Am I a Pharisee?

I recently got in trouble at the church that I'm preaching at. I apparently come across as judgmental and scary. I've just been preaching the law, and teaching from Matthew 7, that not everyone who says Lord Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The argument that they brought against me was that, "Who are you to judge whether these kids are saved or not?"

I replied with the words of Jesus, that everyone, which includes children, will be known by their fruits. I do not see any fruit of repentance, or faith, and no signs of love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control.

I don't know what to do. Any advice?

Brother, here is the Word of the Lord on the matter to you. You decide what to do.

Ezek. 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

2 Tim 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Personally, I would be more afraid of not continuing to tell them what they do not want to hear.

Regards,
El Harris

Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know.

Well, first if you were actually a Pharisee you would not even be saved.

However, I do not think you mean it in that way but more in a way of having Pharasaical tainting.

You say you are only preaching the law? Well, if that is the case then in one sense that is not good. I wonder if you mean in the sense that Ray Comfort would preach the Law to first show sinfulness and then when they see it then show them grace. Or how Finney would rail on the Law for a long time until they saw their sin and then once broken share grace with them. If that is the case then it is not so bad. If however you were not preaching the New Covenant grace of God then that is bad. If you are not preaching the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith then that is bad.

It is true that man cannot be saved by the Law. However, it is also true that man cannot be saved by grace and yet continue without practicing the Law. Christ fulfilled the Law for us and then when He saves us and gives us a new nature He then begins to give us grace to live the Law out.

Often times a young believer can have some extremes. Yet, often times older believers can have extremes of ease as well. Or the Church can be in a bad state. You may be extreme and you may not you will have to discern. Sometimes these things take time to work out and you have to learn the lesson yourself. Maybe not even an unbeliever, but one who is newly exposed to such strong words from the Scriptures.

There is a way to minister that just is not wise. There is a way to minister that is just extreme and you will have to work that out. In one sense we are to be extreme yet in another it is wrong.

Here is a thing. Often times people can be taught salvation by grace. Then they are told to serve God. Often they are told to serve God in their own strength or at least subtly so. This in turn brings them back under the Law. They might have their positional salvation by grace but they are under the Law in their life and ministry for they are trying to do it themselves.

Also, often when dealing with lukewarm Christians or just ones that are not mature we have to serve them and be patient. Often we think in zeal to just bring immediate division by preaching harder. However, this is not always the way often we should try to win their hearts by love instead of rebuke then that love will motivate them to turn or it will be you adoring the doctrine. Though rebuke is love you have to learn to discern when you should and shouldn't. As it says in Jude that we are to with some unsaved save with fear but others with gentleness.

How much time do you spend proclaiming the Good News of what Christ has done? and how often are you focusing on the Christian rather than on Christ?

Paul made it a point to tell even the Corinthians, "I sought to know nothing among you but Christ and Him crucified", and if any church was messed up, it was that one.

Fight the urge to get people to do more, be more etc. Preach Christ and His work and let God use that, it is the Holy Spirit's job to take what is Christ's and bear witness to it not ours.

IWantAnguish wrote:
I replied with the words of Jesus, that everyone, which includes children, will be known by their fruits. I do not see any fruit of repentance, or faith, and no signs of love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control.

I don't know what to do. Any advice?

If you preached what YOU wanted to preach, you probably should repent but I ask you, "Did you teach/preach [b]what the HOLY SPIRIT told you[/b] to preach?" If so, you have [b]nothing[/b] to be ashamed of, period.

Please listen to this sermon by Ralph Sexton [url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=16383&commentView=itemComments]Lost Church Members[/url], this just may be what you need to put your heart at ease!
:-D

God bless!

God forbid we just let children think they are saved when they are not regenerated. Be strong and couragious. The American Gospel leaves some things out like walking in repentance. Preach Christ and him crucified. Love people with the love of Christ,Love them enough to challenge children and adults to examine themselves to see if they really are in the faith. Most of the time its obvious when children dont have good fruit and they love this world. It seems like people "of God" dont contend for the truth of the Gospel anymore. It sounds like your unwilling to preach that people are saved because they said a prayer one time. Listen to paul washer.Tell these children and parents the truth in Love.dont be a willing partner in there deception even if they hate you for it.
Peace, Derek

I never really intend to get so fired up while preaching... I just go as the Spirit leads. And when they approached me about it all, and told me to stop preaching to them as if they're lost, I wrestled with God about it last night in prayer... asking God if I couldn't give them a happy message today... and all I got in response was, don't put pearls before swine. I lose much sleep over this. =[ Prayers needed.

Have you heard the shocking youth message by paul washer?

There is message by John Rhys Watkins called the Pharisee which gives a good understand of what it means to be a Pharisee.
A Pharisee would never consider himself the be Pharisaical.

What do you think?

Yes, I have listened to it probably 15-20 times.

Zac Poonen has 3 mp3 audio recordings on Sermonindex that deal with "Characteristics Of A Pharisee" so you might like to check yourself out against these, for your own peace of mind.

They are Part 1 - SID 8253, Part 2 - 8421 and Part 3 - 8419

IWantAnguish wrote:
I never really intend to get so fired up while preaching... I just go as the Spirit leads. And when they approached me about it all, and told me to stop preaching to them as if they're lost, I wrestled with God about it last night in prayer... asking God if I couldn't give them a happy message today... and all I got in response was, don't put pearls before swine. I lose much sleep over this. =[ Prayers needed.

Dear IWantAnguish,

If you were preaching to them in the Spirit, and they felt convicted of their status before God, then maybe you are doing exactly what God wants.

[i]Heb 4:12-13 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."[/i]

Keep praying for God's guidance on how you should proceed, but if , as you said, these people are not showing any "fruits of the Spirit" in their lives, then you have a real ministry in your hands.

God bless you,
Leo

IWantAnguish,

Evaluate your whole method to preparing messages.

Firstly, where in the NT does God give directions to those who preach to not preach anything unless they directly hear it from God in some kind of supernatural fashion?

I used to do that. I would agonize myself trying to get a "word from the Lord". When, really, God wants me to use my brain, evaluate the needs of the congregation, and preach what is most needed at the time.

Standing up in front of a pulpit and claiming God gave you a message is a big claim. It's a claim to infallibility. It declares yourself a Protestant Pope. Humbly and lovingly exposit the Scriptures in a thoughtful and heartfelt way. God will bless that.

I hope you don't view what I'm saying as unspiritual and dry. I think if you practice it, you will find it to be quite the opposite.

With care in Christ,
Taylor

Another good message to check your heart against is The Danger of Pharisaism by Zac Poonen (not sure if its the same as the 3 part message mentioned earlier in this thread):

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=14590&commentView=itemComments

I believe that a heart delivering messages of the Matthew 7 kind should be drenched in prayer (for the souls being preached too) and compassion (genuine, for their well-being). This brand of preaching is very necessary today and also very wrongly done today.

Paul Washer testifies of his early days preaching these messages and how he has changed his position over his maturing process (Start at the 8 min 15 sec mark for the exact part)

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/visit.php?lid=17045

In another sermon, he mentions how he applied a cutting text to the congregation and after an older minister told him he was completely accurate and completely wrong. His spirit was in judgment and critical and thereby nullified his words.

As Carter Conlon says in the Beware the Angry Watchman message already mentioned, he says: it's easy to beat the sheep, quite another to feed them. I realize part of the issue is whether these kids are sheep or goats, but the principle remains. It's the spirit in which we approach.

Contrary to what someone mentioned, if you are asking, I think that may be the Holy Spirit telling you something is wrong.

I created this account about 3-4 years ago, prior to my conversion. I had no fruits meet for repentance, and I was searching honestly on how to be thoroughly converted. That was the primary influence upon my user name.

In regards to pearls before swine, I believe the correct interpretation of that passage to be, do not give grace unto the proud, but break the hard heart with the law of God. I could be wrong in this, but that is how I view it.

The congregation does not tremble before the law of God, and view it as something to be taken seriously. It is apparent in the way the children act towards their parents, the abundance of disrespect, and dishonor.

I hope this clarified somethings.