Trust in God's Righteousness Not Your Own

The Pharisees were a very strict Jewish sect, like the Wahabis are in the religious tradition of Mohammed. Because the Pharisee strictly practiced his religious duties, he assumed that made him right with God. This is a natural assumption, but utterly mistaken. In contrast, the tax collector felt so bad about his sin and failure, he did not even dare to lift his eyes toward heaven. Rather he knew he was a sinner who justly deserved the wrath of God so self-confidence was impossible. The tax collectors of Isa’s day were despised and hated as collaborators or traitors who worked for the Roman oppressors to extract tax revenues from their fellow Jews. They were as despised as say a Palestinian would be despised today by his fellow Arabs for working for Israel in an occupied zone in Palestine.

Yet paradoxically it was this man, the sinner who went home right before God. Why? Because all of us are sinners, but only the tax collector realized it. The Pharisee, a respectable sinner falsely assumed having the approval of men also meant having the approval of the infinitely holy God. The only proper attitude for us to approach God is in utter humility and dependence upon his gracious and merciful character, rather than in proud self-reliance.

Approaching God in humility positions us to receive his wonderful grace, which he gives to those who come to him in humility, repentance and faith. "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Proverbs 11:31 and I Peter 5:5). As Isa said ironically of the self-righteous, " It is not the healthy man who needs a doctor" (Matthew 9:12 [the Injil])

For more about how the infinitely holy and merciful God can forgive sinners without compromising his justice, please read True Islam: the Good News for Muslims or Show Us the Straight Way. Also