Spiritual Pitfalls to Avoid: Pharisaism

Spiritual Pitfalls to Avoid: Pharisaism

We’re discussing potential pitfalls in the Christian life, and today we’ll discuss Pharisaism.

The Pharisees, from all outward appearances, would be your MVP first-picks if you were looking for excellent congregants or partners in church ministry.  They’d attend every prayer meeting, show up do or die. They’d faithfully tithe and pitch in with church events. They’d be staunch defenders of doctrine and self-proclaimed defenders and guardians of Scripture. All good things and admirable, but they also come with some, let’s just say…issues. 

The Pharisees were so particular, so zealous, that they had formed “guardrails” for themselves so they’d keep the law.  Good ideas, helpful hints, passed down traditions and customs so they wouldn’t offend or violate God’s word. Over time, this list became exacting and long and tedious and they equated their guardrails against sin to be on par with Scripture. And they became judges of everyone around them who didn’t keep their manmade laws. 

They were in the temple as much as possible but did not know or believe God. They were SO far from God that they scolded, questioned, blasphemed, and plotted to murder the very Son of God when he was standing in front of them.  The Bible says they “trusted in themselves, that they were righteous.”

The Pharisees added to Scripture and placed their thoughts, ideas, and ways on par or above it. They were an elite, smug, self-congratulatory, showy group and they liked it that way. They were the greatest showman in religion. 

In Luke 18, Jesus told a story–a very pointed one–to the Pharisees.   It went like this: 

A Pharisee and a tax collector went to the temple to pray. 

The Pharisees stood and prayed:

‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. “ (He was basically saying, God, thank you that I’m so awesome and have been so good. Thank you that I have not fallen into sin like that guy over there.)

And then went on to list his religious accomplishments: “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 

“But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (paraphrased from Luke 18:10-14.

The Pharisees exalted themselves over the very words of God.

They exalted themselves over the sinners around them and treated them with contempt. They even dared to judge and confront the Son of God and eventually killed Him. They were religious, but not right with God, and would not trust in God.

The Pharisees chief failure was the sin of pride which trusted in themselves and viewed others with contempt (Luke  18:9} 

They scanned the room and compared themselves with others and declared themselves a little more in the know, better educated. Holier than certainly thou. 

“Pride unfits us for any type of spiritual leadership.” is written in the margins of my Bible. (I’m sorry I can’t give a proper citation to that quote. I believe it’s from Francis Shaeffer but I didn’t jot down the source.)

You may be a modern day pharisee if you:

  • Trust in your good works, that they make you righteous. 
  • Show off your good work letting everyone know.
  • “Minister” to others without love, or with contempt
  • Add to your religion a heap of extra-biblical mandates that you police for conformity.
  • Are hypocritical, saying one thing, and practicing another.
  • Neglect the weightier matters of law while nitpicking over little things.
  • Take steps to show how devout you are
  • Call attention to your good works and religious offerings to God 
  • Insist on honor and feel smug and secure with titles 
  • Seek glory from men
  • Rely on your righteousness instead of accepting Christ’s righteousness.

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.Pharisee-type believers unconsciously think they have earned God’s blessing through their behavior. Guilt-laden believers are quite sure they have forfeited God’s blessing through their lack of discipline or their disobedience. Both have forgotten the meaning of grace because they have moved away from the gospel and have slipped into a performance relationship with God.

Jerry Bridges

The Bible warns: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and inthe streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right-hand doeth:

That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and inthe corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”

 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Do we Practicing Spiritual Disciplines, but for all the wrong reasons?

With the Pharisees and often with us, we love ourselves so much and care so much what others think about us that we live for their approval when the Bible instructs us to do all for the glory of God. Our prayer should be the words of the old hymn More love to Thee and Be Thou My Vision!

It’s easy to form a caricature of these religious men we love to hate on, but where do you and I exhibit these same pharisaical behaviors?

  • Do we serve for the applause of others? 
  • Do we act one way at church and another way at home?
  • Do we lack integrity, mercy, and forgiveness?
  • Are we quick to look with contempt on others who have failed or fallen with a dismissive, “If they had only done XYZ…  or been better at ______.” 
  • Do we minimize or miss our sins, while magnifying the sins of others?
  • Do we judge others for not holding to our particular customs, traditions, or standards?
  • Do we insist on respect, seeking recognition and attention from others? {The Pharisees loved being noticed. The OT law required a border/fringe at the edge of priestly robes, so the Pharisees were a little bit extra and made their fringe bigger and more accentuated than they needed to be so people would see them swinging and sashaying down the street. Cracks me up to think about that!)
  • Are we elated by other’s praise? Are we deflated and devastated when we are criticized or rebuked?

 Paul, the former Saul,  knew a little something about life as a top-tier pharisee. He said that instead of having confidence in himself, what he needed was to be “found in Him [Christ] not having a righteousness that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” (See Phil. 3:4-9)

All our right deeds amount to a hill of filthy rags, the Bible tells us. 

The good news of the gospel is that in Christ’s righteousness, we are made right. It’s His approval that matters. 

QUESTIONS:

How does your relationship with Christ change all your other relationships?

Is your Bible reading humbling and making you love God and others more?

When you serve, is it for yourself or the Savior?



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