Terribly Harsh?

I used to think that Jesus was terribly harsh with the Pharisees. After all, weren’t they trying really hard to please God by following their own traditions, religious rituals, and regulations according to the law? On the outside they appeared to be righteous, law-abiding, clean-living people in the sight of those around them. But although they may have been able to fool onlookers, there was simply no way they could fool God. He saw straight through their self-righteous actions and frequently had harsh words to say to them.

The Pharisee, as he went up to the temple to pray, (Luke 18: 9-14) considered himself to be far superior to the tax collector. The Pharisee’s prayer was full of pride, boasting that he gave a tenth of all he got to God, and making the point that he fasted twice a week. He sincerely believed He was in right standing with God, looking down his nose at the tax collector, whom he believed was unacceptable to God.

However, we see from the parable that it was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified before God. The tax collector humbly acknowledged his sin and asked God to have mercy upon him, and God immediately forgave him.

God rejects any form of self-righteousness, because basically it says loud and clear, “I do not need Jesus in order for me to be acceptable to God. I am acceptable without Him, through my personal good works and religious lifestyle”.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The one and only way for anybody to be acceptable to God is through Jesus and His death upon the cross, which cleanses us from all sin and declares us righteous before a holy God.

Today, there are still many people who see things in the way the Pharisees did. Perhaps, at times, we can all be inclined towards self-righteousness attitudes. I admit that I can do so, if I’m not careful.

I have come to realise that it was because of His love for the Pharisees that Jesus spoke the way He did to them. He wanted them to see and understand the truth in the hope that they would acknowledge their need for Him. He wanted them to repent and turn to Him for salvation, accepting Him personally as Lord and Saviour. So, although His words might sound harsh, it was for a good reason.

Although God rejects all forms of self-righteousness, He never rejects anyone who truly repents and asks to be forgiven for their sin. ‘All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away’ (John 6:37).