Too Good To Be Saved

Luke 18:9-14

One of my former employers was a very successful and well known business man. He attended one of the local churches and donated regularly to various churches and charities and was involved with the school, trying to give the kids something to do besides get into trouble. He campaigned for programs to prevent drunk driving and spousal abuse and managed to get several to go into treatment programs, even paying them so their families didn’t suffer.

Because he was such a nice guy and doing so many good things, few people realized he was an alcoholic himself. He definitely didn’t consider himself to be a drunk, thinking that those who went to that point were being pretty stupid. When he was stopped for erratic driving, because he was so well connected the charges were dropped, but he was convinced it was because they really weren’t sure he’d been drinking. While he apparently never physically abused his family, his first wife left him and his children got to a point where they avoided him because of his abusive talk and embarrassing behavior when he was drinking. He was convinced he had his drinking well under control right up until open heart surgery led to doctors warning him that any more drinking would probably be fatal. He was shocked to find out how hard it was to quit, having been convinced he could quit at any time, because he wasn’t an alcoholic.

Sadly, he was typical of a lot of people, convinced that they are better than others, because their sin is less apparent. They have no clue that others are suffering because of their behavior, or that they are sinning, because they never stop to think about it. The story of the Pharisee and the publican portrays this vividly.

“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.” (Luke 18:9-10)

The Pharisees were the most devout religious people in Jewish society. They tried to follow God’s commands in the Old testament law perfectly, considering any deviation unacceptable. They tried to avoid any association with those who did wrong. Publicans, on the other hand, were Jews who had accepted employment by the Roman government, common civil servants. As such they had to be willing to overlook Roman behavior that was clearly unacceptable by Jewish standards. They were considered as corrupt and untrustworthy as common criminals.

“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. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” (Luke 18:11-12)

Just as my employer was convinced he wasn’t an alcoholic because he had never allowed his drinking to make his family go hungry, ort been convicted of drunk driving, the Pharisee thought he wasn’t a sinner because he didn’t do the same overt sins as some others. In fact, he wasn’t even as bad as the Publican who probably associated with those others. He did so many good things, giving to the church or charities, going to church and even sacrificing his own pleasure to participate in various church activities. He’s one of the good guys. Just ask anybody, if you don’t think so.

“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)

The publican was ashamed of what he’d become. He was embarrassed to even come into the church and sat way in the back, hoping no one noticed him, knowing he had no right to expect anything from God. He couldn’t even raise his hands toward heaven like others did to pray, but bowed down and asked to be forgiven.

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

Undoubtedly, the Pharisee left feeling very virtuous and spiritual for having gone to church and prayed, but the publican went home at peace with God. Notice that the Pharisee prayed with himself. God never even heard the prayer. While praying the scriptures or some other eloquent prayer may make us feel good, God wants us to communicate with him honestly. Only when we quit trying to impress God with our knowledge of scriptures or our good deeds will he hear our prayers. There’s no reason for God to answer a prayer for someone who got what he wanted just by saying the prayer.

People who are convinced they have nothing wrong spiritually don’t need any help. There’s no reason for Jesus came to help those who were not able to help themselves. Mark 2:17 says, “…They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Only when we are aware of our need will we be willing to take the cure. I John 1:8-10 warns, “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 that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”