The Tale of Two Men

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus told of two men who went down to worship. One was a publican and the other was a Pharisee.

The Pharisee was so proud of his religious heritage and his legalistic achievement that he looked up to Heaven and said to God (I am paraphrasing here):

“I thank you, Lord, that I am not like that sinner, for I have done this and I have done that and I have done the other thing and I really am a good guy.”

The publican came in, bowed his head in conviction over his sin, pounded his chest in repentance and said, “God have mercy on me, for I am a sinner.”

Jesus did not leave us guessing who was acceptable to God.

He said, in effect, that the repentant sinner went home justified before God, but not the Pharisee.

This is a very different conclusion from the one so many, even those who claim to be Christians, hold when it comes to people.

No wonder the Scripture emphasizes this distinguishing feature of the Christian faith in 1 John 1:8-9 when it says that, “if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.”

Why does the Scripture emphasize over and over again this whole idea of God loving repentant sinners?

First, because one of the pillars unique to the Christian faith is that we have all fallen short of God’s standard of perfection. Therefore anyone who claims to be perfect is not telling the truth or being realistic about his/her condition.

Again, the Bible says that Jesus came from Heaven to save sinners – that is confessed sinners. Jesus also said that those who do not realize that they are sick do not think they need a doctor. Those who do not recognize their sin and their need for forgiveness do not see their need for a Savior.  Only those who recognize their sin will be justified before God – forgiven and restored.

As far as the Christian faith is concerned, the ones who know how to repent are near and dear to the heart of God, but the ones who rationalize or gloss over their sin will never know true salvation.

We have a clear example of this in the lives of two kings in the Bible. King Saul was very good on paper and looked so good outwardly. And then there was King David who messed up royally. The difference is that King David repented with tears, and the Bible notes that King David was a man after God’s own heart.

In a few months, our nation will be electing a whole slew of candidates for a variety of offices. Some conservatives are making judgments similar to the Pharisees by going for the picture-perfect, storybook, glossy outward façade. Be very careful and be sure when you pass judgment that you choose those who know how to repent and not those who are self-righteous.

Comments

[Shawna Lindsey - Sword, Cross, and Crown Ministry]

It makes all the difference in the world how a man or woman sees themselves and how they see God. If their view of themselves is totally skewed, then their decisions and judgment will be skewed also. If the way they see God is based on a false understanding of who God is, then the way they see the world and its problems will be subject to this false understanding. Do they put their trust in the God of the Bible, or in some other God? In reality, there are no "other" gods. All false gods are Satan's created religious idols to deceive men into worshipping him.

Isaiah 64: 6 "But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind, have taken us away."

Romans 3: 23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 3: 10 "As it is written: 'there is none righteous, no, not one."

Righteousness is only in Jesus Christ, not in ourselves. Do these men put their trust in the one true living God, or in themselves? Do they look to themselves for righteousness or to God?

Romans 4: 4-8 "Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 'blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin."

Romans 5: 1 "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

It's always all about Him, not about us. We are all sinners and without accepting His righteousness, we all come up short.

This applies to the candidates that have trusted in the Jesus Christ of the Bible: 1 Jn. 1: 8-10 "If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."

Who do we confess our sins to? A priest? A bishop? Or to Jesus Christ Himself. He is the only mediator between God and man.

[paul kern]

I appreciated the article and it's tie in to the political scene. There are many Pharisees out there who judge outwardly only. The Church is infested w/them. I have gotten disgusted at the mudslinging by self appointed church "popes."
A spirit of prayer and humility is called for at this time I believe.
You hit it right on the button, Michael
Peace:)

[Cheryl Meadows]

The one thing that has always moved me about this parable, is that the person who sins must truly repent. That is turn from their previous actions and/or lifestyle, and turn to Christ. Note that the Pharisee never repented and never felt the need to repent. The publican, on the other hand, knew he needed to repent. He confessed his sin and wanted to start a new way of life. In judging a man or woman's character, it's just as important to watch what they do as well as hear what they say. 1John 1:9 states: "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive or sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".

[abey]

Humbleness is the word , Just as The Son humbled himself before The Father, so should Man humble before Jesus Christ, for in Truth man is but a worm before GOD, however Hi Fi he may think himself to be.

[Moe]

Recently in contact with someone presently incarcerated and, wrestling with his self image and his horrific 'mistake', told me he was not really a 'bad' fellow and was even 'lovable', a door opened for sharing with him that, in the eyes of God, absolutely no one is either 'good', 'bad' or 'lovable', regardless of any human opinion or label, including his own, God loving and forgiving all natural born sinners who come to Him only because HE is good and lovable. The "picture-perfect, storybook, glossy outward facade" candidates have obviously missed God and the reason Jesus had to suffer for mankind, evidently having no personal awareness of sin and God's mercifully merciful mercy that produces humility.

[JB]

Newt Gingrich repented with tears.

[JB]

Newt Gingrich repented with tears, but one in particular seems to want to appear "good enough"...self sufficient. At least Newt was honest.

[Carolyn]

Newt might have "repented with tears." One would only hope that it was sincere; but with his ugly attitude and the mudslinging he is involved in, tells a lot about who he really is. And, because of that, I am turned off on some of the positive things that he might do. Anyway, only time will tell when we see some fruit. Just because someone repents does not necessarily make him a good candidate.

[Albert Sweet]

You might also connect this to the first beatitude. There are two things publicans and tax collectors had in common. Both are know to be CORRUPT and RICH.

How does this fit with "poor in spirit"? One thought he was rich in spirit, one knew he wasn't.

[Ryan]

Unfortunately politics are extremely dirty and we need a man willing to get dirty. How much this dirt will affect him personally? I do not know. I hope that Newt has learned from his past mistakes and going forward he is willing to do the right thing. I think that Newt is the best qualified man who can trash the floor with Obama and kick him out of office.
As a country we are in trouble and many do not know it or plainly live in complete denial.. Many of us are compromising our faith and our standards based on economic needs. A little bit here and a little bit there, and pretty soon we find ourselves that we have lost our freedom. Just like the people of Israel of OT we tend to forget that God is the only one who can turn around any situation, any economy if we truly honor Him. Most of us have been traveling on the broad way for so long that it feels normal and do not feel nor see the need to seek the narrow way of which God speaks thru His Word. Lord have mercy on all of us!

[Light]

Thank you Michael for allowing God will to be done thru you. I wanted to know your thoughts on what God has put on my heart thru this blog http://lightoftheearth.blogspot.com/ If i have said anything outside of the truth please let me know.