April 28: Believing His Salvation
HIS DECLARATION.
"I tell you, this man [the tax collector] went to his house justified rather than the other."--Luke 18:14
What makes us fit for the kingdom of God? We all want to qualify, but what does that mean? Are we supposed to offer a resume as for a job? When I arrived in the United States thirty-five years ago, I applied for a job, and they tested my typewriting skills. I was feeling pretty comfortable until I started typing and realized that his was an electric typewriter, which I had never used. Instead of typing one letter with a push of a key, I would get ten! It was a disaster. Do you ever feel like that when thinking about your qualifications for the kingdom?
Jesus told a story about this (Luke 18:9-14). Two men came to the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee was thankful, mainly for his own deeds and not so much for God's: "God, I thank You that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector" (verse 11). He fasted twice a week and paid tithes for everything (verse 12). He was a hard-praying Sabbath-keeping, always grateful, church-going person; in other words, he was a great example. On the other hand, the tax collector stood some distance away. He didn't have a list of good stuff he was proud of or of bad stuff he avoided, to present. He couldn't even look up to heaven; instead, he beat his chest and said, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" (verse 13). And then Jesus makes a startling declaration, turning their world upside down (or is it right side up?); "This man [the tax collector] went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted" (verse 14). The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified! How is this possible? Well, the question is not What but rather Who qualifies us for the heavenly kingdom. Jesus does. We are justified by grace through faith in His perfect life and death on our behalf. Paul summarized it well: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23, 24).
My Response:________________________________________________________
HIS DECLARATION.
"I tell you, this man [the tax collector] went to his house justified rather than the other."--Luke 18:14
What makes us fit for the kingdom of God? We all want to qualify, but what does that mean? Are we supposed to offer a resume as for a job? When I arrived in the United States thirty-five years ago, I applied for a job, and they tested my typewriting skills. I was feeling pretty comfortable until I started typing and realized that his was an electric typewriter, which I had never used. Instead of typing one letter with a push of a key, I would get ten! It was a disaster. Do you ever feel like that when thinking about your qualifications for the kingdom?
Jesus told a story about this (Luke 18:9-14). Two men came to the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee was thankful, mainly for his own deeds and not so much for God's: "God, I thank You that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector" (verse 11). He fasted twice a week and paid tithes for everything (verse 12). He was a hard-praying Sabbath-keeping, always grateful, church-going person; in other words, he was a great example. On the other hand, the tax collector stood some distance away. He didn't have a list of good stuff he was proud of or of bad stuff he avoided, to present. He couldn't even look up to heaven; instead, he beat his chest and said, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" (verse 13). And then Jesus makes a startling declaration, turning their world upside down (or is it right side up?); "This man [the tax collector] went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted" (verse 14). The tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified! How is this possible? Well, the question is not What but rather Who qualifies us for the heavenly kingdom. Jesus does. We are justified by grace through faith in His perfect life and death on our behalf. Paul summarized it well: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23, 24).
My Response:________________________________________________________
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