w, children, we can thank God that we are not as
this Pharisee!" In particular are we in danger of adopting the
Pharisee's attitude, when God is wanting to humble us at the Cross of
Jesus, and show us the sins in our hearts that are hindering personal
revival.

God's Picture of the Human Heart.

We shall not understand the real wrong of the Pharisee's attitude,
nor of our own, unless we view it against the background of what God
says about the human heart. Said Jesus Christ, "From within, out of
the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications,
murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an
evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness."[footnote 2: Mark 7:20-23] The
same dark picture of the human heart is given us in Paul's letter to
the Galatians, "The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
adultery, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, divisions, parties, envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like."[footnote 3: Gal.5:19-21]
What a picture! Jeremiah adds the same witness, "The heart is
deceitful above all things (that is, it deceives the man himself, so
that he does not know himself) and desperately wicked, who can know
it?"[footnote4:Jer.17:9] Here then is God's picture of the human heart,
the fallen self, "the old man,"[footnote5:Eph.4:22] as the Scripture
calls it, whether it be in the unconverted or in the keenest Christian.
It is hard to believe that these things can proceed from the heart of
ministers, evangelists and Christian workers, but it is true. The
simple truth is that the only beautiful thing about the Christian is
Jesus Christ. God wants us to recognise that fact as true in our
experience, so that in true brokenness and self-despair we shall
allow Jesus Christ to be our righteousness and holiness and all
in all--and that is victory.

Making God a Liar!

Now in face of God's description of the human heart, we can see what
it was that the Pharisee did. In saying, "I thank Thee that I am not
as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers," he was
protesting his innocence of the very things that God says are in
every heart. He said in effect, "These things are doubtless true of
other men--this Publican is even now confessing them--but, Lord, not
of me!" And in so saying, he was making God a liar, for "if we say we
have not sinned, we make Him a liar,"[footnote6:1 John 5:10] bec