BROCCOLI BILL

BROCCOLI BILL

Monday, March 28, 2016

Luke [ESV] 18:9-14 He [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat 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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Romans 3:19-25 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

  Wanting to be around people lived like him, Bill decided to join a church..

  Bill didn’t, had never, and did not plan to ever smoke, drink, have sex with any woman other than his wife, be other than honorable in his dealings with others, or commit theft or murder. Bill was a caring moral man of deep integrity.

  It didn’t take long for Bill to discover that a number of those weighty pews with him on Sunday morning were not in tune with his lifestyle . . . and he praised God for his distinction.

  Bill was quite surprised one day when he found out that his lifestyle, though definitely commendable, had nothing to do with godly holiness; for you see, Bill’s laudable walk was the product of abstaining from activities he abhorred, having nothing at all to do with His will, but his.

  Bill’s admirable life was like the broccoli that he didn’t like the smell of and therefore did not eat.

  With God’s regeneration, Bill still did not take up eating broccoli. He did thereafter understand the only true measure of godliness is submissive repentance unto God’s honor and glory.  EBB4