| Matthew 21:31-32 31 Which of those two sons did the will of his father?" And they said to him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that the tax collectors and prostitutes will enter into the kingdom of God before you.3 [The Pharisees did not repent because they thought they were righteous. The prostitutes and tax collectors knew they were not righteous, so they responded to Jesus' calls to repent. Christians of today also think they are righteous with no need to repent; they presume that they are excused by grace from all the Bible's stated exclusions, requirements, and qualifying conditions of salvation; and they overlook that every man will be judged on his works and words. When they listen to the words of the scriptures, they hear them like a beautiful song that is sweet to their ears, but they fail to apply the commands to themselves — always thinking the warnings and commands apply to bad people, not righteous believing people like themselves; so they do not obey the commands of repentance from sin that they hear or read, remaining slaves to sin; and so they are banned from heaven when they die. From the Word of the Lord within: "Do you agree with any who in their arrogance have stated that God excuses evil in believers? It's not fair, but they don't care. See myself — thus no sin has a place in me. Sin in believers is intolerable. Those who are immoral have no inheritance in God's kingdom."] 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But you, after you had seen it, [the way to righteousness by repentance], you did not repent afterwards and believe him. [The way of righteousness is by repentance. The Lord commands your repentances, (of behavior, of speech, and even your thinking), as you sit and wait on Him, listening, watching, hearing, believing, and obeying. What you hear is always, "first pure, then peaceable, fair, gentle, easily accepted, full of mercy and good fruits, immediately understood, and sincere." James 3:17.] | |||||||||
3 "Truly I say to you, that the tax collectors and prostitutes will enter into the kingdom of God before you." The Pharisees did not repent because they thought they were righteous. They claimed to be righteous based on their works of ritual and ceremony, rather than a change of heart. Because their hearts were still full of evil, Jesus told them that tax collectors and prostitutes would enter before them. Why? Because the prostitutes and tax collectors did not think they were righteous, they sought the changing power of God's grace to change them, (obedience to his commanded repentances releases his power to even remove sinful desires), making them fit to become partakers with the saints in the light.
Now, if you are one who claims to be a Christian, are you resting on your having been baptized, calling Jesus Lord, eating bread and grape juice at you sect's ceremony, paying tithes, studying the Bible? Do you think you are righteous because you believe? Do you think you have a free pass to heaven, excusing all your past, present, and future sins? If so, you are exactly like the Pharisees, whom Jesus severely warned and criticized. The Lord said he would reject many who thought they were Christians, because they still sinned. Your hearts must be purified by faith, your souls must be purified by obedience to the truth, before you can have any place in heaven. Jesus is the source of salvation to all who obey him. Mark! obey.
The way of righteousness is by repentance. The Lord commands your repentances, (of behavior, of speech, and even your thinking), as you sit and wait on Him, listening, watching, hearing, believing, and obeying. What you hear is always, "first pure, then peaceable, fair, gentle, easily accepted, full of mercy and good fruits, immediately understood, and sincere." James 3:17
I have come into the world for judgment, that the blind might see; and that those who see might be made blind... If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains. John 9:39-41. Understand that if one claims he 'can see,' he is claiming that he is righteous; and then he has no hope of attaining sight or righteousness; the Lord will deliberately blind him even further. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Mat 5:6. From the Word of the Lord within: "I work with the blind; but if you think you can see, and you are not with me in heaven, I will make you a laughingstock. Don't ever be a blind guide."
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