"John, would you read Luke 18:11 aloud please?"

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican."

"Okay, John, I want to ask you, this Pharisee, this very religious, self-righteous person that Jesus is talking about, who did it say he was praying with?"

"Well, it said he stood and prayed thus with himself."

"That's right! He prayed thus with himself. God wasn't acknowledging his prayer, John. He was saying the right words, but God wasn't paying attention to him, because he was praying with himself. We'll find out later why he was praying with himself. Okay? Now, what was his prayer—what was he praying? Would you read that from the verse?"

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I'm not as other men."

"Yes! He was saying 'I'm not like other men! I'm not sinful, I'm not an adulterer, I'm not this, and I'm not that.' He didn't think he needed a Savior, John, because he was self-righteous. You know, one time Jesus said, 'I've come for sinners, to save sinners, not the righteous, because there are none of us who are righteous.' Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and this man thought he didn't need a Savior. 'I thank God I'm not like other men!' Always despising, always looking down on others, he said, 'I'm not an extortionist, I'm not unjust, I'm not even like this tax collector.' When you all are teaching this lesson, the point really comes across if you point at the person next to you and say, 'I'm not even like you!' This man was self-righteous, and he looked down on other people. Now, John, would you read the next verse?"

"I fast twice in the week, I gives tithes of all that I possess."

"John, do you know what it means to fast?"

"Well, uh, I think it means to go without food, doesn't it?"

"That's right, to go without food. This man went without food twice a week. What else did he do according to this verse?"

"He gave tithes."

"Do you know what it means to tithe?"

"I think it means like to give ten percent."

"That's right, John! He gave ten percent of his income, and who'd he give it to?" "Probably the church."

"You're right, he probably gave it to the church. He was very religious. He prided himself that he wasn't like other people. He fasted and gave money to the church. Have you ever met people like that, who say, 'I don't need God. I don't need what you're talking about. I give money to charity and to the church, I'm a good person, and I live a good life'? That was this Pharisee."

You people being trained now are trying to target two kinds of individuals in this lesson—a person who is sinful and knows it and a self-righteous person. When you witness, you find a lot of self-righteous people who say, "I don't need what you're talking about. I live a good life, I'm a family man, I give money to charity and/or the church." That's the way this man was. We're trying to pinpoint both kinds, break down the error in both, and point them to a Savior. Tell them we all need a Savior.

Now take your outline, "Additional Information on Salvation by Grace" by Don Krow, and go through verses 11‑12 in the material. Read the questions, see how I've underlined the passage, and underline your Bible. Spend some time thinking about it, meditating on it, and then teach it back to your trainer. If you don't have a trainer, then teach it to the person next to you.