1094. The Result

The Result

"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" (Luk_18:14).

1. The Pharisee went home with his sins on him. He had religion, but he went religiously to hell; he had prayer, but his prayers never reached the throne; he had human righteousness, but he knew nothing of the righteousness which is by faith. He was not justified!

2. The publican went home with his sins on Christ. This was made possible because of the mercy-seat. He was "justified rather than the other." What joy, what blessing lies within the word "justified"! Not one shadow of sin left! Why? God had put his sins in the bottom of the sea; God had blotted them out as a thick cloud; God had put them from Him as far as the east is from the west.

As the publican went home, God saw no sin on him; it was all taken away.

3. In conclusion, another line of comparison may be observed. The difference is one of being saved, or of being lost. After all it mattered but little about who had the best standing among men, about whose rating was highest in the commercial world; it mattered little who lived in the best house or who moved in the best society; it mattered little whether one was born, a Pharisee, or a publican–the chief distinction lies in the word "Saved" or the word "Lost."

It was not the sin question that made the differerence in these two men. It was the Son question. The thing which separated them farther than the poles was their attitude toward Jesus Christ.

One had received the Son, and the other had rejected Him.

One was a sinner professing righteousness and spurning "mercy;" the other was a sinner confessing his sin and pleading for mercy.

One trusted in himself, that he was righteous, the other trusted in the righteousness of God.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR