Despised BUT JUSTIFIED!


Christ spoke the parable in Luke 18 to the Pharisees who "trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others" (v. 9). What we say about others and how we treat them often reveals more about us than it does them. Sad as it is, all people, even believers, are by nature like these Pharisees. Self-righteousness plagues us all our days. Often we manifest this self-righteous spirit in our attitude toward others. Christ said they believed themselves to be righteous and "despised others." Christ illustrates this in the parable of two men that went up to the temple to pray. "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican."
His prayer was really about his superiority over others. Listen to how he speaks of the man: "this Publican." His speech revealed contempt for a man he probably didn’t even know. He probably put the man in this class based upon what someone had told him about him. They both had come as worshipers but only one of them was really righteous, the man that God said was righteous! That man was not looking at or talking about others; he was concerned about his own state and condition! He smote himself upon his breast and cried out to God saying, "God be merciful to me THE SINNER." How can a sinner saved by God’s mercy and grace alone in Christ despise any other sinner?
When Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up he cried, "Woe is me!" When Job saw what he was before the thrice holy God he cried, "I abhor MYSELF!" Those who see themselves as miserable sinners saved only by sovereign mercy cry, "I am undone!" Like Daniel they confess, "my comeliness was turned in me into corruption." Paul said, "O wretched man that I am!" In reality, we ARE just like other men BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD! He alone makes us to differ! Furthermore, the man the Pharisee was talking about was one of God’s elect. Better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be cast into the sea than to offend one of Christ’s little ones. Christ said he "went down to his house JUSTIFIED" – declared righteous before God through the righteousness of Christ! What the Pharisee said about him didn’t change what he was before God one bit, and I am so thankful that the same is true for all God’s people! The worst they can say might be true, but only what God says of me in Christ counts. I might be "despised" but I’m "justified."


-Gospel report by preacher Gary Shepard

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHRIST OUR ONLY AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS

" The flesh lusteth against the Spirit." —Galatians 5:17 [KJV] Christian experience fully proves this apostolic truth. Hence the children of God cannot do the things that they would: nor have we any authority from God's word to conclude this lusting ever ceased in any of the saints till they got to glory; none are delivered from it while in the flesh. For, as the renewed soul or spirit loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly objects, so the flesh, or unrenewed part, lusts after those objects it is naturally conversant with, and from which it derives its happiness.  Here is thy conflict, O Christian. Hence the necessity of thy Lord's command, "Watch always." This is the use of the doctrine. What woeful effects have fulfilling the lusts or desires of the flesh produced in eminent saints! Thou standest by faith, be not high-minded, but fear. The conceptions of lust are the productions of sin.— see James 1:15 . The commission of sin contracts fresh s
Read more

Incoming GOOD NEWS!

  Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands   (17-19SEP21) Heads-Up   ---   Please find enclosed encouragement in   SO GREAT SALVATION   by the perfect and finished work of   our Lord Jesus Christ in saving poor, needy and wretched sinners by His sovereign free grace - God's unmerited favor to save us  from our sins and from Hell: HOW GOD SAVES SINNERS In Genesis chapter six and seven we have the story of the flood and how God  saved Noah and his family from the horrendous destruction by putting them  into an Ark. We see the righteous judgment of God against sin and the mercy  of God revealed through Christ. The Ark of God is a worthy picture and  pattern of how the Lord is pleased to save sinners and justify them in Jesus  Christ. Here are five things to remember about how God saves sinners. 1). The grace of God , "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Genesis 6:8) .  Noah did not earn, merit or deserve grace, he found God to be gracious. It  was the sovereign
Read more

God ordained Authority: Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate

Image
The Lesser Magistrate Doctrine  teaches that when the superior or higher ranking civil authority makes unjust/immoral law, policy, or court opinion – the lower or lesser ranking civil authority has both the God-given right  and duty  to refuse obedience to that superior authority; and if necessary, actively resist the superior authority. The doctrine was first formalized by Christian men in Magdeburg, Germany in 1550.  The lesser magistrate doctrine is rooted in the historic Christian doctrine of interposition.  Interposition   is where one steps into the gap – placing themselves in between the oppressor and his intended victim. Interposition can take place verbally or physically.  The law of God is the objective standard to which all men and all governments of men are accountable. If civil authorities make law, policy, or court opinion that is contrary to His law – the lesser magistrates are to interpose and  stop the evil .  America’s founders established this nation as a true federa
Read more