This semester, the weekly bible studies at campus fellowship (EMBS) at the University of New South Wales are based on the parables of Jesus. When I studied with the students the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14), I was deeply moved by this seemingly simple parable. Most Christians will be familiar with this parable. The Pharisee represents the self-righteous, who take pride in following a multitude of rules. The tax collector represents those who admit their sins and their need for God’s grace. Jesus deemed the tax collector more justified than the Pharisee who followed all the rules.
Certainly one needs to humble oneself before God and confess to be a sinner. However, does that imply that Christians don’t need good behaviours to prove our faith? Obviously that’s not Jesus’ main message. When Jesus said “justified”, more likely, he referred to that God gave him the status of a righteous person and accepted him. Other than Jesus Christ, there is no one truly righteous. The Pharisee might have followed the rules well and actually behaved better than the tax collector. However, the Pharisee was still a sinner before God just like the tax collector, and both needed redemption by Jesus Christ. Sadly, the Pharisee was blinded by his good behaviours and could not see his need for God’s grace. He did not express any need for Jesus in his prayer. On the other hand, the tax collector clearly saw his reality, that he was a sinner and desperately needed God’s mercy and grace. Thus Jesus said that the tax collector was accepted by God.
Am I also blinded by the so-called good behaviours and undervalue the preciousness of God’s grace? Do I truly understand my own limitations and predicament like the tax collector? How desperately do I long for and need God’s grace?
When we serve in various church ministries, we are grateful for all the rich resources CPC has. At the same time, we can also see many problems and gaps. Perhaps it is precisely these issues that remind us of our need for God, our reliance on Him and His grace. True wisdom is not how clever or capable we are, or how many problems we can fix. True wisdom is to acknowledge our need for Jesus, and completely trust and rely on Him. May God open our hearts and give us true wisdom.
新南威爾斯大學的校園團契（EMBS）這學期用耶穌的比喻作為每週查經的內容，在我和學生們一起學習關於法利賽人和稅吏的比喻（路加福音18:9-14）的時候，我的心被這個看似簡單的比喻深深觸動。對大部分基督徒來說，這個比喻耳熟能詳，法利賽人就是那些自以為義，以遵守各樣規矩為榮的人，稅吏代表承認自己犯罪，需要神恩典的人。耶穌的評價是稅吏倒比樣樣都做得好的法利賽人更算為義。
雖然在神面前人需要謙卑自己，承認自己是個罪人，但是，這難道意味著基督徒不需要好的行為來證明自己的信仰嗎？顯然耶穌的重點不在這裡。當耶穌說「算為義」的時候，他所更要表達的意思是，神给予他義人的身份並且接納他。除了耶穌基督，沒有人是真正的義人，法利賽人也許做得很好，在行為上他可能確實勝於稅吏，然而，從本質上看，法利賽人和稅吏一樣，在神面前都是罪人，都需要耶穌基督的救贖。可惜的是，法利賽人被自己的行為蒙蔽了，竟然看不見自己需要神的恩典，在他的禱告中，你不覺得他需要耶穌。相反，稅吏對於現實看得更加清楚，他承認自己是個罪人，他迫切地需要神的憐憫和恩典，因此，耶穌說，這樣的人會被神所接納。
我是否也曾經被所謂的好行為而蒙蔽，以致輕忽了恩典的寶貴？我是否也像稅吏一樣真正明白自己的缺乏和困境呢？對於神的恩典，我有多麼迫切地渴望和需要呢？
在參與教會各項服事的時候，我們為著雪梨華人長老會所擁有的豐富資源而感恩，同時，我們也看到，仍然有許多的難處和缺乏。或許正是這些難處和缺乏在提醒我們，我們需要神，需要依靠祂，仰望祂的恩典。真正的智慧不在於我們多麼聰明能幹，可以解決各種問題，而在於我們是否懂得，我們需要耶穌，完完全全地需要祂！願神開我們的心，賜給我們這樣的智慧。
