30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 18 9-14 The journey of humility 11 Justified before God by faith
📖 Luke 18:9-14
19Sep2020 - *Justified before God by faith* - _Luke 18:9-14_ - THE JOURNEY OF HUMILITY 11 – Bible reading: _John 6:28-29_
The beautiful quality that the tax collector had was the quality of humility. It was his humility, brokenness and contriteness that led him to repent and experience the forgiveness of his sins. Now that his sins were forgiven and he was justified before God, he was being sent home.
_Luke 18:13-14 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."_
When we experience the justification of God because of humility, we are immediately sent into our world, as justified people. We are not to remain in our holy huddle, as justified people, but go out into our world as those who have been justified before God by faith, which arose out of our brokenness/humility.
_Luke 7:48-50 Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." (49) And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" (50) Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."_ This woman, who was a sinner, was now forgiven and justified before God. She is now being sent back into her world carrying the Shalom of God.
We are 'sent out' people but people, who have experienced the justification of God. This is very important to understand, for the world that we are being sent into will laugh, mock and ridicule, contriteness and brokenness. The world glories in the achievements of the self. The world is looking to worship its heroes, who are self-promoters. It is into this context that we are being sent as those justified by God because we went to Him in humility, which is contrary to the ethos of the world.
The church must be gathered as well as the scattered church. Wherever we go, we go carrying this message that we have been justified by God because of humility.
Man cannot be justified before God by his effort. Job affirms that man cannot be righteous before God by himself, by asking a rhetorical question. _Job 25:4 How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who is born of a woman? Psalm 143:2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no one living is righteous. Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin._
This is the fundamental fact of life, which man does not want to acknowledge. If only man would admit this fact, it would allow man to come in humility before God seeking God’s justification, just as the tax collector. This is what the devil will not allow man to do but he will work out his evil agenda to somehow make man stand on his own achievements before God. This happens within Christendom.
To many (within the Christian world), coming before God in brokenness and contriteness, repenting and seeking His forgiveness and justification is unnecessary (just like the Pharisee). Man does not want to receive justification by faith, because faith requires humility. Man wants to achieve righteousness through his own effort/works.
This was the question that the people asked Jesus and listen to our Lord’s response. _John 6:28-29 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" (29) Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."_
The gospel message that we seek to share with the world is proclaimed and demonstrated by those, who are justified before God by faith which arose out of humility.
*Thought to ponder*
```Are you struggling to fall prostrate before God in brokenness and humility? Don’t let the devil fool you. Come to Jesus, as the tax collector.```