Christian Bible Tracts - Sin and Sex

These two ladders are intended to represent the moral character and life of the Pharisee and the Publican. These characters differ very widely from each other, and the ladders drawn upon the board, with their peculiar inscriptions, make the difference between them all the more apparent. The parable is given by the Saviour in Luke xviii. 10-14. In the ladder which the Parisee is represented as climbing, you see five rounds, bearing significant names, and these indicate the various STAGES or STEPS by which he hopes to reach heaven. The first round is FASTING. See how he magnifies it. He is careful to mention that he fastsTWICE in the week. Will that make a man GOOD, or SAVE him? No. He might fast twice as often and yet be lost. Fasting is a Christian duty, but we cannot be saved by it. The second round is ALMS. That mean gifts to the poor and needy. And this man was liberal, for he gave one-tenth of all he had. It is right to give to the destitute. Jesus said, "Ye have the poor with you." Matt. xxvi. 11. We are to remember that "He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord." Prov. xix. 17. "A MISER is a monster that no one can love." - DR. THOMAS.

The next round is described as the FAULTS of OTHERS. He names a list of faults. How natural it is for us to see the sins of OTHER people. It would be better to see OUR OWN, and forsake them. "If the best man's faults were written on his forehead, it would make him pull his hat over his eyes." - GAELIC PROVERB.

The next round is a BROKEN one. It is marked INNOCENCE. All the other rounds seemed strong enough to hold the Pharisee, but when he reached that round it gave way. He was far from being an innocent man. Every human scheme breaks down at this point. "ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. iii. 23.

The next round is JUSTICE. Of course he could not reach that, for the round below was broken, and his upward course was arrested. All this suggests one of the most striking utterances of the Saviour, "He that climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." John x. 1.

Now look at the other ladder, which represents the course pursued by the Publican. You see the same number of rounds, and each one has a proper title. Name them. You see no BROKEN rounds in this ladder. Each one is solid and strong. The Pharisee failed, but the Publican did not. Will YOU follow the Publican? He went down to his house justified. Be humble and prayerful, and ever trust in God. "The devil told St. Marcarius, 'I can surpass thee in watching, fasting, and many other things; but humility conquers and disarms me.'" - FOSTER.