Why the name Publican’s Progress? Well, one of my favorite passages in the Bible is this one:
Luke 18:9-13 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 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. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Well, that’s me – a publican saved by grace. To clarify, saved by grace, being saved by grace, and will be saved by grace. The ‘progress’ portion of the title I purloined from Bunyan’s classic, Pilgrim’s Progress, a story about one sinner’s journey in this fallen world to his final resting place in heaven. So, put it together and you have it. A publican saved by grace seeking to walk the narrow path by grace. Join me on this narrow road. Join me on this blog for my thoughts as I sort out what it means to live in Christ.
Great poem: “Lay your deadly doing down” and so true. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 15 V. 31 I die daily – ( to sin and self ).
As Jesus shows us in the Prodigal son, who repents and is saved, but the elder brother chooses to be his own savior by clinging to his self-righteous works – he didn’t want to lay his deadly doing down – he felt his father owed him something for his works of obedience and sacrifice. What does Jesus tell us ” i’ll have mercy and not sacrifice.
My thanks to Timothy Kellor in his book : “Counterfeit Gods”
for this wonderful poem and for his wonderful book.