The Publican and the Pharisee in Prayer

Luke 18:11-14 KJV

(11)  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

{This is a story people often use to teach that "no one is righteous" and that when you are asked to 'humble and accept yourself as a sinner" and you refuse, you are a called Pharisee. But is that really the point here?}

(12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
{That will mean it's teaching us not to fast or give. So will that be correct?}
(13)  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The point isn't that God wants us to come "as a sinner" and make a lifestyle out of that, everyday smiting our breast saying "God,I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner", just like he's not saying, "stop giving in church". We need to really see what is wrong in the right conducts.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus {pros} with himself"

The word translated "with" there is "pros" which could be better translated as "by".

The Pharisee stood BY himself

He prayed BY himself

He stood BY his merit

He stood and prayed by his own works and credentials

HEAVENLY CONSCIOUS?

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Many will read this verse and talk about heaven.
However, this is not talking about heaven as a location as much as it's talking about a status to which our earthly conduct must align.

WASHED SANCTIFIED JUSTIFIED ONCE AND FOR ALL!

There is NO SIN in you whenever the Father looks at you and this we have established in some of our past posts.
The price Jesus paid opened this new and living way where we DO NOT NEED to make any sacrifice for or confession of sins to access the throne. In the past even after offering for sins to enter the holies of holies, the high priest can still not be so bold because he cannot be so sure. Today its a different story. Alleluia!

The Father looks at you as sinless.
Yes! The believer is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute sin. "But I still committed a sin yesterday? How come I'm righteous still?" Because it is NOT OF WORKS. This righteousness is not according to how you have "followed" or not followed the law carefully.

*[[Rom 9:30-31]] KJV* What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

This righteousness is "to him that worketh not" for it

*[[Rom 4:5]] KJV* But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

It is given to you the day you believe. That is why the Bible uses the word "impute" for it, in order to show that it does not emanate from you, it only came to you.

*[[Rom 4:6]] KJV* Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God IMPUTETH righteousness without works,

the word impute is the Greek word logizomai which means to "take an inventory, that is, estimate". So he is saying there is a kind of people the Lord will not take an inventory or estimate sins unto, and that is the believers in Christ.

Even though he does not make the habit of sinning, nothing changes as for his righteousness when he does right or wrong because it is not according to his right or wrong doing.

Now, There is this erroneous notion in believers that says "you are righteous until your next sin instance". This is not true. The Bible teaches that the righteousness, forgiveness, sanctification you have today, it's by faith in the work Jesus did that day. And what Jesus did that day to bless you is ONCE AND FOR ALL THE TIMES!

Your sanctification from sin was not to be done and done again and again: Just once and it remains effective on you all the time! It didn't say you'll need to be doing something again to receive it! it is received ONCE AND FOR ALL.

[Heb 10:10] By the which will we are sanctified [made HOLY] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL.

BBE By that pleasure we have been made holy, by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE AND FOR EVER.

For all what? all days; all times; all circumstance; all trials where you'll fall and where you won't, where you know and where you thought it's not a sin.

*[[Heb 10:14]] KJV* For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

ISV For by a single offering he has perfected FOR ALL TIME those who are being sanctified.

EasyEnglish  As a result of one sacrifice, Christ has made his people completely right with God ALWAYS...

Let's stop making imperfect what Christ made perfect: stop making incomplete and inconclusive what Christ made complete and conclusive.
"for ever" means for all times. Just once is just enough. You don't come back because it remains effective and valid. No expiration! No renewal!

But even the Holy Spirit beareth us witness; for, after having said–– This is the covenant which I will covenant unto them after these days, saith the Lord,––Giving my laws upon their hearts, upon their understandings also, will I inscribe them,  [He] also [saith]––of their sins, and of their lawlessnesses, I will in nowise be mindful any more. But, wherever a remission of these is, there is, no further, offering, for sins. Heb 10:15-18 EBR

So that is the very basis why the Holy Ghost says "their sins and iniquities will I remember no more": because it's dealt with perfectly.

That is why Paul will say to the Corinthian Church:
*[[1Co 6:11]] KJV* And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

"ye ARE washed..", not "ye WERE washed" because it remains valid on them. And because it's such sanctification that is BY FAITH (Acts 26:18), you don't ever merit it: what you don't qualify for, no reason can be held onto to disqualify you. You don't ask for it. You don't pray for it. You receive by faith effortlessly.
So Jude is bold to say
*[[Jud 1:1]] KJV* Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

Paul is bold to say

*[[1Co 1:2]] KJV* Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus...

So I'm bold to say
O PERFECT redemption, the purchase of blood,
to EVERY believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
praise the Lord...

What Does Hebrews 10 Teach About Conscience, confession, and offering for sins

If you live everyday of your life by confession of sins: morning, afternoon, and evening; do you know you are not walking in faith? You're living as though under the law, do you know? It means you don't believe 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. It means you have never believed Romans 8:1 since you've been reading it There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Rom 5:1) Surely, shall [one] say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: [even] to him shall [men] come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. (Isaiah 45:24 KJV) You had a righteousness that's of God the day you believed! That's why Romans 10:10 explains salvation as …with the heart man believeth unto RIGHTEOUSNESS; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom 10:10 It is God's righteousness, remember! It’s not about you! Now, God's righteousness, to say is eternal, is surely not an overstatement. I mean, God cannot have a moment of unrighteousness. Always and forever will He be righteous. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness ENDURETH FOR EVER; his horn shall be exalted with honour. (Psa 112:9) Don't forget He is called Yahweh Tsidkenu; Meaning: the Lord our righteousness Now the good news is that this righteousness that endureth forever is now ours! Don’t forget I just said Yahweh Tsidkenu is “the Lord OUR righteousness”. So it is not righteousness for Himself, but a righteousness that has been imputed to us. Thanks be to God we are always in this righteousness because who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:35) So... Daily confession of sins and seeking for forgiveness is ESSENTIAL but only under the law. Let me show you why it's done that way. Hebrews explains the reason behind the perpetual, ritualistic confession and offering for sins as instituted and practised by the law. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. *[[Heb 10:2]] KJV* If English language is understood, the above statement "Would they not have ceased to be offered.." means ORIGINALLY it’s supposed to be a once and for all offering for sins, but for some reasons, that was not possible then. For then would they not have ceased to be offered So he explains why offering for sins was a perpetual ritual and ordinance. He already with this explained why Job was offering for sins daily, like some other men in the old testament. That was why all Israel often gather to confess sins and make sin offerings. Oh sorry, sin offering is what they do: confession of sins is a part of the process of sin offering. Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin. [Lev 5:4-6] KJV And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and CONFESS OVER HIM ALL THE INIQUITIES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: [Lev 16:21] KJV Hebrews 10:2 tells us things were never intended to be that way, where you come in the morning, in the evening to deal with sins. Let's read on.. . But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. [Heb 10:3] KJV So there was not supposed to be a "remembrance again made of sins" Now you can understand what God meant when He says "their sins and iniquities will I REMEMBER no more"(Hebrews 8:12). He is saying such "remembrance again made of sins every year" will cease to be operative when the time comes. Let's read on For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. [Heb 10:4] KJV Reason stated expressly! Why that remembrance and perpetual confession of sins come up every now and then is because "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." So it means if those men could get a bull or goat or whatever that could TAKE AWAY sins, they would have lived restfully in grace, and not keep coming back for confession and offering for sins. Hmmmmm… Let's read on.. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: [Heb 10:5] KJV He says that's why when he (Jesus) comes into the world, he says, sacrifice and offering thou (God) would not. “Would” means "will". Sacrifice and offering God will not. It’s not God’s will. Standing in once for all forgiveness is God's will. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. [Heb 10:6] KJV Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. *[[Heb 10:7]] KJV* So the "once for all" redemption Jesus came to do is called "thy will O God"; not the "would they not have ceased to be offered" Now see verse 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE AND FOR ALL. [Heb 10:10] KJV Once for all! So, that "will" got us sanctified. Now what is sanctification? Holiness! We are made holy, not by our works (good, fair or bad), but by the "lo I come to do thy will". Any attitude of one Christian to seem to have attain more holiness than another Christian is what is called "holier-than-thou". What are we aiming at when we go to God to confess sins? Isn't it sanctification? By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Jesus did the confession of sins and EVERYTHING needed for forgiveness once for ALL OF US. That's why under grace (New testament), we are not asked to do anything if/when we sin, except that we discontinue the sin immediately. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1 KJV) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [1John 2:1] KJV Nothing save an admonition to stop sinning is said to the man in Christ! He already has the propitiation he is supposed to go and look for when he sins. What else needs he? You may read up the remaining verses on your own. We hope for the concluding part of this chapter in subsequent times. The Christian life is a walk of faith from start to finish, for the just shall live by faith. If God says your sins and iniquities will not be REMEMBERED anymore, remember Abraham BELIEVED God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Peace with you in Christ.