Luke 18:9-14
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Romans 3:1-31
God's Faithfulness
1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:
“So that you may be proved right when you speak
and prevail when you judge.”
5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
Mark 10:18
No One is Good But God Alone
18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone."
Matthew 9:9-13
The Calling of Matthew
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
John 14:6-7
Jesus is the Only Way to His Father
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Acts 4:8-12
Salvation is Found Only in Jesus
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
Jesus taught about righteous, and how we as man think about righteousness...He said some who are confident of their own righteousness often look down on others...Jesus tells us of as parable where two men go to pray at God's Temple: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector...the Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector...I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’...“But the tax collector stood at a distance...He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’...The Pharisee thought he was righteous and the tax collector thought he was a sinner...The sinful man we learn is more justified...“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God...For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
When Jesus is recruiting the tax collector Matthew to be one of His Disciples, He says something very interesting that ties to humbleness and exalting oneself...While He was eating dinner at Matthew's house with many tax collectors and sinners, as well as His other Disciples, some Pharisees saw this...So when they saw this, the Pharisees asked His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”...Jesus overheard this...And on hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick...But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’...For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”...So Jesus is saying He came to earth to call on sinners...He did not come to call those who are righteous or think they are righteous...
Later St. Paul would write that no one is righteous, not even one in his letter to the Romans...And Jesus, in His own words, tells us that no one is good but God alone...The Only Good and Righteous One is God...So those that believe the Scriptures and the teachings of Jesus, believe that God alone is good and righteous...So there are no righteous ones on earth...So, if one feels or believes he is righteous, it is a contradiction to the Bible and what Jesus and St. Paul says...
So, if Jesus did not come for the righteous that means He came only for sinners...And to get to God, Jesus tells us that He is the Only Way to His Father -God...Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except through Me."...So sinners are the only ones on earth that can get to the Father...We must admit that we have sinned on earth, and that we need a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus...Apart from the Law of Moses the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testified and have written about...This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe in Him and His Father...There is no difference between Jew or Gentile, for all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus...God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement of our sins, through the shedding of His blood—to be received by our faith in Him...He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins that we have committed beforehand unpunished— He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus...
So let us believe we all have sinned...We have all fallen short of the glory of God...So when Jesus told the Pharisees at Matthew's house He did not come for the righteousness and if those Pharisees did think they were righteous, then Jesus did not come for them...And we know that the only way to God is through Him, so the sinner is the path we take to Jesus and to God, because of our innate sinful nature...But thanks to God, and I must say much-much thanks be given to Him, because He saves us by His Grace, through His Son Jesus -who died on the cross for our sins...And salvation is no other way...St. Peter says, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."...