How to Separate Ourselves From the Sins of the Pharisees
Jesus said to them, "Be careful and on your guard against the leaven (teaching, corruption, hypocrisy) of the Pharisees and Saducees." (Matthew 16:6)
Jesus said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the eyes of men. But God knows your heart. For that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15)
Illustration: One day I received a telephone call from a friend. He was working for his doctorate in one of the most prestigious theological seminaries in
America. He asked if I would go with him to call on the head of the seminary, who was also his professor. He explained to me that his professor was a good man, a wonderful person and a brilliant scholar, but that he denied the deity of Christ.
This professor was one of the great church historians of this century. He was a famous theologian who had helped to train many thousands of young men to become pastors and other Christian leaders.
When we arrived and I was introduced, his immediate response was: "Mr.Bright, when you talk to college students about becoming a Christian,what do you tell them?" I was skeptical of his sincerity and weighed my
words carefully.
He then asked a second question, "Better still, what would you tell me? I would like to become a Christian?"
He added that his father was a great scholar who had greatly influenced his own views. The father did not believe in the deity of Christ. He believed Jesus was a good man who had a profound influence upon the
world, but was not God.
The professor continued, "About five years ago I began to reevaluate my personal beliefs and I began to study in earnest the writings of the church fathers and the original manuscripts concerning Jesus. The more
I studied, the more convinced I became that Jesus is the Son of God." And when he asked, "Will you help me" (and I shall never forget this phrase) "know Him as my personal Savior?" I was deeply moved.
He also made a profound statement: "As a result of my research," he said, "I am now convinced that no honest person who is willing to consider the overwhelming evidence proving the deity of Christ can deny
that He is the Son of God." Then he said, "Now, will you pray for me? I want to know Jesus as my personal Savior?"
I prayed for him, my friend prayed, and he prayed. And that day a great scholar met the living Christ in the spirit of a little child.
Yours for fulfilling the Great Commission
each year until our Lord returns,
Bill Bright
Illustration: A man left his house for church one Sunday just as his neighbor was loading his golf clubs into his car. "Henry," the neighbor called, "come play golf with me today." Henry answered firmly, "I always go to church on the Lord’s Day."
After a pause the golfer said, "You know, Henry, I’ve often wondered about your church and I really admire your faithfulness. But I’ve invited you to play golf with me seven or eight times, and you’ve never once invited me to go to church with you."
What an eye-opener! To all the "Henrys" in today’s church, Jesus gives the same challenge He gave to the Pharisees: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" (Mt. 9:13). In other words, He wants us to show mercy and love to those who need salvation, not just go through the motions of our own religious beliefs. Jesus further explained His mercy by saying, "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (v.13).
Consider the destiny of people without Christ. Let this stir you to a compassion greater than your comfortable routine or your fear of rejection. Pray for several people or families near you and ask God to love them through you. And, without nagging, invite them to church. (Our Daily Bread)
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.
