THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

173Our Lord grants that the Pharisees made the outside clean, but what pride and contemptfor others were found within!But is this unique to the Pharisees? Many of us are aware of churches where there havebeen rules and regulations against any kind of make-up, sleeveless dresses, slacks for women,mixed bathing, movies, roller-skating, bowling, dancing, beards, abstaining from wine, eatingpork, eating any meat, drinking caffeinated drinks (e.g. sodas, coffee, etc.). Such rules aresupposedly hedges against worldliness.When we trust in our own righteousness to save us and justify us before God we areguilty of self-righteousness and legalism.What makes us confident in our own righteousness? What are the symptoms of thisfeeling?A young woman went to her pastor and said, “Pastor, I have a besetting sin, andI want your help. I come to church on Sunday and can’t help thinking I’m the prettiest girl in thecongregation. I know I ought not think that, but I can’t help it. I want you to help me with it.”The pastor replied, “Mary, don’t worry about it. In your case it’s not a sin. It’s just ahorrible mistake.” (Haddon Robinson)Self-centeredness and selfishness make us blind to our own faults.LOOKING DOWN ON OTHERS (18:9-10)At the very outset we see that pride makes us trust in our own abilities rather thantrusting God and in turn regard other people with contempt and disrespect rather than seeingthem as created equal in the image and likeness of God. What makes pride—spiritual pride—sodeadly is because it blinds us to our own depravity and naturally leads to the attitude and practiceof looking down on others and judging them to be morally inferior to us.The phrase "looked down on" (exoutheneo) means to consider someone as having lessworth or merit than us and viewing them with disdain.