Episode 156: Luke 18 Part 2 Thank God I'm Not Like That Guy

Jesus tells the disciples a story about a Pharisee and a tax collector who are in the Temple together. Two opposite ends of the spectrum represented here. The Pharisee is bragging to God about how faithful he is and what all he has done to show his faithfulness. Then there is the tax collector who won’t even lift is head up as he is praying. He is beating his chest and asks God to have mercy on him because he is a sinner. Jesus said the tax collector was justified before God, not the Pharisee. Why? Because the Pharisee was trusting in himself, his deeds, while the tax collector was trusting God to save him. No matter how many good deeds we do, no matter how many accolades we collect over time, we cannot make it to heaven on our own. We have to rely on God and His Son, Jesus. We must learn some humility, drop our pride, and rely on the Savior to wash our sin away.