Don’t be a Pharisee

Disclaimer: This is not directed at anyone in particular, so don’t be personally offended.

Theologians, pastors, and even laymen Christians will debate over Biblical teachings until Christ’s return. Current rages include the prosperity gospel and open theism. My purpose here isn’t to argue either way (though I personally don’t believe in either one mentioned), but rather to ask ourselves to examine our attitudes towards those who support it. Now, I understand the passion people have for spreading the true gospel of Christ, yet we still need to remember to love the Christians who misunderstand it. I have seen a range of reactions just upon the mention of these false teachings: from slight indifference to genuine sadness to pure contempt and condescension.

I am not one to idly stand by when I hear heresy (based only my interpretation) masqueraded as Christian truth. I will completely encourage brothers and sisters to be courageous in this situation as well. Christ set the example for us when he openly defied the Pharisee’s laws, having a greater understanding of God’s decrees better than anyone. He even used a whip to chase out defilers of our Father’s house (John 2:14-17). Some will interpret this as, we should follow Christ’s fervor when we face those times as well. And yes, to some degree, I will agree with that.

However, we must remember: only Christ is sinless and blameless. We should have Christ’s passion, but none of us have the type of authority over another as Christ does over us. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at [the adulterer].” (John 8:7) We must emulate the heart behind the actions, but I don’t believe we are justified to judge as He judges.

Therefore, my plea to those who fervently argue for their theology: do so with love and gentleness, not with scorn or contempt. I have heard Christians outright label Joel Olsteen (a major propagator of the prosperity gospel) an idiot. I have seen utter disgust on faces just at the mention of Lakewood Church. I am saddened to see such a well-known Christian preaching a gospel I don’t believe in, but it hurts me even more that those who know the truth don’t act like they do. Paul, who argued against false teachers in letters such as Galatians and Colossians, simply established his apostolic authority and taught what he knew without personal attacks.

One of my favorite analogies distinguishing the difference between a non-believer and a Christian is this: we are all starving people, but Christians are simply only people who know where to find the food. In this case, we are not much different from others, whether if they believe they know where the food is or not.

So why did I title this, “Don’t be a Pharisee”? Because the Pharisees, who thought they knew better, reacted in wrongful bitter anger. Our attitudes will be no different than theirs if we reacted the same way in the modern day debates. I will end this with a (long) exerpt from The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey

Someone in the class suggested that legalism in the church had created a barrier of strict rules that made non-Christians feel uncomfortable. The class discussion abruptly lurched in a new direction, as survivors of Christian colleges and fundamentalist churches began swapping war stories. I told of my own bemusement in the early seventies when the redoubtable Moody Bible Institute, located just four blocks down the street from our church, was banning all beards, mustaches, and hair below the ears of male students – though each day students filed past a large oil painting of Dwight L. Moody, hirsute breaker of all three rules.

Everyone laughed. Everyone except Greg, that is, who fidgeted in his seat and smoldered. I could see his face flush red, then blanch with anger. Finally Greg raised his hand, and rage and indignation spilled out. He was almost stammering. “I feel like walking out of this place,” he said, and all of a sudden the room hushed. “You criticize others for being Pharisees. I’ll tell you who the real Pharisees are. They’re you [he pointed at me] and the rest of you people in this class. You think you’re so high and mighty and mature. I became a Christian because of Moody Church. You find a group to look down on, to feel more spiritual than, and you talk about them behind their backs. That’s what a Pharisee does. You’re all Pharisees.”

All eyes in the class turned to me for a reply, but I had none to offer. Greg had caught us red-handed. In a twist of spiritual arrogance, we were now looking down on other people for being Pharisees. I glanced at the clock, hoping for a reprieve. No such luck: It showed fifteen minutes of class time remaining. I waited for a flash of inspiration, but none came. The silence grew louder. I felt embarrassed and trapped.

Then Bob raised his hand. Bob was new to the class, and until the day I die I will always be grateful to him for rescuing me. He began softly, disarmingly, “I’m glad you didn’t walk out, Greg. We need you here. I’m glad you’re here, and I’d like to tell you why I come to this church…

…I started attending [the Alcoholics Anonymous] group, and after a while, I decided a church that welcomes an AA group…can’t be too bad…

I’ve got to tell you, the people upstairs were threatening to me…they had it all together while I was barely hanging on…I managed to swallow my pride, though, and started coming on Sunday mornings as well as Tuesday nights. People didn’t shun me. They reached out to me. It’s here that I met Jesus.”

…Greg relaxed, I mumbled an apology for my own Pharisaism, and the class ended on a note of unity. Bob had brought us back to common ground, as sinners equally desperate in our need of God.

Please feel free to disagree with me in the comments (no need to sign up for an account like Xanga!). These are just thoughts off the top of my head. And for now, I am done procrastinating from studying.

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~ by Panda on September 17, 2006.