matter? And the real answer is, yes, and no. It matters because we are commanded to run the race set before us. It matters because our progress honors the Lord who redeemed us, blesses those around us and moves us further out of the not yet, and into the already. That is, as we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” we recognize that our own obedience, His will being done, furthers the coming of the kingdom. Finally, our growth in godliness is an evidence for the glorious truth that we are His children.

How then does it not matter? It doesn’t matter when we use our growth to boast against others, or our slow growth to wallow in frustration and despair. All of us are so distant from the goal that the relative “lead” one believer might have over another vanishes into insignificance. The saintliest believer boasting about his or her growth in comparison to the least saintly believer is like the world’s tallest man boasting to the world’s shortest man that he is closer to the sun. It may be true, but not so you can tell.

When we boast in our relative merits we are in grave danger of denigrating the righteousness of Christ by which we are accounted righteous. We are in danger of revealing just how far we have to go. Like the disciples arguing over who will get the best seat in heaven, the one arguing most strenuously is likely to be the one with the worst seat. When we mourn in our relative lack of merits, we are in grave danger of denigrating the righteousness of Christ by which we are accounted righteous. We’re in danger of missing just how far He has already taken us. Either way, when we compare ourselves with ourselves we have already missed the point.

Finally, while some Christians have progressed toward glorification more than others, we’re fools indeed if we think we have the wisdom to tell which are which. I’ve learned through my own life that many that I’d give high scores for theological integrity earn low scores on humility. Some who have high scores on zeal earn middling scores on knowledge. There are simply too many different ways we all sin, many of which others can’t see, to casually assume we should be a part of the rating team. Humility, gratitude, compassion and joy, these are the kinds of virtues I know I need most, and which should make me slow to judge my brothers.