Kingsley Nwaekwe

However, when Jesus was on this earth, the Pharisees and Sadducees would be perceived as extremely holy for doing such a thing.

However, Jesus tells the hypocrites that their motives are off.

True holiness is not praying so that others would hear you, but praying in order to have a relationship with your heavenly Father.

The hypocrites will not receive the reward of a relationship with God because their reward is others listening to them.

One of the most significant problems with the Pharisees and Sadducees was that they did not see themselves as people needing God's grace.

Luke 18 illustrates this well.

Luke 18, 10 to 14 says, "'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus, "'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

I fast twice a week.

I give tithes of all that I get.'"

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

In this story, the Pharisee prayed a very self-righteous prayer.

Instead of thanking God for the mercy and grace in his life that has made him a righteous man, he saw the sin in others.

Instead of going to God seeking mercy, he goes on to talk about how perfect he thinks he is.

This Pharisee talked about all the great things he thinks he has done.

However, the tax collector, he knew he was a sinner and undeserving of God's love and mercy.

He knew that he needed to be forgiven and he called out for mercy.

Jesus teaches that true purity, holiness, and righteousness do not come from our actions.