Luke 3:12-13 KJV
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

What is a publican but a tax collector in scripture. Judas was tax collector, Matthew collect taxes at the city gate as people enter in, and other disciples were also publicans. It maybe the reason the church world today in certain groups seem to desire money more then God as they preach. From 1970 and through the 90s all one heard was sow tithe on the tv. It was their main doctrine. Today it not as bad as it use to be. I hated to be turning and flipping past the religious channels because of it. The Gospel of Jesus is not about money, yet many people of faith do need money. Jesus went to the lost sheep of Israel and some of them were tax collectors. Zachaeus was no exception to be in need of Jesus. More then one disciple was a publican. There is not a career out there in the world that does not have a type of publican in it. What I mean publican, is people that would extract money from the poor, or even the rich to line their own pocket with greed/money, while taking what was government to pay government. Some do it quite honestly and some do as a thief.

Jesus taught the tax collectors to give back to those they stole from and turn away from sin. To make correction where they could. Humbling experience no doubt to those that repented, or turned from their sin of thievery of those they extract taxes from illegally. Yet more humbling they were coming to Christ baptism to be cleansed from sin, and they would ask what could they do. Jesus was teaching them to turn from sin. A place a business catches someone not doing their job right but doing it wrong, sits and talks with the person especially if it could be thought as a criminal action, though perhaps not gone that far yet. Explaining the conquences for such actions, and then telling that person if they catch you again you are fired. Will it cause the samething to happen again, only causing the criminal to get smarter, or will it cause the person to turn from his wicked ways. A form of baptism into law so to speak saves many souls from jail sentence and turns others into creative geniuses until caught. The criminal will make a mistake in their criminal career to be caught, and either someone turns the other cheek and joins the crime in progress, turns away as if they see not or reports what they seen.

Jesus was attacking their very soul based on eternity, based on heaven and the here after. The question was more what must I do to be saved. Repentance was preached to turn away from sin and to walk without sin. Impossible by human standards, but by the power of the Holy Spirit and by learning to walk not by the flesh but by the Spirit it is possible to live a life pleasing to God, if you obey his Spirit.

Jesus is not teaching one must believe in him here, he teaching about works, about action and the need for baptism. Is it contrary to teaching of salvation. We must remember Jews were saved because they were the chosen people of God to carry his message. A new covenant was coming that would change the world and be a message to the Gentiles. To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and one would be saved. No repentance necessary some believe, but that not true either, one needs to turn from sin, not to remain in their sin. Yet it takes God to change the sinner. It takes God to change a heart of unbelief to belief. God's people believed, but were not living as they should so, Christ came to correct his people to comform to his Spirit. Christ came to the lost sheep of Israel, to help them believe first and for most and then come to turn them from their sin. The whole message of faith from Old Testament and yet under a new covenant through faith in the Messiah Christ Jesus. Yet it is a old covenant in regards to believing God's word who is the Son of God in the flesh. Yet the word of God is old, and yet it became new when Christ rose again.

Tax collecting might be old form of work world, by other names like publican. Yet it changes not in what man tries to do in these offices. Jesus came to cleanse even the government officials. He did not just come to religious leaders. Religious leaders understood not why Jesus was among sinners. I know ministers like that who refuse to go to the sinners. In fact they will instruct you to stay away from sinners. Never realizing a person maybe called to minister to the lost. It does not mean you do their sin, it means you are a friend to them in your actions to them.

The world needs Jesus and if the ministers only go to the lost sheep of their church, the church, and no one outside the church, the church pews one day will be empty. If you take and make the whole world gay, how long would it take for the population to decrease. It is that way with the church world, they can not populate if they go not to the lost and dying world. One has to believe that the book called the Bible if it changed your life, it can change others. If Jesus the Son of God changed your life, then you must realize he can change the lost. Otherwise the scripture and his Son has no power in the lives of the lost, no Christ is still reaching out without man being the preacher. Tracts(those little Gospel pamplets) left behind and so are Bibles in places where the lost will find them and hopefully read them. People that extend a hand out to help others. Some are not financially able to do more then pray, and they pray for the lost people they know.

The world values friendship on what others can reciprocate, seldom on just communication. It is sad how people long for true friendship but how many friendships survive without gifts of material possessions. It sad. True friendship comes without materials or gifts. People seek friend with money and gold. Tax collectors in scripture are betrayed as hungry only for money. For some it was just a career choice and knew the difference in their choices of greed and none greed actions. For others it was about greed and wealth. It like those that study to be doctors and lawyers because of money. Jesus put the Jews into action of obedience to the laws of God. Harlots, Jesus would tell to go and sin no more. Their choice what they did once they left Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father, may our faith be with true repentance and change by your word effecting our life. As the tax collectors took action of their own sins of greed, and were baptized, may we to in our sin turn and change for your glory and honor. May you word baptize our hearts and not just water baptism speak our faith. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 10:3 KJV
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

Luke 19:8-10 KJV
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.