“PHARISAICAL TENDENCIES”

17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 2:17

Harboring a critical spirit is detrimental, not only to one's spiritual well-being but also to those around him. When nitpicking is your default, you probably don't appreciate God's forgiveness.

In our previous blog, we learned that if society rejects us, if religion turns us down, we can look unto Jesus and find forgiveness. Let’s keep digging.

Jesus heard the Pharisees and reminded them that a doctor is needed not by the healthy but by the sick. No physician waits for their patient to get well before making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment. He deals with the problem while the person is ill.

It appears that the Pharisees have failed to recognize their own need for a doctor; they thought they were healthy. On the contrary, the tax collectors and sinners admitted their spiritual sickness and came to Jesus. The Lord basically exposed the Pharisees’ self-righteousness and the futility of such thinking. The Pharisees considered these people social rejects, but Jesus saw them as spiritual patients in need of a doctor.

The second part of the verse shows Jesus’ mission statement. He came to call (“kaleo,” “to invite”) not the righteous but sinners. This is the Savior offering salvation to those who hear Him.

Have you considered how absurd self-righteousness is? It gives you a false sense of worthiness, but nothing to support it. It makes you look down on others, so you’ll feel good about yourself. Jesus calls such a person a “hypocrite,” someone who is too busy criticizing people’s imperfections but fails to see his own weaknesses

No one wants to be called a Pharisee; it is such a horrible label. That's why we must learn to search our own hearts and rid ourselves of self-importance; fault-finding should not identify us. Rather, we must see people for who they are in God's sight: individuals made in God's image, possessing innate dignity and value.

Thankfully, God is willing to forgive all sins, including self-righteousness. Christ's sacrifice can atone for all kinds and magnitudes of sin. But it takes personal acknowledgment of guilt and a humble submission to God to be set free from this egregious sin.

My friend, do you have any Pharisaical tendencies? If so, are you willing to submit them to God and receive His forgiveness?

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Ashutosh Saraswat on Unsplash