Do we get our standards of right and wrong from God or the world? Do we ignore the strong correction Jesus gave religious leaders? In whose name only can we be saved? Let’s begin in Judges 17.
Did a man named Micah (not the prophet) steal silver from his mother, return it, and did she use it to make an idol?
There was a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Micah. He said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver taken from you, and that I heard you utter a curse about—here, I have the silver with me. I took it. So now I return it to you.” Then his mother said, “My son, you are blessed by the Lord!” He returned the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I personally consecrate the silver to the Lord for my son’s benefit to make a carved image overlaid with silver.” So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took five pounds of silver and gave it to a silversmith. He made it into a carved image overlaid with silver, and it was in Micah’s house. This man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household idols, and installed one of his sons to be his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted. (Judges 17:1-6 HCSB)
Do we still find people willing to start a religion for money?
A young male descendant of Levi happened to be visiting there from Bethlehem in the territory of Judah. The man had left his city Bethlehem in Judah to live wherever he could. As he traveled along, he eventually arrived at Micah’s house in the mountainous region of Ephraim, looking for work. Micah asked him, “Where did you come from?” He replied, “I’m a descendant of Levi from Bethlehem in Judah, and I’m going to stay temporarily wherever I can find a place.” (Judges 17:7-9 ISV)
Do we still delude ourselves that God blesses when we consecrate leaders who teach what we want to hear rather than what is right?
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest. (Judges 17:10-13 KJV)
What do the Proverbs say about the way which seems right to us?
There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12 LSB)
Did Jesus correct religious leaders about going the wrong way? Are we leading people to hell or the kingdom of heaven?
But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13 NASB)
Do we make long, pretentious prayers and rob the needy?
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (Matthew 23:14 NKJV Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47)
Are we more concerned with numbers than saving people from hell?
[Woe] What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! (Matthew 23:15 NLT)
Are we more concerned with money than God’s presence?
Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it. He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living in it. He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it. (Matthew 23:16-22 WEB)
Are we more concerned with finances than justice, peace, and faith?
[Woe] How terrible it will be for you legal experts and Pharisees! Hypocrites! You give to God a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, but you forget about the more important matters of the Law: justice, peace, and faith. You ought to give a tenth but without forgetting about those more important matters. You blind guides! You filter out an ant but swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:23-24 CEB)
Do we hide our greed and selfishness behind outward appearance?
You Pharisees and teachers are show-offs, and [Woe] you're in for trouble! You wash the outside of your cups and dishes, while inside there is nothing but greed and selfishness. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of a cup, and then the outside will also be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26 CEV)
Do we hide our hypocrisy and lawlessness behind outward appearance?
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:27-28 ESV)
Do we avoid mentioning the bad side of church history?
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ You, therefore, testify against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins! Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town. So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. I assure you: All these things will come on this generation! (Matthew 23:29-36 HCSB)
If church leaders are so imperfect, who then can save us?
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ISV)
Who alone in the entirety of church history can save us?
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 KJV)
Do we get our standards of right and wrong from God or the world? Do we ignore the strong correction Jesus gave religious leaders? In whose name only can we be saved? You decide!
