Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: April 9, 2006
IS THE PRAYER OF THE PUBLICAN AN EXAMPLE OF
THE SINNER’S PRAYER?
Ben Justice
In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus spoke a parable aimed at certain ones “which trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (v. 9). The two men
of the parable were a Pharisee and a Publican. A Publican was a tax collector.
However, both were Jews, and therefore children of God.
In Luke 18:11-12, we read of the Pharisees’ prayer. Then, in v. 13, we have the
prayer of the Publican. He prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” In v. 14,
Jesus stated this concerning the Publican: “I tell you, this man went down to his
house justified rather than the other: . . .”
Many have taken the prayer of the Publican as an example of the “sinner’s
prayer.” In other words, this is an example of one praying to God to be saved.
What is the evidence for this claim?
First, we must understand the term “merciful” as used by the Publican in v. 13.
He prayed, as a child of God, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Usually, we take
the word “merciful” to mean “to feel sympathetic or to have pity upon someone
with a desire to help them.” Whenever this meaning was intended in the NT,
the Greek word used was eleeo (verb) or eleos (noun) or eleemon (adjective).
However, the Publican did not use the word eleeo (or a form thereof). He used an
entirely different word with a entirely different meaning. The word he used was
hilaskomai. This is the word translated “merciful.” This word basically means “to
be propitious.” The word “propitiate” means “to conciliate (to win over);
appease.” The word used by the Publican is used one other time in the NT. It is
found in Heb. 2:17, where it is translated “make reconciliation for.” The verse
reads, “Wherefore in all things it behooved him (Jesus) to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a merciful (eleemon — Adjective) and faithful high priest in
things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for (hilaskomai) for the sins of the
people.” With reference to Luke 18:13 and the word “merciful,” there is a
footnote in the ASV which says, “be thou propitiated.” Marvin R. Vincent, on
Luke 18:13, stated that the phrase “be merciful” means literally, “be propitiated”
(Vol. 1, Pg. 406).
Second, as stated earlier, the Publican was a child of God under the Law of
Moses (this law system was still in force at this time). Therefore, he was praying
as a child of God. He was asking God, in his prayer, to be propitious, that is be
appeased. The way that God arranged under the Law of Moses for propitiation to
take place was to offer animal sacrifices. Lenski stated, “The Publican prays that
God may let the sacrifices which he ordained for sin in the old covenant blot out
his sin so that God can again extend his grace and favor to this poor sinner”
(Luke, Pg. 904).
Those who contend that the prayer of the Publican is an example of the sinner’s
prayer, and that this is way to be saved today, are in serious error. The prayer of
the Publican is not an example that teaches alien sinners, that is those who are
not children of God, are to petition God in prayer in order to be saved. Prayer is
a spiritual blessing in Christ (cf. Eph. 1:3) reserved only for children of God.
If there was ever an alien sinner to be saved by praying then it would have been
Saul of Tarsus, but he wasn’t. When Saul met Jesus on the Damascus Road,
Saul asked the Lord, “What wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). The Lord
answered, “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do”
(Acts 9:6). While Saul was in Damascus, the Lord appeared to a disciple named
Ananias. The Lord instructed Ananias, “Arise, and go into the street which is called
Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus” (Acts 9:11).
Note what Jesus said Saul was doing: “For, behold, he prayeth.” Saul was
praying, but this did not take care of his sin; it did not save him. In Acts 22, we
have the second account of Saul’s conversion, wherein he related to the Jews
what transpired on the Damascus Road and what he did to be saved. In Acts 22:
16, Ananias said to Saul, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” This verse clearly shows that
Saul was still in his sins before he was baptized. He therefore had to be
baptized in order to wash away his sins. If this is the case, then his praying did
not do it; praying did not save Saul. He had to be baptized to was away his sins.
Also, please note that in the act of baptism, Saul called on the name of the Lord.
There is not a command anywhere in the NT where an alien sinner, one who was
not a child of God, was told to pray to God to be saved. Such is nowhere implied
in the NT. There is no example to be found anywhere in the NT where an alien
sinner prayed to God to be forgiven and saved.
The Bible plan of salvation under the Law of Christ is that people must hear and
learn the truth, accept the truth through faith, repent of sins, confess Jesus as
God’s Son, and be baptized into Christ and into his body, the church, for the
remission of sins.
WAYS TO IMPROVE THE LOCAL CHURCH
Ben Justice
The Bible consistently underscores the need for all Christians to continually
improve themselves in the kingdom of Christ. Every time an admonition to grow
is given in the Bible, it implies improving (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18; Colossians 1:9-10; Heb.
6:1-3). However, the same can be said of the church as a whole. There is always
room for improvement. But, we must make this point very clear: There are two
sides to the church — the divine side and the human side. The divine side is
perfect and therefore can’t be improved upon. God has set in place the pattern
for the worship and work of the church. No man dare to tamper with it without
receiving retribution from God. However, since the church is made up of human
beings, there is always room for improvement strictly from a human standpoint.
For example, our faith, our love, our steadfastness, etc., can always be improved.
Elders in the church are referred to as stewards. Paul declared in Titus 1:7, “For
a bishop (elder) must be blameless, as the steward of God.” Stewardship reaches to
more things than just overseeing the funds coming into the church treasury
(although this is certainly one of the main objects of stewardship). Good leaders
in the church will always be looking for ways to be the best stewards over all
things in the church. From a human standpoint, leaders ought to ask, “Can the
worship be improved; can the work of the church be improved; can our fellowship
be improved?” Sometimes, people get the idea that since we have always done
something a certain way and have gotten along fine that we don’t need to change
and improve for the better. It is this attitude that can thwart spiritual and
numerical growth. It can hinder the church from improving.
Individually speaking, when we improve ourselves, the church as a whole will
also improve. Think of ways that you can improve yourself, be it attitude, be it
dress, be it singing, be it giving, be it praying, be it fellowship, or whatever.
Remember, there is always room for improvement, individually and collectively.