Scripture
During this fall, we are focusing our attention on the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation began when an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther nailed Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. His propositions sparked a debate that eventually gave us five key Reformation doctrines, and are usually referred to by their Latin names: sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), sola fide (faith alone), and soli deo Gloria (glory to God alone). Today, I would like to examine grace alone.
Let’s read Luke 18:9-14:
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 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. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 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!’ 14 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)
Introduction
In his book titled, Grace Alone—Salvation as a Gift of God: What the Reformers Taught…and Why It Still Matters, Carl Trueman writes:
The language of grace so permeates the Bible and all traditions of Christian theology that to claim that salvation is by grace alone is, in itself, to claim very little at all. It does not distinguish Augustine from Pelagius, Thomas Aquinas from Gabriel Biel, Martin Luther from Desiderius Erasmus, or William Perkins from James Arminius. What distinguishes them is how grace is understood. There is therefore a need for definition, lest grace become merely an empty piece of theological rhetoric. Indeed, unlike “faith alone,” “grace alone” as a simple phrase is unlikely to provoke much controversy among anyone who claims the name Christian.
J.I. Packer defines the grace of God as “love freely shown toward guilty sinners, contrary to their merit and indeed in defiance of their demerit. It is God showing goodness to persons who deserve only severity and had no reason to expect anything but severity.”
As I was thinking of a way to present this message on grace alone, I thought I would do so by way of illustration. Therefore, I selected Jesus’ “Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.” God’s grace is his love freely shown toward the guilty tax collector, contrary to his merit and indeed in contrast to his demerit. It is God showing goodness to him who deserved only severity and had no reason to expect anything but severity.
While Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, where he would soon be crucified, he continued teaching his disciples and even the Pharisees many important truths.
Jesus had just taught his disciples to pray with perseverance for the arrival and consummation of the kingdom of God. Then he taught them about the requirement for entrance into the kingdom of God. In verse 9 Luke said that Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt. In this parable, Jesus taught how a person gains entrance into the kingdom of God.
Lesson
Luke 18:9-14 shows us that God’s grace alone saves sinners.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. Two Men (18:10)
2. Two Prayers (18:11-13)
3. Two Results (18:14)
I. Two Men (18:10)
First, let’s look at two men.
A. One Is a Pharisee (18:10a)
First, one is a Pharisee.
Jesus said in verse 10a, “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee. . . .”
In Jesus’ day, the temple consisted of the sanctuary as well as the outer courts. People went to the temple to offer sacrifices, to listen to teaching, to fellowship, and to pray. So, it was normal for a Pharisee to go to the temple in order to pray. It is not clear whether or not he went there during the regular hours of prayer. But it did not matter. People expected to see a Pharisee at the temple praying, since the Pharisees were considered to be pious and very religious.
B. One Is a Tax Collector (18:10b)
And second, one is a tax collector.
What is fascinating in Jesus’ parable is that the other man who went to pray was a tax collector (18:10b). Tax collectors were hired by the Roman government to collect taxes for them. These tax collectors were corrupt and were considered among the lowest in society. The Jews despised tax collectors.
So, when Jesus said that the other man who went to pray was a tax collector his audience would have been a bit puzzled. Yes, they could understand that a Pharisee would go to the temple to pray. He was a religious person, after all, and one would expect him to pray at the temple. But, a tax collector? That was very unusual. Why would an irreligious tax collector go to the temple to pray? Surely, God had no regard for him!
II. Two Prayers (18:11-13)
Second, let’s look at two prayers.
A. The Pharisee’s Prayer (18:11-12)
First, the Pharisee’s prayer.
Notice two aspects of the Pharisee’s prayer.
1. His Posture (18:11a)
First, notice the Pharisee’s posture.
Jesus said in verse 11a, “The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus.”
Praying in a standing position, with hands and eyes lifted up to heaven, was not an unusual posture for prayer. In the case of the Pharisee, we would even expect this of him.
We are not told where in the temple complex the Pharisee stood. It is likely that he was standing as close as possible to the Holy of Holies where God was uniquely present.
2. His Petition (18:11b-12)
And second, let’ look at the Pharisee’s petition.
The Pharisee opened his prayer by addressing God. However, a closer examination of the Greek suggests that he really was talking to himself. The English Standard Version of the Bible translates the start of verse 11 as follows, “The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus.” However, it is permissible to translate it as does the New King James Version, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.” That translation would be accurate, and better presents what was going on. The Pharisee was outwardly addressing God, but really was talking out loud with himself so that others could hear what he prayed.
It is important to note that the Pharisee does not confess his sins to God. Nowhere in his prayer does he ask God to forgive him for what he has done to violate God’s holy Law. If he had any sense at all of God’s presence in his life, he would have known that he was a sinner approaching a holy God.
The Pharisee said in verse 11b, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men,” and then he went on to describe the kinds of other men who was not like: “extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.” The Pharisee compared himself with other people. But note that he did not compare himself with holy and godly people. Nor did he compare himself with God’s perfect standard of the person of Jesus either. Instead, he compared himself with people who were known to be sinful, such as extortioners, unjust, adulterers, and tax collectors.
The Pharisee then commended his good works to God. He said in verse 12, “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” Actually, the Pharisee’s good works were so good that they were even better than God’s Law! God’s Law in the Old Testament suggested fasting only one day a year, on the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16:29). However, the Pharisee fasted twice a week (probably on Mondays and Thursdays). And when it came to tithing, he gave way more than the Law required (cf. Deuteronomy 14:22-23). He tithed on everything!
Darrell Bock summarized the Pharisee’s prayer. He said, “In effect his prayer is, ‘I thank you, God, that I am such a great guy!’ Pride permeates the intercession.”
The Pharisee approaches God with his own righteousness. He approaches God with his own works and good deeds. He believes that God will accept him because of his righteousness. And, sadly, he looked down on others who were not as righteous as he was. That is why Luke said in verse 9 that Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.
One of the great issues of the Reformation was to show that we are like Pharisees. We want to contribute something to our own salvation. We want to contribute our own works and good deeds to God so that he will accept us into his kingdom. We still do that today. We say things like, “I am a good person. I go to church. I try to keep God’s law. I am not perfect but I am better than some others.”
All of these answers, and answers like these, are works-righteousness. Like the Pharisee, we are presenting our own good deeds to God or comparing ourselves favorably to others as the basis for God’s acceptance of us. But it will not work!
B. The Tax Collector’s Prayer (18:13)
And second, look at the tax collector’s prayer.
Notice two aspects of the tax collector’s prayer.
1. His Posture (18:13a)
First, notice the tax collector’s posture.
Jesus said in verse 13a, “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying. . . .”
The tax collector must have been somewhere in the temple complex. But he was standing far off. He knew that God’s special presence was in the temple, and he desperately wanted to connect with God. That is why he was standing far off.
Like the Pharisee, he was standing, but he would not even lift up his eyes to heaven. He was so ashamed of his sins that he stood there with downcast eyes. Moreover, in self-accusation and near-despair, he beat his breast. His guilt for his sin was overwhelming.
2. His Petition (18:13b)
And second, let’ look at the tax collector’s petition.
The tax collector prayed in verse 13b, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
He also addressed God in his prayer. But he did not compare himself to anyone else. Instead, he begged God for mercy. He knew that he was a sinner guilty of God’s wrath and judgment. He knew that he stood condemned for all of his sins before the judgment seat of God. He did not ask for justice. Instead, he begged God for mercy.
When someone comes to the Session in order to be interviewed for communicant membership, the very first question of the membership vow, to which each person must assent, is: “Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving his displeasure, and without hope save in his sovereign mercy?” So, there is surely no hope for any sinner apart from God’s sovereign mercy.
Actually, the tax collector in Jesus’ parable singles himself out from all other people, but in an entirely different way than the Pharisee. He doesn’t compare himself favorably to others. He doesn’t compare himself to the religious Pharisee. He doesn’t even compare himself to other tax collectors by saying, “God, I thank you that I am at least better than most other tax collectors.” Not at all. He singles himself out as the sinner because the Greek text actually reads, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” This is the true sinner’s prayer! The tax collector completely owns his sin. T. W. Manson wrote, “The [tax collector] is overwhelmed by the sense of his own unworthiness, and rightly so. It is a great mistake to regard the [tax collector] as a decent sort of fellow, who knew his own limitations and did not pretend to be better than he was. . . . This [tax collector] was a rotter; and he knew it. He asked for God’s mercy because mercy was the only thing he dared ask for.”
The Reformation helped us understand that each one of us is a sinner. Rightly does the Bible say, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12). Therefore, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The only way any person is saved is by the unmerited grace of God. God, by his grace alone, saves sinners. Like the tax collector, every sinner must cry to God for mercy, so that he might be saved by the grace of God alone.
III. Two Results (18:14)
And third, let’s look at two results.
A. The Tax Collector Is Received and Exalted by God (18:14a)
First, the tax collector is received and exalted by God.
Jesus said in verse 14a, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.”
The word for justified is a legal word. It means to be declared “not guilty.” Jesus pronounced the tax collector “not guilty” by God. Why? Because God transferred the penalty for his sin to the sin-bearer—Jesus. Jesus paid the penalty for the tax collector’s sin. And so, God’s justice was satisfied and he was able to extend grace to the tax collector. All of his sins were blotted out. All of his transgressions were removed “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). They have been cast into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). And he was adopted into the family of God.
B. The Pharisee Is Rejected and Excluded by God (18:14b)
And second, the Pharisee is rejected and excluded by God.
Jesus said that the tax collector went home justified “rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (18:14b).
One commentator said, “The Pharisee also goes home, but he has . . . nothing! He might as well have stayed home that day, and never gone to the temple. In fact, this might have been better for him.”
Conclusion
Therefore, having analyzed the doctrine of grace alone as set forth in Luke 18:9-14, we may be assured that God requires no work or merit on our part to save us.
Jesus taught that good works or works righteousness do not gain a single person acceptance with God, no matter how religious that person is. The only way a person gains acceptance with God is by God’s mercy. Acceptance with God is gained by acknowledging sin and trusting in God’s provision of payment for that sin in the person and work of Jesus. God’s grace alone saves sinners.
Augustus Toplady’s hymn “Rock of Ages” captures beautifully the truth that we are saved by God’s grace alone:
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill the law’s demands,
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone,
Thou must save and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring:
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Vile, I to the fountain fly:
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
