The Pharisee And Tax Collector Series

Mercy is God’s goodness toward those in the misery of sin; mercy is granted by withholding deserved judgment. However, this word “mercy” isn’t the word normally used in Scripture, but instead the word used that means to “make atonement.” The tax collector is asking God to cover his sins, to blot them out. Atonement is the removal of guilt by sacrifice--a price paid. Praying in the Temple, the tax collector is saying, in effect, “Let the sacrifice taking place be for me.” The blood of Christ, shed in our behalf, covers our guilt and causes us to be acceptable by the Father. This humble prayer opens wide the doors of Heaven.

The tax collector prays, and waits…and Jesus says he left the Temple “justified”, a word that means he is cleansed of sin and declared righteous. We are justified by faith, resulting in the record of our sins being wiped clean by the blood of Christ--a free gift. Both people in this parable are sinners in need of grace, but only the tax collector has the humility to recognize the truth about himself. The Pharisee returns home no different than when he entered the Temple…while the tax collector returns home a different man.

We are made/declared righteous by God’s work, not ours. Our work is to believe and accept Christ’s payment for our sin. We receive mercy, we don’t earn it. We’ll never be good enough if we are trusting in our performance. This doesn’t mean we don’t try to be good, but we’re good out of gratitude for God’s forgiveness.

Converted slave trader John Newton, who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace” confessed: “I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.” This is the attitude we need to find peace with God, to “save a wretch like me.” We are Christians, not because of our grasp of divine knowledge, not because of any superior righteousness. We have nothing to boast of, except God’s grace, giving us what we don’t deserve…and His mercy, not giving us what we do deserve.

We need to consciously avoid becoming pharisaical in our attitude towards sin and especially sinners. We are in danger when we act proud and condescendingly regard ourselves as better than others. We need to remind ourselves, “There but for the grace of God goes I.” C.S. Lewis noted, “Pride is there when we feel our religion is making us better than the next person--and it is the work of the devil, not of God.” It is possible to have a Christian vocabulary without a true Christian experience. Every day we too must pray: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”