Wow, sometimes you read a passage over the years and then one day you see something you hadn't noticed before. That happened to me this morning. Check it out and I will underline something.
Luke 18:9-14 (KJV) 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 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. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 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. 14 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.
Note, self, self, self. They trusted in themselves. They felt they were righteous. This led them to despise others as you can see in the prayer. And lastly who did they pray with, self, not God. Ouch! My Life Appication Bible pointed out that he went to the Temple to proclaim his righteousness before man. That got me to thinking about a previous post about why do we go to church. Do some of us go to church to show our righteousness to man. The only righteousness that counts should be the righteousness that Christ gives to us when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour. I don't want to go to church to impress men.
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