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We call those have spent many years studying God's word, "Old-Heads." But even old-heads have their faults and failings.

Matthew 9:11-13
  1. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
  2. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
  3. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

What did Jesus mean in verse 12?

Luke 15:7
  1. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Why isn't there joy in Heaven over "just persons, which need no repentance?"

Is there anyone on earth who needs no repentance? Prove it by the scriptures.

Ecclesiastes 7:20
  1. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:10-11
  1. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
  2. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Is repentance a daily thing?

Matthew 6:11
  1. Give us this day our daily bread.
Acts 8:13
  1. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Acts 8:22
  1. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
1 John 1:8-10
  1. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
  2. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
  3. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Let's look at some Biblical Old-Heads. What were they like? What were their good points and bad points?

The Pharisee who went up to pray:

Luke 18:11-12
  1. 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.
  2. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Good point: Tithing

Malachi 3:6-10
  1. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
  2. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
  3. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
  4. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
  5. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Bad point: He exalted himself

After Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself, God caused him to eat grass like a wild animal.

Daniel 4:37
  1. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Matthew 11:23
  1. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Proverbs 16:18
  1. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Good point: fasted twice in a week

Isaiah 58:3-8
  1. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
  2. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
  3. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
  4. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
  5. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
  6. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

Job

Job 34:5
  1. For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.
Job 32:2
  1. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

Good point: intercessory sacrifice

James 5:15-16
  1. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
  2. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Bad point: full of himself

Galatians 6:3
  1. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Can't go to heaven deceived

Eli

Good point: Didn't argue with the word.

Romans 2:13
  1. (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
James 1:21
  1. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Bad point: He deceived himself (not a doer)

1 Samuel 3:11-18
  1. And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
  2. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
  3. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
  4. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
  5. And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
  6. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
  7. And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.
  8. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

Contrast Eli's example with Ahab's:

1 Kings 21:25-29
  1. But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
  2. And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
  3. And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
  4. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
  5. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

Saul

1 Samuel 28:6-7
  1. And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
  2. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
1 Samuel 28:20-25
  1. Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
  2. And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
  3. Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.
  4. But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.
  5. And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:
  6. And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

Good point: He sought God first

Matthew 6:33
  1. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Isaiah 45:22
  1. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Bad points: did things his own way, not God's way.

1 Chronicles 10:13
  1. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

Like an old-head, he thought he didn't have to follow procedure.

Elijah

1 Kings 19:1-4
  1. And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
  2. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
  3. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
  4. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
1 Kings 19:14-18
  1. And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
  2. And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
  3. And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
  4. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
  5. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Good point: he came before God humble. He heard God's voice. He did what God said.

Isaiah 26:17-19
  1. Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.
  2. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
  3. Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Isaiah 66:1-2
  1. Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
  2. For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Bad point: He was afraid of Jezebel.

Matthew 10:28
  1. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Can you think of some more examples of Biblical Old-Heads?

Peter

John 21:15-22
  1. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
  2. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
  3. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
  4. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
  5. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
  6. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
  7. Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
  8. Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Good point: persistence

2 Timothy 4:7-9
  1. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
  2. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
  3. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

Bad point: Looking at another man's, not his own

1 Corinthians 10:12
  1. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Paul

2 Corinthians 12:7-9
  1. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
  2. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
  3. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.