God, Be Merciful to Me, A Sinner!

When it comes to the powerful parables told by our Lord Jesus Christ, one that sticks to me is found in Luke 18:9-4, known as "The Pharisee and the Tax Collector." Back in Jesus' day, the Pharisees were the religious elite among the Jewish people and we read throughout the gospels how Jesus confronts them for being outwardly religious but spiritually dead on the inside (cf. Matt 15:8; Mark 7:6). In this particular parable from Luke 18, the Pharisee thinks he is doing just fine by God and even thanks God that he is not a wretched sinner like tax collectors. Although there may seem to be a kind of righteousness in the words of the Pharisee, the tone is undergirded with an unhealthy pride and failure to recognize one's own sin nature (cf. Rom. 3:23). The tax collector, on the other hand, is very aware of his sinfulness and spiritual poverty and cries out to God for His mercy to be upon him.


In our day, there is a pride that stems from many who profess Christianity and it seems to appear in those who are lackadaisical in their walk with him. I have spoken to a number of Christians who are "content" with not going to church and simply have devotional time with God on their own. Then there are those who claim to have a belief in Christ but are carelessly neck-deep in some kind of sin in their life. From what I've learned and read from Scripture, there is no such thing as a "carnal Christian." Although there are ultimately two kinds of people in the world, believers and unbelievers, I sometimes add a third category: make-believers. Which one are you? Either there is fruit in your life (regular confession/repentance of sin, love for other believers, passion for God's word, etc.) or there isn't. Examine yourself (2 Cor. 13:5).


The tax collector in Jesus' parable exemplifies the heart-attitude of a true believer in Christ, one who is born-again of the Spirit (John 3:3). If you are born-again, you are called to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom. 12:2) through praying and reading God's Word, see yourself as a forgiven sinner and confess your sins regularly (1 John 1:9-10), and seek to glorify the Lord in all you do (1 Cor. 10:31). Of course, there will be times of spiritual weakness (Luke 22:31), but Jesus is praying for you that your faith may not fail and you will be strengthened and repent of your sins (Luke 22:32). If Christ has bought you with His blood, you are not your own; it is not you who holds onto God but rather God who holds onto you! Be encouraged and press on (Phil. 3:13-15)!