Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was justified and the other was rejected. What was the difference?
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)
Why was the sinner justified instead of the Pharisee? The answer is very simple, the difference was their heart’s attitude. If you want to be justified by God, do what Jesus said. Jesus said, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.“
I know my heart’s attitude — there have been times I have been guilty of the sin of this Pharisee, I didn’t return home justified before God by my prayers. I want to acknowledge I am a sinner who needs God’s mercy on a daily basis.
- My name is David, I am a recovering elder brother
- Difference between ungodliness and unrighteousness
What is your heart’s attitude? Do you have great confidence in your own righteousness and scorn everyone else? If you have ever belittled another Christian because they didn’t measure up to you in any way (including: knowledge, doctrine, practice, dedication, skill, etc.), then you’ve been guilty of this sin. If you are concerned about being justified before God, please write to us or join the conversation below.
For deeper study:
- Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith by Larry Osborne – Zealous faith can have a dangerous, dark side. While recent calls for radical Christians have challenged many to be more passionate about their faith, the downside can be a budding arrogance and self-righteousness that “accidentally” sneaks into our outlook. In Accidental Pharisees, bestselling author Larry Osborne diagnoses nine of the most common traps that can ensnare Christians on the road to a deeper life of faith. Rejecting attempts to turn the call to follow Christ into a new form of legalism, he shows readers how to avoid the temptations of pride, exclusivity, legalism, and hypocrisy. Larry reminds us that attempts to fan the flames of full-on discipleship and call people to Christlikeness should be rooted in love and humility. Christians stirred by calls to radical discipleship, but unsure how to respond, will be challenged and encouraged to develop a truly Christlike zeal for God.
- More Jesus, Less Religion: Moving from Rules to Relationship by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton — One decade ago, best-selling authors Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton exposed the dangers of what they called “toxic faith,” helping countless believers to understand and overcome their religious misconceptions.
Now, drawing upon an additional ten years of observation and experience, these authors go one step further, offering new insights and a positive approach to the dilemma in this long-awaited follow-up to their ground-breaking work.
* Be set free from man-made rules, “churchianity,” and legalistic religion.
* Learn to recognize serious misinterpretations of vital biblical concepts such as “accountability.”
* Return to the roots of a strong, obedient, yet grace-filled relationship with your Creator.
To all who want to enter into deeper joy, fuller obedience, greater influence, and a healthier experience of God, More Jesus, Less Religion points the way back to the grace of the Lord and shows what it takes to avoid the pitfalls of toxic faith.
No, this doesn’t mean you have to compromise your understanding of biblical principles. It is perfectly alright to disagree. But, disagreement is NOT the same as belittling [synonyms: disparage, denigrate, run down, deprecate, depreciate, downgrade, play down, trivialize, minimize, make light of, pooh-pooh, treat lightly, scoff at, sneer at]. And, your understanding might be wrong.