Righteousness Conscious! 5

“To the weak, I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22

It is better to live with a heart full of compassion than with an attitude filled with hatred and revenge toward those who do not deserve it or people God has chosen for us to be saved. It is better to be kind than mean, and more importantly, to love others rather than hate them. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a message about how to live a life that calls sinners to repentance.

Luke 15 parables came because the Pharisees condemned Jesus for eating with ‘sinners and publicans.’ This is the same thing that happened in Luke 7:36-50. All of these instances happened because the Pharisees thought they were righteous; they pre-qualified themselves. However, Jesus broke societal taboos and condemned the Pharisees because he sees individual sinners as worthy of salvation.

John 6:38 says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.”

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus cites the self-righteous Pharisees, obsessed by their virtue and pride instead of trusting God to save sinners for an eternal purpose. His parable show how we are not to trust in ourselves but God. Jesus Himself had clearly instructed His disciples that their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees (Matthew 5.20). Paul also mentioned this in Romans 10.3.

However, many times believers have been fallen into this trap too. Whether you are enjoying the utmost bliss in your fellowship with God or you are going through some of the toughest faith challenges you could ever have, you must fix on His righteousness, not yours. God fully knows that on our merit, we could never have met up to His requirements. That is why He gave us Christ’s (His) own righteousness. Romans 10:4 says, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Prayer:
Oh Lord, help me know the sick who need a physician and Lost sheep who need a shepherd in Jesus’ name. Amen