Posted on 01/29/2012 7:35:42 AM PST by Kaslin
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.
Nice analogy. I hope more than crickets listen/read this. We can ill afforsd a screw up like whoever that guy is in the WH. It’ll be the death of America.
Next Sunday, throughout the Orthodox Church, that Gospel will be proclaimed in every parish. The week following we cancel the Wednesday and Friday fasts, not in celebration of anything, as with all other fast free periods, but as an act of ascesis, a call to repentance and a warning against self-esteem.
Michael makes a valid point, but the prelude from the Bible is much more poignant to me. I know too many Christians who tell me they have never strayed since being saved. I usually point out that even Paul lamented that he did that which he would not do and did not do that which he would - in other words, even after meeting the risen Jesus and becoming a major mouthpiece, he knew in his heart he could not live as he thought he should. One of my most comforting messages is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingom of heaven”. It tells me that those who understand the weakness of the human condition and suffer because they know that they could never be worthy on their own, are to be blessed for their acknowledgement of God’s Love and forgiveness.
Right now, playing out on the stage of national politics is a modern version of this story.
How will those who identify as believers in the philosophy of the great "teller" of this story relate the point of His story to the political drama being played out today?
What will we conclude from the story? Is it that the man who went away "justified" could be a useful person in his community for the rest of his life?
Or, is it that the "other" man, proud as he was saying, "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," using the other man's forgiven sins as an implied weapon against him -- is it that this man would be a better, and more effective, citizen of his community?
An age-old quandary. What does faith have to do with it?
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
This is it! You will never be good enough even after confessing and believing. Church attendance, abstaining from drink or swearing, singing, communion, volunteering in third world nations only two "actions" will bring salvation, confess and believe. It has to be as simple as that.
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