“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”
This was Jesus’
response when the religious leaders asked why he was eating with “tax
collectors and sinners”.
His comment “the healthy
don’t need a doctor” indicates He realized the Pharisees thought their
righteousness eliminated their need for deliverance.
His answer was not
implying that some people don’t need Him…He was simply pointing out that some
people don’t know it.
The Pharisees thought
the sinners were sick - but believed their own good deeds and religion had made
them immune …Ironically, that attitude is a symptom of the disease.
The Pharisee’s religion
had blinded them to their chronic sinfulness allowing it to progress untreated.
But the sinners were aware of their need for healing and were drawn to Christ
for help.
Jesus came to call
sinners because that is all there is to call. None of us are righteous…not one.
We are all infected and the prognosis is terminal.
The Pharisees ignorance
of their own sin shows that pride had produced a blind spot…. and allowed
arrogance to infect their hearts with an attitude of superiority.
What
about you… Has your religion blinded you? Do you find it hard to value people
you disagree with?…Does your piousness and good deeds make you more important
than others? If so, you a have a
problem… If you are unable to love and find worth in others, you have a lethal
virus called arrogance.
Examine
your spiritual health carefully so you will not be fooled as the pharisees
were, into believing you are spiritually well enough not to need Christ.
Jesus
came to call sinners…which means all of us. Sin is a condition we are born with… it is
universal and aggressive. There is a cure, but it requires a substantial
surgery to remove self-centeredness, and then a prescription of daily doses of Christ
to keep us well.
Don’t
let your church attendance blind you to your disease…Humbly accept the free gift
of healing and stay on the prescribed treatment.
…
then spend the rest of your life trying to get that treatment to others.
“None
are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion
of themselves.” - Charles Spurgeon
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