The Faith that Christ Still Seeks

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat 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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:9-14).

Jesus sensed arrogance and self-righteousness in the hearts of some of those who just heard and were eager to answer His profound question… “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Discernment of the hearts of His followers moved Christ to share another parable targeted directly at… “Some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous”. He seized this teaching moment to rebuke the pride of some of His arrogant followers and to clearly define for humble disciples the kind of faith the “Son of Man” searches for on this earth. Today humble truth seekers are truly blessed to know and exhorted to pursue the faith that Christ still seeks.

Christ seeks the faith that accepts God’s judgment. Jesus commenced this provoking parable with a Pharisee that prayed with his eyes open and focused on the other sinners that surrounded him at God’s altar. It is much easier to profess our righteousness than to confess our sins. There are always others we can compare ourselves with who appear to be worse sinners than we are. Christ seeks and responds to those who approach God with their eyes fixed firmly on His holiness and their hearts determined to press in to an intimate fellowship with Him… “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). This kind of whole-hearted pursuit leaves no room for comparison with others, but increases the awareness of our pitiful, sinful condition in the light of God’s perfect holiness. We are left with a desperate surrender to His declaration of our true condition… “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isaiah 64:6). Christ still seeks those who believe they are sinners.

Christ seeks the faith that apprehends God’s mercy. Jesus continued this pressing parable with the introduction of a wretched tax collector that … “Would not even lift up his eyes to heaven”. His eyes were not distracted and his heart was so determined that he was consumed by his sin in the presence of God’s holiness. The Pharisee could not see it but along with everyone else in the temple, he definitely heard the compelling confession of this sorrowful sinner… “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” Brought to the end of himself, his determination compelled this tax collector to throw himself on and grab hold of what he believed about the mercy of God… “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Christ still seeks those who believe God is merciful.

Christ seeks the faith that adopts Christ’s humility. Jesus concluded this penetrating parable with a stunning two-fold revelation. He declared the confessing tax collector to be justified, and by implication He pronounced the prideful Pharisee condemned in the eyes of God. Then He clearly revealed that it is humility that made all the difference. Jesus would soon demonstrate true humility… “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). The Spirit of truth exhorts us to imitate the humility of the tax collector with an echo of this truth through the pens of James and Peter… “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:10). Christ still seeks those who imitate His humility.

As we grow up into Christ, we become a compelling revelation to a faithless generation of…

The Faith that Christ Still Seeks.