"Crucify Him!!!"
Thought Pharisees were historical figures never to be heard from again? Well, think again! They have more lives than Jason Voorhees and cause just as much damage! It's like your standard Hollywood horror movie. Just when you're starting to enjoy some freedom in Christ...just when you think it's okay to breathe...cue the slasher music because here they come! The early church tried to put a stomping on them...but they keep coming back!
Scary!!
Think Freddie Krueger is the baddest on the block? Having nightmares about that dude in the Scream mask? Here's who you should really be concerned about...and why!
#1 - Pharisees are completely blinded to their own sin. They walk around with a log jammed in their eye and use the other one to warn you that those who have splinters shall not see the kingdom. It would be funny if not so sad. Think you're log-free and splinter-free? Think again and be careful before criticizing another person for their walk in Christ. If you think you're free to criticize one person because you feel like you sin "less" than they do, you are a fool. Hey...Paul said it. Not me!
#2 - Scripture, when quoted, is always used out of context. You will notice verses grabbed almost randomly to support their case...yet never entire passages considered. Passages provide context...context gives understanding...they don't want people to have understanding, just compliance. Here is a little tip that I call the 20/20 rule: if you truly want to grasp a verse, read twenty verses before it and twenty verses after it. Doing that alone will save you from the snare of using verses with little or no context...and save your hearers, as well!
#3 - As in the Bible, Pharisees are rarely courageous enough to address the targets of their contempt face-to-face. They find it much easier to use a medium...today we have so many we usually use term "media" as in social. Just as in the Bible where the Pharisees would either visit Jesus at night or, at the end of the story, use other people to exercise their will, you'll find very few enemies of grace who are willing to stand flat-footed and discuss theology. It's too hard. And there's too much opportunity for the light to be shined back on them.
#4 - Pharisees claim knowledge of the law but are devoid of the spirit of the law. (I debated whether to capitalize that "s" or not.) As Paul taught, the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (I wonder whether you know the word or not if you can only seem to recall verses the hurl accusation? Selective memory is a dangerous thing for one's soul.) What Paul labored so diligently to teach is that there is no salvation in works. Yes. We do good works so that God's grace towards us is not in vain, but they don't qualify (nor disqualify) us for (or from) receiving His grace.
#5 - Pharisees HATE grace...irrespective of how much they have received. Inside, I wouldn't be surprised if they sincerely thought they didn't need it. When God offers more, they decline. They really believe they don't need it. I mean really believe it. They don't understand that their righteousness - though it may be more than mine - doesn't approach the level of a garment God would even look upon, let alone touch. There's that old menstrual cloth analogy that Isaiah put out there and all...so...
#6 - Pharisees are often very wounded men and women, but too proud to admit their pain. Bruised from head to toe, the only thing you are promised from interacting with them is retaliation. You touch on one of their sore areas and they will make you pay and pay dearly. Hurt people hurt people. Old saying. It's old because it's true. If they would only seek God for some healing in solitude, how powerful they might become in Him and His power! As it is, they are in a very tough spot. They scream "unclean" when they see you, yet wonder why they are avoided. People tend to recoil from those who only have hammers in their tool belt.
#7 - Worst of all, Pharisees are so vain, they think this post is about them...but they still won't change...even while seasons and other people do. When Jesus encountered this spirit, it was all he could do to remind all of us that we all risk becoming this way. There are too many passages to cite in a short blog. Search the scriptures out for yourself and you'll see. None of us measure up. None of us. None. of. us. All we have to offer the Lord is our faith, which is a good thing because it pleases Him when we do so. Whew!
If you're dealing with a Pharisee, there are three things you must know...
#1 - Embrace salvation by trust in Christ and Jesus Christ alone for your redemption and salvation from God's wrath. Salvation - being redeemed, born again - is not a complicated of a task as some want to make it seem. It's not a process. It's your decision to surrender lordship of your life. This is your JUSTIFICATION.
#2 - Understand that you are going to make mistakes, errors and judgment and even willfully make choices in sin from time to time. You don't embrace it. You don't seek to exploit God's grace. Since sin is "missing the mark" in a very literal way, you will miss the mark. However, you must continue forward in the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to mature you and cleanse you. This part is a process. Don't get discouraged while you're being refined. This is your SANCTIFICATION.
#3 - You must know that your future is better than your present. If you continue with Him, you will be made like Him. You are not perfect yet, but He will perfect you and share His glory with you for eternity. This is your GLORIFICATION.
The main thing to remember is that the Pharisees can't keep you out of the kingdom. They can cause you to have a very rough go of it at times. I get that. Hang in there. Maybe they will move on to another target as they see you're not being bothered. We can hope!
******************************
(If you are reading this and you are not a Believer, a Christian, my hope is that you pray and tell God that you want to believe and accept Jesus as the Savior of your soul and Lord of your life. Ask Him to teach you how to be good disciple and to lead you to others who can lead you in the faith. I would also suggest that you read the following passages from the Bible and be encouraged that you can do it and all of Christ's followers love and accept you into the family of God!
Romans 10:9-12 (NASB) "If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
I am praying for you today. If you have any question at any time, please ask me!...and try to steer clear of Pharisees.
