Proverbs 30:12,  There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

Demonstrate various measuring devices:

What does this device do? What is it used for?

Notice that man is not capable of knowing apart from these devices the information provided by these devices.

Micrometer

Measuring Cup

Measuring Spoons

Rolled up yardstick, tape

Plainimeter

Deflection Gauge

Distance measurer

Level

Thermometer

Compass for angles

Compass for distance

Scale

Square for 90 degree angle

Ivory Soap, 99 and 44/100 % pure

Measuring devices have been invented because it is not in man to measure accurately.

The eye is not capable of measuring distance or volume or area or level or plumb or temperature or square ness.

There is no standard within man by which man can measure accurately.

The cubit of the Bible is reputed to be the distance from the elbow to the finger tip, about 18 inches.

But what is the cubit for a tall man, a short man?

In these men that distance varies longer or shorter than 18 inches.

Man is not a good standard for measurement so men have developed fixed standards by which to make measurments.

Yet, there is a generation that does not recognize that man is not a good standard by which to measure anything.

And that anything includes purity!

In all these devices we have demonstrated, we have seen that man must go outside of himself for proper measurement.

But those of this generation have not gone outside themselves for a standard against which to measure their purity.

Purity is comfortable to this generation because it is bent to them instead of them bending to it.

This generation is of the world and has adopted the world's standard for purity.

This generation washes themselves with soap that is restricted to the external man.

This generation concentrates upon that which can be seen by others of like un-precious faithlessness.

Externals are what is important to this generation.

This is the age of the importance of the eye and the unimportance of the ear.

Notice what tells them that they are pure. Their own eye!

Their own eye is the gauge of their purity.

The gauge is not outside themselves but is within themselves.

They are pure in their own eyes.

They are pure because they can see that they are pure.

Their system of purity is measured by the eye and as long as the eye is satisfied they are content to bask in their purity.

They are the maker of the test of purity and the taker of the test of purity, the grader of the test of purity, so no wonder they pass the test of purity.

Jesus Christ condemned the Pharisees who were pure in their own eyes.

He said in Luke 16:15: ... Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

That which is highly esteemed among men is that which is judged by the eye.

The eye concludes high esteem where God concludes abomination.

The world credits the eye with the ability to judge purity.

Does not this generation judge you by your appearance?

Does not this generation judge you by your clothes, your car, your house, your goods?

Do not I judge you by what I see of you?

Don't we make every effort to justify ourselves before men?

Don't we want to be highly esteemed and isn't esteem among men heavily weighted toward what others see concerning us?

The Pharisees said to Jesus Christ that they saw when he said that they which see not might see.

Their eye got in the way of their judgment.

Jesus said to them:  If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

They saw their own purity and were blind to their own filthiness.

See how the eye gets in the way of seeing.

By their own high conceit of their own wisdom and the high opinion others had of them, they were sealed up in ignorance.

Jesus said: therefore your sin remaineth.

Jesus pronounced:  woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

They were of the generation that was pure in their own eyes, and yet were not washed from their filthiness.

How did they appear beautiful outward?

How did they make themselves whited? By measuring with the eye.

Was the rich young man of Mat. 19:20 pure in his own eyes when he refused the invitation of Jesus Christ to follow him?

He said he had kept the law since his youth up.

His standard was some misguided understanding of his ability to keep the law as if keeping the law was an external thing, a thing to be measured by the eye.

The word of God spoken by Jesus Christ discerned his heart.

The word revealed to the young man his impurity as he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions which he esteemed more highly than treasures in heaven.

His standard of purity bumped up against the standard of purity of the word of God and his standard was found wanting.

He developed a standard which had deceived him into a good opinion of himself.

That is what the unregenerate heart will do.

All the sinner needs is a thin coat (just a summer weight coat) of hypocrisy to think more highly of himself than he ought to think.

His eye developed standards put him in good stead when it comes to his self analysis of purity.

Paul said it well in 2 Corinthians 10:12,  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

But this generation measures themselves by themselves and compares themselves among themselves.

They refuse to measure themselves by the God provided standard outside of themselves because it will reveal to them the filthiness of an unwashed soul.

Remember the micrometer. It is a necessary tool to the tool and die maker.

Why? Because the tool and die maker knows that his eye is deficient in measuring the thickness of metals.

The tool and die maker must have an instrument to measure minute differences in dimensions and his eye is not capable of measurement to this degree.

Does he insist on using his eye or does he admit that his eye will give him an incorrect evaluation of the thickness?

If he insists on using his eye instead of this micrometer he is not a tool and die maker but simply a fool and as a fool will produce the tools of a fool.

The word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The word of God and not the eye measures the purity of the man.

The micrometer is a discerner of the minute differences in thickness of metals.

We depend upon the yardstick, the level and the thermometer for proper measurement and yet this generation plays the fool and foolishly depends upon the eye to convince of purity that the Bible calls filthiness.

Peter withdrew his feet from the washing hands of Jesus Christ but quickly yielded them back when Jesus Christ said "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."

Jesus Christ and not the eye is the standard by which purity is to be measured.

All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

His eyes and not my eyes or your eyes are the important eyes with which to measure purity.