I normally don't wade too much publicly in the political waters but I will at least this one time to make a theological point. I found myself earlier yesterday absolutely appalled at the current front runner for the Republican primary, Mr. Donald Trump. I found myself loathing his arrogance and self-righteousness. This is a man who has said that he would apologize if he does something wrong but that he is never wrong so he never needs to apologize. Someone who constantly points to himself and how great he is. Who even stated that he does not need to seek forgiveness from God and that people are so loyal to him that he could shoot someone and they would still vote for him. The way he speaks often makes himself out to be the savior of our nation. What others can't do, he can because of who he is. Talk about a "God complex." The same thing we see with the Pharisees that Jesus addressed during His earthly ministry. Those who thought they were so self-righteous that they didn't need Him.
But then something happened last night. The Lord revealed my own pride in something that I had done. I was face to face with my own self-righteousness. I was reminded at just how Pharisaical I too can be. Rather than get mad at Trump, I had to realize how much I can be like him at times as the Lord continues to sanctify me and further conform me into the image of His Son. In fact, before God got a hold of me with His grace, I too was just like Donald Trump and the Pharisees all the time. I thought that I was so righteous that I didn't need forgiveness from God. I didn't realize how much I needed to apologize in offending God for my sins against Him. I had a "God complex" thinking that I was my own savior failing to recognize my need of Jesus to be my one and only Savior. What changed me was the Holy Spirit's transformation of my heart in causing me to be born again.
Guess what? Everyone has the same problem as Donald Trump until God's grace gets a hold of them as well. They also have a Pharisaical heart, thinking that they are righteous and good before God and therefore don't need the Lord Jesus Christ to save them. The only remedy to that Pharisaical heart is for God to give us a new heart that recognizes our need of Christ's righteousness and moves us to continually repent of our Pharisaicalism. So, the next time Mr. Trump's self-righteous arrogance is put on display because of him being in the public eye, I have to humbly admit that that once was me too (and at times can still be me) and be grateful yet again for God's grace. So, let's pray for Mr. Trump that God changes that Pharisaical heart of his and pray for ourselves too that God continues to weed out any of the Pharisee that remains within us so that we can become more like His beloved Son.
In Christ,
Lee
Soli Deo Gloria!!!