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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
One of the best known parables, The Good Samaritan, was spoken in response to an insincere question! This doesn't make the answer which Jesus gave any less significant or true, but it does shed light on just how far we are capable of going in order to divert the attention from ourselves when we are wrong and to thereby “justify ourselves.” This message begins a short series on the subject of biblical justification. By the very nature of subject, it will also focus on the systems of false justification that we have invented to ourselves. We begin by noting the events that led up our Lord speaking the parable of The Good Samaritan.
“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him [Jesus], saying, 'Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?' He said to him, 'What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?' So he answered and said, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' And He said to him, 'You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.' But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'” (Luke 10.25-29). The lawyer whose motives were wrong from the beginning (note that his first question was for the purpose of “testing Jesus”), further exposed his character when he put forth his second question. Notice that the text explicitly says that the second question asking for a definition of neighbor, was put forth because he was “...wanting to justify himself.”
I come from a religious heritage that has been known by its “Bible totin' and Bible quotin'” membership. For some this may seem a good thing, but I am convinced that the way it was done in the denomination in which I was reared was not only wrong in itself, but it birthed a culture which invited self justification above being justified before God. Self justification is a tendency that is insidious in its effects. I have never met a person who actually wanted to be exposed as being wrong on any matter, religious or otherwise. Most of us want to be viewed by others as being reasonably intelligent; this runs contrary to being wrong or mistaken on any given matter. I think this might be why men (yes and I am one who does this) hate to admit they are lost even when they have no idea where they are and which way they ought to turn. To stop and ask for directions is too closely akin to admitting, “I was wrong.”
With these tendencies in the background, it becomes easy to quote a passage of scripture to “prove a point” (known as proof-texting) rather than to consult the Bible to determine what God actually desires. Here is a case in point: There is NO PASSAGE which teaches that God has mandated that we end our public prayers with a specific formula. Yet, even to this day if someone does not say in Jesus name just before saying Amen, chances are better than average in many circles that someone will take notice of this omission or even take offence at it! In this case, tradition has become stronger than Scripture.
I recall asking in a Bible class if the wording In Jesus name at the end of a prayer was commanded of God. I still remember the I can't believe you would ask such a question tone of voice that characterized the response. In addition to tone of disbelief, an answer also came which totally ignored its contextual meaning. The quotation given was, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3.17). This passage does not command what we are to say; it commands what we are to do! If it teaches that we are to say in Jesus name at the end of a prayer, it also teaches that we are to say in Jesus name at the end of every God authorized action that we take! Proof-texting and self justification are first cousins and both of them come from man and not from God.
Questions:
1. What is the difference in self justification and in being justified by God?
2. What human tendencies might lead us to justify ourselves at times?
3. What reasons might the Lawyer have had for not being forthcoming with Jesus in response to His teachings?
4. What is proof-texting as noted in today's message? How can it easily change from a good thing to a bad thing?
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