Condemnation of the self-righteous.
Now there were present, when Jesus related the parable of the forgiving father and other parables teaching the same comforting lesson, a number of the scribes and Pharisees. These self-righteous men derided Him, and found fault with Him because He treated sinners as if they too were men with souls. To these self-righteous ones, Jesus spoke after this wise: You scribes and Pharisees, you justify yourselves before men. You think yourselves so righteous that you need no repentance. But God knows your hearts; and often that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination before the Lord. The great brotherhood of man are all children of God; when one who has sinned repents and returns to Father's home, there is more joy over his return, than over ninety and nine like you who think they need no repentance. To illustrate your case, I may tell you this parable:
The publican and the Pharisee.
"Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
Fortunately, then, God the Father is ready, nay, eager, to forgive the sins of the wrongdoer who repents. Likewise, He is ready, eager, to answer the prayer that is spoken in sincere humility. But there is no justification for him who thinks he has no need of repentance, or who self-righteously exalts himself above his fellowmen. Said Jesus to our own great Prophet, "I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance, nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven."
THE REFERENCES
Luke 15:11 ff. Doc. and Cov. 1:31.
Luke 18:9-14.
THE QUESTIONS
1. Retell the story of the Forgiving Father.