"Holier Than Thou" ??

“Oh, you just think you’re better than everyone else!”

That’s how I’ve heard it. It’s usually said during a heated religious discussion or when someone is being corrected (and they don’t want to be corrected). It is a way of deflecting correction, halting the discussion, and shifting attention in a different direction.

Over the years it has been said that three areas should be avoided in conversation: sex, religion and politics. They are subjects of controversy where people have deep-seeded beliefs that they do not wish to have challenged. Add to that the that most people simply do not take correction well. After all, who wants to be told, “You’re wrong!”?

So, a simple defense mechanism is to attack back, “You just think you’re better than everyone else.” Or, “You think you are holier than everyone else.” Such a counterattack often disarms the other person so that they feel they must defend themselves against that accusation.

What would happen if when attacked back, a person agreed, “Yes, I am”?

“I am holy. I am not better, but I am holy.”

Let me explain…

In recent decades Christians have blurred the line between the saved and the sinner. For most, I think, it comes from a genuine desire to relate to others and share the goodness of God and His mercy. We do not want to appear arrogant in our Christianity. So, we try to relate to others: “I’m a sinner, just like everyone else.”

In one sense, that is a true statement. We can even quote Scripture: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Or, “There is none righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:10) There it is, biblical proof that we are all in the same boat, all sinners. We think that helps us to be more relatable. I’m not sure that the result has been what we expected.

We don’t need to explain the two verses quoted above. In fact, even without those direct statements from Scripture, every human who is able to assess his conscience knows that he is a sinner. How do we know? Every adult has, at one time or another, violated his own conscience. He has done or said something that he believed to be morally wrong. Guilty! And yet…

From Acts 9 forward, Christians are referred to as saints more than any other descriptive term in the Bible. The word saint means ‘holy one,’ that is, one who is set apart, namely, set apart to God as one who was formerly dead in his sins but now alive in Christ. So, you are a saint; you ARE holier than those who are not in Christ. So, we can say with a humble and thankful heart, “Yes! I AM holier than thou,” yet, I am not better than anyone else. So, holiness is not a license for arrogance, but for humble thanksgiving.

The Apostle Paul began his letter to the Christians in Corinth: 

To those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling,….

King David recognized the beauty of being a saint…

As for the saints who are in the earth,

They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.

--Psalm 16:3

As a saint in Christ, you must embrace the different direction that you have taken in life. You are no longer lost in sin. You have been found by the grace of God. That defines your acceptance by God and His purpose for your life. It is true that you are not better than anyone else. However, you are better off. God has made you holy in Christ! Humbly embrace your sainthood!

Mark Stinnett

August 17, 2025