Pharisaical Values Contrasted With Christ's Love - Part 2

Pharisaical Values

1. Religious leaders rejected Christ as their forefathers rejected the prophets who were before Him. They failed to recognize God's approved people.

2. The Pharisees held men of power in high esteem - even if they were politicians, financial men, or religious authorities.

3. The scribes and the Pharisees became experts as using the law to instill fear and intimidate people.

4. The Pharisees used religious threats as a club to manipulate people

5. The Pharisees attempts to become holy and righteous through external observances of the law were legendary, but all in vain.

6. The religious leaders tried to satisfy their conscience through the keeping of the law. They believed that they deserved to go to heaven because their religiosity had met the law's demands. They tried to reduce God to a set of rules, regulations and policies.

7. The Pharisees held a high standard, but even Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness passes that of the scribes and Pharisees you will never enter into the kingdom of heaven.

8. The Pharisees designed their religious order as an exclusive club by which they could discriminately choose their associates based on their own egocentric values.

9. The Pharisees emphasis on rigid legalism turned many off to religion.

10. The Pharisees attempt to use human standards to meet spiritual requirements was futile attempt that people continue to use today.

11. The Pharisees tried to set up their own exclusive religious culture.

12. The Pharisees projected a wrong image of God to their followers. They thought of God as a judge rather than the Holy Trinity.

13. The Pharisees had a tendency to pretend to be something that they were not for the sake of piety.

14. The Pharisees did not know God in a personal way. They never had saving faith.

15. The Pharisees drafted laws and regulations that they could use to force others to live up to their self-righteous standards of religion.

16. The Pharisees put more emphasis on outward observances of the law rather than on the motives of loving the Lord.

Christ's Love

1. Christ said, "If you love me, then keep my commandments. A new commandment I give to you that you loves one another as I have loved you. By this will all men know that you are my disciples because you have love for one another. (Jn 13:34,35)

2. Christ taught all men to fear God ought of a reverential love developed through true worship in spirit and in truth not in phoniness.

3. Christ taught that men who have to intimidate others to gain power have no real power at all.

4. Christ taught that truth gives one authority as the Spirit of God gives it.

5. Christ taught that real love is shown through one's fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Jesus said, "You know a person by their fruit."

6. John wrote about Christ, "The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth were shown in completeness through Jesus Christ."

7. Christ did not threaten people with the law. He said, "Do not fear those who throw you into prison, but fear the one who can throw you into hell fire.

8. Christ taught that we are all sinners and are dependent on the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness found through His substitutionary payment for the forgiveness of all sin.

9. Christ said, "I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6) Jesus was not shy about preaching a message of exclusive truth. He alone holds the answer to the problem of sin, death and hell.

10. Christ desired to see all people saved from their sin and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

11. Christ emphasized love, faith and truth in contrast to the Pharisees' emphasis on law, fear and judgment.

12. Christ lived out 100% of the will of God unlike the Pharisees who helped to define the word hypocrite.

13. Christ's transforming grace empowered by the Holy Spirit helps us continually mature in all aspects in Christ through trust and obedience. Our spiritual growth cannot be done through the efforts of our fleshly nature.