From The Desk of:

THE POT CAN’T CALL THE KETTLE BLACK

“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:12-13).
The pot can’t call the kettle black is an old proverb that is true for a few reasons as it relates to people. It proves how all folks are the same.
First, the pot can’t call the kettle black because both are in a sense, pots. Both are made for the stove to heat stuff. One is not better than the other even though they have slight differences. In a similar way, all people are alike even though we have slight differences in nationality, education, wealth, height, weight, etc., all are still the offspring of God made in his image (Gen.1:26-27; 5:1-2; 9:6; Ps.100:3; Jas.3:9). “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth…” (Acts.17:26).

Second, the pot can’t call the kettle black because both have stains. At one time both were shiny and new but later developed black blotches after being burned on the stove. All folks are born into the world “shiny and new” without any blotches of sin. But as accountable folk we have all sinned through transgression of God’s law (1Jn.3:4; 1Kg.8:46; Eccl.7:20; Rom.3:9,22-23; 1 Jn.1:8,10). “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Pr.20:9). No one.

Lastly, the pot can’t call the kettle black because both get dirty and need to be washed. No one can use a dirty pot. They must either be cleaned or thrown away. Likewise, God cannot and will not use people who are dirty in sin (Is.59:1-2). They must obey the cleansing gospel by having faith in what they’ve heard (Rom.1:16-17; 10:17; 1Cor.15:1-4), believing in Jesus (Jn.8:24; 20:31), repenting of their sins (Lk.13:3,5; Acts.3:19), confessing Jesus (Mt.10:32-33; Rom.10:9-10), and having their sins washed away in blood of Jesus through water baptism (Acts.22:16; Rev.1:5). Again, this is something that both the pot and the kettle (all folks) must do since all are eternally saved the same way.

Richard Steven III