(The following account is a narrative of the parable told by Jesus in Luke 18:9-14 KJV).
The Pharisees were one of the largest and wealthiest sects among the Jews. They adhered strictly to many of the laws of Moses and felt just as bound to the oral Mosaic traditions. The word Pharisee means separatist. They separated themselves from the pollution of the Jewish worship and stood apart as holy and undefiled. Read more
Scripture Reading: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. —Ephesians 2:8-9
Summary: Self-righteousness is contrary to the essence of the gospel message and brings spiritual death. Salvation is not earned but is a gift of God. All glory should always be given to the Father and never to self or to an institution of man.Read more
Salvation is an experience of divine favor which God gives to those who humble themselves and repent of their sins. Salvation is not attained through one’s own strength, fortitude or ability; but it is a miraculous work of God. The scripture warns that it is “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). Self-righteousness is the strong belief of one’s own goodness, opinions and actions while believing that other people’s are wrong. Read more
(The following account is an illustration of what could possibly have taken place amongst the disciples. It is drawn from the following scriptural passages: Luke 22:24-27; Mark 9:33-36; Matthew 18:1-4. KJV)
As Jesus and the disciples walked down the dusty road toward Capernaum, the disciples walked slower and slower. They soon fell behind Jesus as they began to quarrel amongst themselves as they disputed “who should be the greatest” (Mark 9:34b).
They envisioned being delivered from the occupation of the Roman Empire and ruling over Israel with the Messiah as kings and princes. The disciples did not yet understand that the kingdom of God was not political but was a spiritual kingdom (Luke 17:21; Romans 14:17).Read more
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind…. —Acts 20:19a
I thank God for the opportunity to have known saints, pillars in the church, who set an example before me of true humility and service to the Lord. We live in a self-focused, proud generation where people’s goals and dreams are fueled by carnal ambitions. This is also prevalent in the religious world, where many ministers are proud and self-serving. It is an ugly thing to see professed ministers of the gospel striving for position and exaltation of man, jealous of the spiritual success of others.
On the other hand, there is nothing more beautiful than to see people serving the Lord with ALL humility of mind. What a blessing it is that in the Church of God there are people who follow the example of our Lord in humility. Where there is strife and contention, you will usually find a carnal, proud spirit at work. Humility is essential and is evidence for which to look when seeking for true ministers of the gospel.Read more