You Might Be a Pharisee If...

[IvyWalker]

This posted topic may be akin to ,but I saw this posted on someone's blog today, and thought it was worth re-posting.



1. A Pharisee glorifies in his connections with Godly men, providing special seats, places of honor, and titles for the chosen few. Matthew 3:9

2. A Pharisee glories in external righteousness. They used to wear long robes with fringes and tassels. Today its long skirts and elaborate hairdos with feathers and plants growing out of them. Matthew5:20

3. A Pharisee does not mingle with *the world*. Our savior was a friend to sinners, prostitutes and publicans, but the Pharisees were/are too good for that. The only time a Pharisee mingles with sinners is when he is trying to convert one to become a Pharisee. Matthew 9:11

4. The Pharisees are very critical of others in small matters. They strain at a gnat and swallow camels. Making a huge deal of obscure doctrines while disregarding justice and mercy. Matthew12:2

5. The Pharisees live by rules. When and how to worship, what to wear, how to talk, what to see, who to talk to, even what car to buy and when to go on vacation are not off limits to rules imposed by the dictator in charge. Matthew 12:9-16

6. A Pharisee is one who neglects his family responsibilities in the name of religion, elevating church and status within a church above family and God Himself. The church and religion become an idol while the family and home become a distraction, an after thought at best. Matthew 15:1-9

7. Pharisees are spiritually blind, they have no idea they are wrong. They are too proud and secure in their externals and religious efforts to see their own hypocrisy. They love methods, rules, and formulas while disregarding hearts, grace, faith, and mercy. Matthew15:14

8. A Pharisee is a hypocrite. Jesus called them hypocrites. Ever had a self righteous religious Pharisee confess deep sin? Not so much, they dont admit their sins to themselves, too proud. Confession of faults, whats that? Matthew16:6-12

9. A Pharisee likes to win the argument and prove their point, and they use Bible studies to do it. Making a person see their neglect of obscure scriptures while disregarding the larger ongoing themes of love and mercy. Winning the argument is more important than changing a heart. Matthew 19:3


10. Pharisees put heavy burdens on people. Come to church 13 times this week, tithe, offer and give your grocery money too. Offer your children. Bow your heart to religion while neglecting Jesus Christ Himself. Family, serving the poor, loving the lost without strings attached all foreign concepts to a Pharisee, a distraction from the god of religion. Matthew 23:4

11. Pharisees seek honor to be noticed by men. They display their reading, fasting and praying for all to see while neglecting the things that only God can see, the heart. Matthew 23:5

12. Pharisees love position and places of honor. Gold rings and gay apparel go along way in the United Pharisaical Church. Obnoxious hairdos and clothes that resemble small parades are the mark of a dedicated Pharisee. Seriously? If we spent half as much time with our Lord as we do with our appearance we could change the world. Tomorrow. Matthew 23:6-7

13. Pharisees are people who pray long prayers in public, while neglecting service to those who will never be noticed at all. Matthew 23:14

14. A Pharisees only motive in friending the world is to turn them into a two-fold child of hell like themselves, forget love or friendship, and there is NO way a Pharisee could actually learn or glean from an outsider. Pharisees will swim the seas and climb high mountains to be able to crow about the new convert they converted. Crow. Crow. Crow. Matthew 23:15

15. A Pharisee lives to be elevated by others. Esteem and popular Pharisee opinion trump Christ. Dedicated Pharisees stick together when imposing ridiculous rules, and heavy burdens on the people. Pharisees would rather teach for doctrines the commandments of men than be labeled a liberal. Menpleasers. Matthew 21:26,46

16. A Pharisee thanks God that he is better than others, thankful for the truth, thankful for a prayer life, thankful for a revelation of petty doctrines that don't really matter. Proud to be humble. Luke 18:9-11

17. A Pharisee is worse than an adulterer in Christs economy. John 8:1-11

18. A Pharisee blackballs those who dont agree with them. They will cut you off and shun you for trying to hash out scriptures that dont match the approved interpretation. Who cares that its the kindness of God that leads a sinner to repentance? Christs love compels us He doesnt shame us into compliance, but Pharisees use shame, condemnation and fear to convert and keep. John 9:34

19. A Pharisee can’t live or be saved by faith, that would take away the Pharisees glory and place that glory on Christ. Matthew 12:38-42

20. Jesus warns us to....Be careful, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.... yeast multiplies and grows, He likened the Pharisaical spirit to leaven...same principal. Just a little legalism grows a long way.

[UnTraditional]

Let me make one point on this, and it is in reference to number 5, "The Pharisees live by rules. When and how to worship, what to wear, how to talk, what to see, who to talk to, even what car to buy and when to go on vacation are not off limits to rules imposed by the dictator in charge."

As a believer, I believe that we should be obedient to the commandments of God, not in order to be saved, but because He has saved us. This is a test of whether a soul is saved or not. Grace working in the life of an individual will cause them to walk in the commandments of God, and want to do so willingly. Far too many believers think grace is an excuse for antinomianism, and it is not. Grace defies antinomianism. But, the commandments are of God, not of an authoritarian dictator.

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by UnTraditional

Let me make one point on this, and it is in reference to number 5, "The Pharisees live by rules. When and how to worship, what to wear, how to talk, what to see, who to talk to, even what car to buy and when to go on vacation are not off limits to rules imposed by the dictator in charge."

As a believer, I believe that we should be obedient to the commandments of God, not in order to be saved, but because He has saved us. This is a test of whether a soul is saved or not. Grace working in the life of an individual will cause them to walk in the commandments of God, and want to do so willingly. Far too many believers think grace is an excuse for antinomianism, and it is not. Grace defies antinomianism. But, the commandments are of God, not of an authoritarian dictator.

Pharisees place their rules on others, judging, disfellowshipping, and condemning others to hell for not following the man made rules. Believers follow the rules, encourage others to draw nearer to God, and teach them a better way of living--precepts rather than rules.

Luke 11:52Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

[aegsm76]

Did the Pharisees have any righteousness?

The Bible implies that they had some, for it says, "except your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees"

THoughts?

[Austin]

Originally Posted by IvyWalker

This posted topic may be akin to ,but I saw this posted on someone's blog today, and thought it was worth re-posting.



1. A Pharisee glorifies in his connections with Godly men, providing special seats, places of honor, and titles for the chosen few. Matthew 3:9

2. A Pharisee glories in external righteousness. They used to wear long robes with fringes and tassels. Today its long skirts and elaborate hairdos with feathers and plants growing out of them. Matthew5:20

3. A Pharisee does not mingle with *the world*. Our savior was a friend to sinners, prostitutes and publicans, but the Pharisees were/are too good for that. The only time a Pharisee mingles with sinners is when he is trying to convert one to become a Pharisee. Matthew 9:11

4. The Pharisees are very critical of others in small matters. They strain at a gnat and swallow camels. Making a huge deal of obscure doctrines while disregarding justice and mercy. Matthew12:2

5. The Pharisees live by rules. When and how to worship, what to wear, how to talk, what to see, who to talk to, even what car to buy and when to go on vacation are not off limits to rules imposed by the dictator in charge. Matthew 12:9-16

6. A Pharisee is one who neglects his family responsibilities in the name of religion, elevating church and status within a church above family and God Himself. The church and religion become an idol while the family and home become a distraction, an after thought at best. Matthew 15:1-9

7. Pharisees are spiritually blind, they have no idea they are wrong. They are too proud and secure in their externals and religious efforts to see their own hypocrisy. They love methods, rules, and formulas while disregarding hearts, grace, faith, and mercy. Matthew15:14

8. A Pharisee is a hypocrite. Jesus called them hypocrites. Ever had a self righteous religious Pharisee confess deep sin? Not so much, they dont admit their sins to themselves, too proud. Confession of faults, whats that? Matthew16:6-12

9. A Pharisee likes to win the argument and prove their point, and they use Bible studies to do it. Making a person see their neglect of obscure scriptures while disregarding the larger ongoing themes of love and mercy. Winning the argument is more important than changing a heart. Matthew 19:3


10. Pharisees put heavy burdens on people. Come to church 13 times this week, tithe, offer and give your grocery money too. Offer your children. Bow your heart to religion while neglecting Jesus Christ Himself. Family, serving the poor, loving the lost without strings attached all foreign concepts to a Pharisee, a distraction from the god of religion. Matthew 23:4

11. Pharisees seek honor to be noticed by men. They display their reading, fasting and praying for all to see while neglecting the things that only God can see, the heart. Matthew 23:5

12. Pharisees love position and places of honor. Gold rings and gay apparel go along way in the United Pharisaical Church. Obnoxious hairdos and clothes that resemble small parades are the mark of a dedicated Pharisee. Seriously? If we spent half as much time with our Lord as we do with our appearance we could change the world. Tomorrow. Matthew 23:6-7

13. Pharisees are people who pray long prayers in public, while neglecting service to those who will never be noticed at all. Matthew 23:14

14. A Pharisees only motive in friending the world is to turn them into a two-fold child of hell like themselves, forget love or friendship, and there is NO way a Pharisee could actually learn or glean from an outsider. Pharisees will swim the seas and climb high mountains to be able to crow about the new convert they converted. Crow. Crow. Crow. Matthew 23:15

15. A Pharisee lives to be elevated by others. Esteem and popular Pharisee opinion trump Christ. Dedicated Pharisees stick together when imposing ridiculous rules, and heavy burdens on the people. Pharisees would rather teach for doctrines the commandments of men than be labeled a liberal. Menpleasers. Matthew 21:26,46

16. A Pharisee thanks God that he is better than others, thankful for the truth, thankful for a prayer life, thankful for a revelation of petty doctrines that don't really matter. Proud to be humble. Luke 18:9-11

17. A Pharisee is worse than an adulterer in Christs economy. John 8:1-11

18. A Pharisee blackballs those who dont agree with them. They will cut you off and shun you for trying to hash out scriptures that dont match the approved interpretation. Who cares that its the kindness of God that leads a sinner to repentance? Christs love compels us He doesnt shame us into compliance, but Pharisees use shame, condemnation and fear to convert and keep. John 9:34

19. A Pharisee can’t live or be saved by faith, that would take away the Pharisees glory and place that glory on Christ. Matthew 12:38-42

20. Jesus warns us to....Be careful, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.... yeast multiplies and grows, He likened the Pharisaical spirit to leaven...same principal. Just a little legalism grows a long way.

I love your post it's the truth and that spirit does exist in christianity today. I have seen it in it's self-righteousness all my life and it makes me sick.
They as Jesus said it, Are of their father the devil and are under his control. A great Light has come into their mists and they cannot comprehend that light because they love where they are in darkness.( no true understandiung of truth) I think someone on this forum placed me in that category with them by using the wrods" we all at sometime have been pharisees. Let me make it clear. Outside of Christ I have no righteousness, and without Him Iam nothing. And whether people realize it or not neither are they, they just think they are!!

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by aegsm76

Did the Pharisees have any righteousness?

The Bible implies that they had some, for it says, "except your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees"

THoughts?

Our righteousness is as filthy rags...

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by UnTraditional

Let me make one point on this, and it is in reference to number 5, "The Pharisees live by rules. When and how to worship, what to wear, how to talk, what to see, who to talk to, even what car to buy and when to go on vacation are not off limits to rules imposed by the dictator in charge."

As a believer, I believe that we should be obedient to the commandments of God, not in order to be saved, but because He has saved us. This is a test of whether a soul is saved or not. Grace working in the life of an individual will cause them to walk in the commandments of God, and want to do so willingly. Far too many believers think grace is an excuse for antinomianism, and it is not. Grace defies antinomianism. But, the commandments are of God, not of an authoritarian dictator.

Good point, UT.

But I think it's on this list because of the specificity. "How to worship, what to wear, when to worship, etc" The rules are more than something written on their heart, lived out in the joy of the Spirit, they are regimented boundaries that they used to control other people, and even probably tried to use to control God (thinking of the Elder Brother again). Rules to the Pharisee, are a main character in their faith.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by aegsm76

Did the Pharisees have any righteousness?

The Bible implies that they had some, for it says, "except your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees"

THoughts?

Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom.

I'm reading this as "unless your righteousness looks different than theirs."

There was some honor at the time for sitting in "the seat of Moses," a position Jesus took up as our Great High Priest, by the way. But their right way of living fell short, and Jesus was promoting a higher way of living. In context, this verse comes right in the midst of the highest living standard known to man: The Sermon on the Mount/Beatitudes.

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by Socialite

There was some honor at the time for sitting in "the seat of Moses," a position Jesus took up as our Great High Priest, by the way. But their right way of living fell short, and Jesus was promoting a higher way of living. In context, this verse comes right in the midst of the highest living standard known to man: The Sermon on the Mount/Beatitudes.

Yep. Very short.

Mt 23:15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Luke 11:52Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

[Cindy]

You think you're not.