Once we decide to let Jesus empower us to be born again and provide us with His wonderful Christian Life, we become God’s child; God becomes our heavenly Father; and, immediately the Spirit of God starts helping us feel a special attachment to God. However, we, as Christians, are imperfect humans serving a perfect God. One of the first issues every Christian faces is what they are to do about the things they think, feel, say, and do that are wrong. We all make mistakes; but, what should our ATTITUDE be when we do things we know we shouldn’t?

We all start off with a great excitement about all our past, present, and future sins being forgiven. But, it is easy to see that those things we are currently doing, that are wrong, are hurting us, those around us, and God’s plan. We are Christians; but, sometimes we don’t act like a true Christian; what are we supposed to do about our mistakes, inconsistencies, sins, and failures?

Let’s say you have just done something really bad, you feel very guilty about it, and you don’t know where you stand in your relationship with your heavenly Father. Jesus tells us a parable (an earthly illustration that teaches spiritual principles) about two men who came to God in prayer. Both of them had done some things that were wrong; both of them needed God’s help; but, only one of them got it.

Luke 18:9-10 (NIV) To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Luke 18:11-12 (NIV) The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

Luke 18:13-14a (NIV) But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.

Luke 18:14b (NIV) For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” We must learn all the important aspects of this vital Biblical principle. We need to see that no matter how many good things we think we have done, they don’t have any redeeming effect on any of those wrong, bad, or evil things we do to our self, others, and God’s plan; we MUST repent to Jesus; and, we MUST make it right with those we have hurt.

John 3:3 (NIV) In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” In this case, the person would use The Lord’s Prayer like you did when YOU were born again. And then they would obey Romans 10:8-10; that would give them forgiveness from all their past, present, and future sins. That would give them a perfect record with God.

1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. As a child of God, you have a perfect record with God. And, you have Jesus and the Holy Spirit inside you empowering you. They are helping you go to your heavenly Father and admit that you sinned. Since you have direct access to God because of your perfect record, you can “do what it takes” to maintain your relationship with Him. If you repent (make a spiritual U-turn), all your benefits as a child of God remain intact.

1 John 1:10 (NIV) If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. When the Bible, our conscience, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or a Christian friend indicate to us that we have or are doing something wrong, bad, or evil, we need to IMMEDIATELY take the issue to God and see what He says.

For this study in Luke 18:9-14 about the Pharisee and the tax collector, let’s assume that both men were born again. Both of them were doing things that were wrong, things that were hurting them, hurting other people, and hurting the plan of their heavenly Father. But, their attitudes about those thoughts, feelings, words, and actions were totally different.

The Pharisee had redefined the meaning of sin and had decided that he really wasn’t doing anything wrong. Instead of following the truths of the Bible, he had forgiven himself, justified his actions, excused his behavior, surrounded himself with friends who were telling him it wasn’t his fault, and decided that God was good with the way he was living.

The tax collector knew he was doing wrong and felt guilty about it; but, he didn’t forgive himself, justify it, explain it away, try to get his friends to tell him it wasn’t his fault, or turn away from God and the Bible. He believed the Bible and ITS definition of what sin was. He compared the Bible’s definition with his life. And, he then allowed God to help him feel bad about what he had done to himself, other people, and God’s plan. Then he repented of all he had done and said: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” That’s the kind of attitude and procedure that gets results.