A long time ago, in the temple courts of ancient Jerusalem, there stood two men.

One was a Pharisee, the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood in the middle of the courtyard with people all around him. He lifted his hands to the sky and started praying very loudly, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector,” and he pointed to the tax collector who was slumped in the shadows of the courtyard. “I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get,” he said (Luke 18:11-12).

Meanwhile, the tax collector bowed his head and whispered a short prayer, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).

Which of the two do you think were forgiven?

You see, we aren’t saved by the good deeds we do.

You could feed the homeless, give away all your money for charity, go on a mission trip, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

You would have to be completely perfect to be saved… and none of us are.

But God says we don’t have to be perfect to be saved. He has given us this amazing gift called grace.

Not because of who we are, or what we’ve done, but because of who He is, and what He’s done; He has saved us.