Evening, July 4
<< Evening, July 4 >>
But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus' disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”
        Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don't need a doctor--sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Insight
The Pharisees wrapped their sin in respectability. They made themselves appear good by publicly doing good deeds and pointing at the sins of others. Jesus chose to spend time not with these proud, self-righteous religious leaders, but with people who sensed their own sin and knew that they were not good enough for God.
Challenge
In order to come to God, we must repent; and in order to renounce our sin, we must recognize it for what it is.
Psalm 24:4  He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Outward practical holiness is a very precious mark of grace. It is to be feared that many professors have perverted the doctrine of justification by faith in such a way as to treat good works with contempt; if so, they will receive everlasting contempt at the last great day. If our hands are not clean, let us wash them in Jesus' precious blood, and so let us lift up pure hands unto God. But "clean hands" will not suffice, unless they are connected with "a pure heart." True religion is heart-work. We may wash the outside of the cup and the platter as long as we please, but if the inward parts be filthy, we are filthy altogether in the sight of God, for our hearts are more truly ourselves than our hands are; the very life of our being lies in the inner nature, and hence the imperative need of purity within. The pure in heart shall see God, all others are but blind bats.

The man who is born for heaven "hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity." All men have their joys, by which their souls are lifted up; the worldling lifts up his soul in carnal delights, which are mere empty vanities; but the saint loves more substantial things; like Jehoshaphat, he is lifted up in the ways of the Lord. He who is content with husks, will be reckoned with the swine. Does the world satisfy thee? Then thou hast thy reward and portion in this life; make much of it, for thou shalt know no other joy.

"Nor sworn deceitfully." The saints are men of honor still. The Christian man's word is his only oath; but that is as good as twenty oaths of other men. False speaking will shut any man out of heaven, for a liar shall not enter into God's house, whatever may be his professions or doings. Reader, does the text before us condemn thee, or dost thou hope to ascend into the hill of the Lord?


1 John 2:1,2  My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; • and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

Exodus 25:20-22  "The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. • "You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. • "There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

Psalm 85:9,10  Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land. • Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Psalm 130:3,4,7,8  If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? • But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. • O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, And with Him is abundant redemption. • And He will redeem Israel From all his iniquities.

Romans 3:23-25  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, • being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; • whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

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