Matt 9:12 Now when He heard this, He said, Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are ill. (13) But go and learn what this means, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice," for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
The Lord says here that He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Actually, there is none righteous, not even one (Rom. 3:10). All the righteous are self-righteous like the Pharisees. The kingly Savior did not come to call them, but to call sinners. The Lord seemed to be telling the Pharisees, "You Pharisees are self- righteous, and you condemn these people without mercy. But God desires mercy. Now is the time for Me to exercise God's mercy upon these pitiful people by being a physician to them. I am not here as a judge. I am here as a lovely physician taking care of their problems, and now I am healing them." Are you righteous? If you say, "No, I am not righteous," you are blessed. Blessed are those who do not think that they are righteous, but who recognize that they are sinful. The reason for this is that the Lord did not come to call the righteous; He came to call the sinners. The Lord could say to the self- righteous ones, "If you consider yourselves righteous, you are not suitable for My coming, because My coming is for the sinners. Do not consider yourselves to be righteous. Rather, you must realize how sinful you are. If you consider yourselves as sinners, then you are ready for My coming."
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Matthew, pp. 331. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
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