GOD’S STANDARDS NOT YOURS – Matthew 9:12
Matthew 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Jesus was eating and during the meal, many publicans and sinners came and sat down in the house with Jesus. This upset the Pharisees and they asked the disciples why Jesus ate with sinners. Jesus’ reply was simple, the publicans and sinners recognized that they were spiritually sick and thus they desired to see the One who could heal them. However, the Pharisees were so righteous in their own eyes, they did not see that they were spiritually sick and thus they did not see the significance of who Jesus really was.
The Pharisees had the same need for a Savior that the publicans did, they just did not see their need. As long as they did not see their need, they were not looking for the solution that Jesus was offering. Because they did not see Jesus’ solution, they never did fully understand the importance of Jesus’ ministry here on this earth. When Jesus was developing a closer relationship with the publicans so as to show them that HE was the way, the truth and the light, the Pharisees judged Jesus thinking HE was allowing HIMSELF to tarnish HIS reputation by associating with known sinners.
The Pharisees are an excellent example of Christ’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount where Christ said “why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” The Pharisees were quick to pass judgment upon others but they had failed to examine their own heart and see their own need to be saved from their sins.
The publicans and sinners understood that they had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. They were willing to humble themselves and pursue the things of God. They saw their need and understood that they needed to develop a closer relationship with Jesus so that they might be freed from their iniquity.
Are you a Pharisee or are you a publican? Both have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. One recognizes their sin and is willing to be humble and seek a solution for the problem while the other refuses to recognize their sin and judges any who do humble themselves. It is so easy to be caught up in your own righteousness. You see all the good things that you have done and you try to impose your love for yourself as God’s love for you. You allow yourself to cover your own iniquities with your own self-righteousness.
Nonetheless, you must understand that your own self-righteousness is as a filthy rag. Your self-righteousness can never cover a single sin. Instead, you need to transform your mind and put on the righteousness of Christ. Rather than compare yourself with those around you, you must compare yourself with the perfect life of Christ and understand that you have fallen short of God’s glory.
Until you are willing to change your perspective and see yourself as Christ sees you, you will never be ready to seek forgiveness for your sins. When you add virtue to your life, you rid your life of your own standards and instead measure your life according to God’s standards. The more virtue you add to your life, the more you will be able to see how spiritually sick you are and how important it is to have a close relationship with God.