God's Only Way (part 2)

Last time we talked about Cain & Abel, which seems to be the reoccurring theme actually. i wanted to carry that thought into a familiar part of scripture, the story of the publican and the sinner. first, i feel it necessary to recap on the first part of this topic, in order to parallel the two. What we studied before discussed the story of Cain & Abel was the offering that they brought to God. Everytime that i read the story before, i always assumed that God had some sort of favoritism on Abel over Cain. like, somehow Cain was the evil brother and Abel was the "good" one, and THAT was why God accepted one over the other. But we discussed how God is not a respecter of persons with people. Some feel as though, because they have never stolen (to their knowledge...not like they have recollection of the time they were 2 and took their cousins toy from him without asking), or because they have never committed murder, that they are in the clear where the commandments are concerned. We neglect to realize however, that if we have ever so much as THOUGHT of doing such things, like lusting, hating, stealing, envying what others have, (perhaps their purse, car, or life), that the bible says that we have already done it in our hearts. To be honest, the Ten Commandments were much easier on us than the instruction given by Christ Himself. Meaning, without God and the help of the Holy Spirit, not only are we sinners and unable to keep the moral law (Ten Commandments), we can't even LIVE right without Christ! That is a large stone to swallow, if you ask me.

There ARE however a few keys in learning of God and following Christ, the type of behavior that God will find favorable over another. I think i am getting ahead of myself, so allow me to step back to the thought of Cain & Abel. Here are some things in common that they have, so as to show us that, again, He is not respecting EITHER of the men, but rather, what they brought before the Lord as an offering.

BOTH CAIN & ABEL WERE: born outside of the Garden of Eden (which was a perfect dwelling place with God), they were both children of fallen parents, both by nature considered the "children of wrath," (means the children of the devil and not God, because if they were God's, they would not have been bringing a sacrifice to God for sin...which is what the offering was for), they were both conceived in sin...again, because they were not living in perfect unity with God (Garden of Eden is what symbolizes complete unity & fellowship with God and man), they were BOTH in NEED of a SAVIOR!!!

what were the differences in their offerings:

CAIN: his offering was self-righteous, (in that he thought bringing what he wanted over what God specified to bring, would be just as good), he was a former professor, (he thought he was God's child, yet he acted like a child of the devil), he relied on his own works, (his offering wasn't even something that he made with his own hands), salvation of human merits, (he not only brought what he WANTED to God, but he thought BECAUSE he brought something to God, that would be alright, despite the fact that it wasn't what God deemed as exceptable), because of his disobedience and rebellious approach to God, he was cast out of God's presence and cursed forevermore by God.

ABEL: was broken-spirited, (but the Word of God states that a broken and contrite spirit God WILL NOT despise. (Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise), he was a genuine believer, he relied on God's plan of redemption by blood and had faith that what he was bringing would be his atonement of sin, (otherwise known as relying on the finished work of Christ), he was willing to be saved by Divine Grace, (rather than his own works as a mean of righteousness or redemption in God's eyes), because of the former, God blessed him and accepted his offering, therefore being accepted by God into all eternity with God.

Before i have placed the emphasis on the offering, which is MUCH needed in understanding the plan of God for our lives, however, i believe without shining some light on this next story, one cannot make it into the presence of God, nor be accepted by God into Heaven or here on earth for that matter. One must understand the type of spirit in which one should approach God.

Let's go to the story of the Pharisee & the Publican. Here's where the Holy Spirit introduces the men in this story. Notice how the Holy Spirit see the two men....as two men, not as "the pharisee and the publican," but rather as two sinners that come to approach God.

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

The Pharisee approaches God much in the same manner that Cain did back in Genesis. Here's what he says to God as he stands before a Righteous, Holy God, who judges righteously and justly, not as what meets the eye, but rather what he sees in the heart of man and the root of his intent.

Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Let's analyze the validity of the pharisee's personal claims of the reasons that he is seeing himself as "righteous enough to come into the presence of the Lord." he thanks God that he is not "as other men are." YES HE IS!!! He is a sinner, like every one of us. the Word of God says that (Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.) If ANY of us has EVER broken ANY if the Ten Commandments, we have in FACT, violated the laws of God and are sentenced to death! Death eternally is the punishment for ANY sin!!!

he states that he is not an extortioner. one may ask, what is an extortioner? (those that do not come to God BY CHRIST, which is the "DOOR" to the Father in Heaven, is ( Jhn 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a THIEF & a ROBBER!) And by the pride that he displays in his approach, he is not coming in a spirit of meekness before the Lord, as Christ did...he's not accepted the ways of God, but rather, he believes that he can approach God on his own works and godliness, but he denies the power thereof. (2 Tim 3:5).

let's go on...the then says that he is not an adulterer, which, for him to come to God thinking that HE is righteous, in and of himself, has already chosen to love himself more than Christ..which is spiritual adultery.

then he does the thing that God really hates, he compares himself to others rather than to the mark of Perfection, which is Jesus Christ...he says i am not "as this publican." God says, to judge not except we be judged, (Matt 7:1-5, saying that we need to examine ourselves and see that we have sin in ourselves, not looking at others and pointing theirs out to them.) Christ is always Who we should measure ourselves against, realizing that we have and never can attain the Perfection that God so sternly expects. that is why CHRIST is what we present to God, not ourselves.

Let's look at what the publican says:

Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

He stands far away from the altar, knowing that he has no merit, righteousness, and by no means should he even be able to approach God, let alone come into His Holy presence.

He doesn't even lift up his eyes to Heaven, again, realizes his fallen and depraved condition, which is what we should constantly be realizing in our own lives. this is pleasing to the Lord (Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.***meaning that we need to present our bodies as the ones that sinned and died, unable to enter into the presence of a thrice Holy God, but rather, to allow Christ to have His way in our lives and use us for His Purpose while we are here, instead of our own).

he smotes upon his breast, an action that displays his anguish over himself and what he is, desperate and in need of Christ's blood covering to bring him back to God. (Mat 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.***meaning, they mourn because they realize how dead they are, the lacking of God's life and perfection within themselves, they shall be comforted by the Holy Ghost through Christ Jesus and the atonement for our sins before God, giving us access, to come boldly before the throne of Grace in our time of trouble...not because of what we are, but because of WHO HE is and what He has done FOR US!).

Then the publican does the MOST IMPORTANT thing, well one of the most important things i have ever seen, after he has done all the former...he openly admits to God what he is, which is the hardest thing or us to admit on a daily basis to God...that we are a SINNER.

the issue that i see in the world, is that they are unaware of the fact that they are sinners, because they still need to be saved..that is the sin nature, it doesn't know WHAT it is, and hides iteslf FROM itself. but once a sinner has been saved, they WANT to please CHRIST. many folks move on from their salvation experience, never realizing they must move forward in that salvation and allow the Holy Spirit to continue to change and transform them into the image of Christ for the rest of their inhabitance here on earth. instead, they see themselves as totally clean, and yet while sinning, (which we all do, but should be allowing God to have control, constantly aware of WHAT we are, and begging God to change us into His image and not our own. this process takes time and it's actually painful at times, but necessary. so the "church" comes to a place where they neglect to admit they are in fact sinners in need of the same saviour as all others they have around them and tend to exalt themselves above measure, in order to lift themselves up...just as the pharisee has done here.

Let's see what God says about the publican and his actions he has shown God:

Luk 18:14 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.

"abased" means that he will be brought to a low level or humbled. it is better to humble ourselves than to have God to humble us. trust me, i've experienced when God has humbled me rather than i just realize what i am and accept THAT, it's horrible.

the reason for this lesson, i believe it is not only important to realize WHAT we need to come to God, which is Christ and what He did for us at the Cross, but also that we can not approach God on a daily basis, on this continual walk towards making Heaven our home, unless we understand the ways of God and the spirit in which to approach Him.