Topical Study~TWO TYPES OF WORSHIPPERS
TWO TYPES OF WORSHIPPERS
The Lord Jesus Christ spoke of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.
Luke 18:9-14 9Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13And 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!' 14I 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."
A. The Self-Righteous Worshipper
When the Pharisee went to the temple to pray, he did not think that he was sinful and needed forgiveness; instead, he thought he was righteous and was hoping to be commended.
He regarded his worship as a good deed that could please God and at the same time, gain respect from others for his godliness. He wanted to be respected by both God and the world. However, his worship was based solely on his own righteousness.
The Pharisee was outwardly full of his own righteousness and he manifested his arrogance through his prayer and behaviour. He disdained others by not interacting with them and he would rather stand and pray by himself.
He was self-righteous and thought that both God and the world would be agreeable to his view. He said, “…., 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.” (Luke 18:11)
He measured his own character not against God’s standard but by comparing his character with others. His thoughts had turned him towards the world and away from God. Self-righteousness and arrogance can be so subtle. This is evident when the Pharisee started boasting about his good deeds “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'” (Luke 18:12)
The Lord once said: “You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.”(John 8:15)
The Pharisee’s religion had nothing to do with his heart or mind. He had neither desire to strive for God’s holiness, nor did he have love in his heart. In other words, he was contented with just being outwardly religious and just.
He was a self-righteous person who trusted his own effort to do good and measured himself by man’s standard.
Col. 2:18LP …., intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
John 9:31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
A self-righteous person despises others. When the Pharisee compared himself to others, he was, in fact, judging people. His self-righteousness stemmed from the misbehaviours of others. When someone commits a grave deed, this will make him more righteous.
The Pharisee’s self-righteousness also led him to accuse others of being transgressors of God’s law. By doing so, he had manifested Satan’s wickedness by accusing his brothers. With this spirit of self-righteousness in him, he never built a relationship with God and thus, he returned home without receiving any divine blessings from God.
B. The Humble Worshipper
The tax collector entered the temple with the other worshippers, but he soon left them, as if he felt unworthy to be worshipping together with them. He stood far away, in anguish as he “would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast,.”
He felt that he was sinful because he had sinned against God. He dared not hope for mercy from those around him, for they all despised him. He knew that he had done nothing that would be pleasing to God, therefore, he cried out in extreme despair, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (Luke 18:13)
Ps. 25:6 Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses, For they are from of old.
Dan. 9:18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
The tax collector did not compare himself with others. He stood alone before God, heavily burdened with sins. He only wished for forgiveness and peace. He only pleaded for God’s mercy. It is recorded in the Bible that humble people always ask for God’s mercy.
Isa. 66:2LP ….. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
Therefore, the tax collector received God’s grace. The Lord said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other”.
How do we please God in our worship?
Gen. 4:6-7 6So the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
Heb. 11:4UP By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; ….
1John 3:12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous.
The Pharisee and the tax collector represent two types of people who worship God. The first two children born into the world are the first representatives of these two types of people.
Abel and Cain both prepared an offering to God. God respected Abel and his offering, but He did not feel the same for Cain and his offering. Consequently, Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
God had warned Cain but he chose not to confess his sins nor admit that he should have asked God for mercy. (Gen. 4:3-7)
Therefore, to please God in our worship, we must possess the following criteria:
1. To Have Humility And Self-Awareness Of One’s Shortcomings
Matt. 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
1Pet. 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
Rom. 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Matt. 18:4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
To be accepted by God, we must be aware of our shortcomings and recognise our weaknesses and sins.
2. To Love In Deed And In Truth
Prv. 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
1Cor. 16:14 Let all that you do be done with love.
The Pharisee claimed to be faithful and obedient but time proved that his confession was not true. His love for God was not genuine.
Matt. 23:23’28 23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
The Pharisee had also boasted about his holiness, but when he was being tested, it was not true at all. The Lord Jesus once said concerning them “…, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. (Matt. 23:3LP)
1John 3:18-19 18My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
2Cor. 10:17-18 17But "he who glories, let him glory in the Lord." 18For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Exo. 20:6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
The Pharisees have no genuine love for God and man. They trusted in themselves, boasted about their good deeds and despised God’s commands.
3. To Serve God Wholeheartedly With Obedience
Self-righteousness is not true righteousness. Those who continue to believe in their own self-righteousness will face fatal consequences due to self-deception.
Today, many people claim that they obey God’s commandments but they do not manifest God’s love which is to be shared with others.
Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
2Chron. 19:9LP …, "Thus you shall act in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart:
When the Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, He called the people of the world to be united with Him in the work of salvation.
1John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Many people would just give a reply “Father, I go” but no action was taken. Moreover, they refused to work together with the divine workers of God. They were lazy and made false promises to God, like the unfaithful and unremorseful son in the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32).
Besides this, they also did not obey God’s word and did not devote themselves in serving God. They confessed to be the children of God with their lips, but they deny God in their life and through their behaviours. This is because they did not submit to God wholeheartedly but lived a life of lies.
Conclusion
Today, in this world, there are only two types of people and in the future, when judgment comes, these two types of people will be present.
The first type is humble and will faithfully obey God’s law whereas the second type is selfish, hypocritical and disobedient.
Matt. 25:21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
Rev. 17:14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
John 14:15’21’23-24 15"If you love Me, keep My commandments. 21He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." 23Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
The Lord Jesus Christ will test us to prove through our actions if we are obedient or rebellious. Only those who are good, faithful and obedient to God’s commandments will be accepted by Him.
(The Holy Spirit Times – 20.07.1965)
