I fail, however to see how this is a modern analog of Lk 10:25-37 (How to Inherit Eternal Life/Parable of the Good Samaritan) or Luke 16:19-31 (Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus).
Good deeds don't get you to heaven. Self righteousness will end you up in hell.
Both of these parables were evangelistic outreaches self righteous scribes and Pharisees intended to convict them of thier sin and inability to satisfy the holy wrath of God.
In Luke 10 an unrepentant scribe asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Jesus has this scribe summarize the law which he does by reciting the shema of Deut. 6 and Lev. 19: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" and "your neighbor as yourself".
Jesus replies that the scribe was correct. Then this self righteous scribe blows right by the loving God part and asks Jesus "who is my neighbor?" Clearly the scribe believed that he already loved God perfectly all the time (which is impossible for man this side of heaven).
Jesus told the scribe who his neighor was and how he should love them all the time with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
This parable is an evangelistic outreach to unrepentant, self righetous sinners. The scribe should have fallen on his face at the feet of Jesus and confessed that he cannot possibly meet the requirements of the law. He should have cried out to Jesus and begged for mercy. The arrogant scribe merely went on his way. He was given an unimaginable opportunity to ask the Way Himself how to live with him in heaven for eternity.
The rich man of Luke 16 is clearly the Pharisees to whom this parable was addressed. The Pharisees would look at poor Lazarus (not the John 11 one) with disgust: the sores, etc. being proof of divine disfavor.
Lazarus and the rich man die. Lazarus occupies a place of honor and the rich man is being tormented in Hades. Even in Hades, the rich man maintains his condescending attitude towards Lazarus.
The Pharisees have rejected Moses and the prophets (i.e. the Old Testament Scriptures) and they willnot be persuaded by ressurection (v31).
The Word of God alone is sufficient to overcome unbelief. The gospel itself is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
GOD IS PERFECTLY HOLY.
WE ARE NOT -- all have sinned.
Our Holy God must punish sin. The wages of sin is death. Eternal hell.
BIG PROBLEM.
God made a way for those who would believe. He sent His Son, the sinless Jesus of Nazareth to die on the cross in our place. We broke God's law -- Jesus paid our fine with His blood.
REPENT. TURN AWAY FROM SIN... AND TRUST IN HIM ALONE AS SAVIOUR AND LORD.
The moment you do that, God will remit your sins and you will have the righteousness of Christ and be with Him forever.
That's the gospel.
Don't be like the scribe and miss it. Don't be like the self righteous Pharisees and end up in hell. It's not about us and ANYTHING we do. It's about Him and what He did.
2 comments:
Oh, my goodness!
So very beautiful!
Lord, help us to see.
Very nice indeed...
I fail, however to see how this is a modern analog of Lk 10:25-37 (How to Inherit Eternal Life/Parable of the Good Samaritan) or Luke 16:19-31 (Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus).
Good deeds don't get you to heaven. Self righteousness will end you up in hell.
Both of these parables were evangelistic outreaches self righteous scribes and Pharisees intended to convict them of thier sin and inability to satisfy the holy wrath of God.
In Luke 10 an unrepentant scribe asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Jesus has this scribe summarize the law which he does by reciting the shema of Deut. 6 and Lev. 19: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" and "your neighbor as yourself".
Jesus replies that the scribe was correct. Then this self righteous scribe blows right by the loving God part and asks Jesus "who is my neighbor?" Clearly the scribe believed that he already loved God perfectly all the time (which is impossible for man this side of heaven).
Jesus told the scribe who his neighor was and how he should love them all the time with the parable of the Good Samaritan.
This parable is an evangelistic outreach to unrepentant, self righetous sinners. The scribe should have fallen on his face at the feet of Jesus and confessed that he cannot possibly meet the requirements of the law. He should have cried out to Jesus and begged for mercy. The arrogant scribe merely went on his way. He was given an unimaginable opportunity to ask the Way Himself how to live with him in heaven for eternity.
The rich man of Luke 16 is clearly the Pharisees to whom this parable was addressed. The Pharisees would look at poor Lazarus (not the John 11 one) with disgust: the sores, etc. being proof of divine disfavor.
Lazarus and the rich man die. Lazarus occupies a place of honor and the rich man is being tormented in Hades. Even in Hades, the rich man maintains his condescending attitude towards Lazarus.
The Pharisees have rejected Moses and the prophets (i.e. the Old Testament Scriptures) and they willnot be persuaded by ressurection (v31).
The Word of God alone is sufficient to overcome unbelief. The gospel itself is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
GOD IS PERFECTLY HOLY.
WE ARE NOT -- all have sinned.
Our Holy God must punish sin. The wages of sin is death. Eternal hell.
BIG PROBLEM.
God made a way for those who would believe. He sent His Son, the sinless Jesus of Nazareth to die on the cross in our place. We broke God's law -- Jesus paid our fine with His blood.
REPENT. TURN AWAY FROM SIN... AND TRUST IN HIM ALONE AS SAVIOUR AND LORD.
The moment you do that, God will remit your sins and you will have the righteousness of Christ and be with Him forever.
That's the gospel.
Don't be like the scribe and miss it. Don't be like the self righteous Pharisees and end up in hell. It's not about us and ANYTHING we do. It's about Him and what He did.
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