MANY a reader of this title will say that it is utterly wrong, and that it ought to be a “good man saved and a bad man lost.” Perhaps you think the title is a huge blunder, but let me assure you that however many may agree with you in your opinion does not make that opinion right. Let us test it by the Word of God.
Here are two men presented to us in a parable which fell from the lips of the Lord Jesus Himself―a Pharisee and a Publican―one a good man as men would say, the other a bad one.
“And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee and the other a publican.
“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.
“I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
“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.
“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” (Luke 18:9-149And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The 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. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And 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. 14I 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. (Luke 18:9‑14)).
Here we get in parabolic language, the good man lost and the bad man saved.
But why should the good man be lost and the bad man be saved? Because the good man, (“There is none that doeth good, no, not one” God says) exalted himself where the bad man abased himself.
Have you ever taken the place of abasing yourself, of owning that you are a poor lost sinner?
You may say that the publican must have been a desperately wicked man. You can paint him as black as you like, and as bad as imagination can make him for villainy, deceit and fraud, but listen,
“GOD be merciful to me a sinner,”
he cried. His repentance was deep. His cry for mercy was real, and the Saviour Himself said, “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other.”
You may ask what was wrong with the Pharisee―the good man? Remember the priest in olden times pronounced a man a leper if he had only ONE spot of leprosy. The leper might say, “Oh, it is only one little spot, it is not worth troubling about.” But God judged otherwise. He was pronounced unclean and had to take his place with the vilest and most loathsome lepers.
The Pharisee’s true place was not to exalt himself and boast that he was not as other men, but to utter exactly
THE SAME CRY
as the publican, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Then he would have been blessed.
Remember, the Pharisee was lost with all his fancied good deeds, because he took not the sinner’s place; the publican was saved in spite of all his bad deeds, because he took the sinner’s place. Hence you may come to the conclusion that there is mercy for you. Take your stand alongside the publican, utter the same words in heartfelt earnestness and his blessing shall be likewise yours. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
W. COOK.