PROFILE OF A PHARISEE

A Profile of PhariseesBeloved,This is by no means an exhaustive list, but adequate for me to re-examine my life and Ministry. It is enough for me to be on guard and ready to cast down any and all imaginations and any high thing that would exalt itself against the knowledge of Christ. 1. have the capacity to regard other people as sinners, but not themselves (Matt 9:11)2. derive enjoyment from testing other’s but they do not like to be tested (Matt 16:1-4)3. use their hypocrisy to trap others (Matt 22:15-21)4. load their audience with unnecessary burdens (Matt 23:1-4)5. major in minors so they can avoid what is truly important (Matt 23:25-28)6. are like yeast that permeates whatever it contacts (Mark 8:15)7. are constantly looking for ways to catch the verbal mistakes of others (Mark 12:13-17)8. look for reasons to accuse others (Luke 6:1-11)9. are extremely fickle (Luke 7:31-35)10. cannot fathom the joy of genuine forgiveness (Luke 7:40-43)11. seldom practice common courtesy (Luke 7:44-46)12. look for flaws in others (Luke 11:38)13. treat symptoms but ignore the underlying causes of problems (Luke 11:39-41)14. clamor for the important seats (Luke 11:43)15. become highly insulted when they are warned about their hypocrisy (Luke 11:45)16. hate to see Jesus do good things for others (Luke 14:1-14)17. trust their own righteousness (Luke 18:9)18. are quick to condemn others (Luke 19:39)19. can be hungry for real truth (John 3: 1,2)20. like to pit one person against another one (John 4:1,2)21. like to make a public spectacle of others (John 8:3)22. enjoy charging others with sins (John 8:4)23. become jealous when someone else confronts real problems (John 9:15)24. cannot stand competition ((John 12:19)25. love to put people out of their group (John 12:42)26. are offended when others disagree with them (Matt 15:12)27. love to quibble over minor matters (Matt 19:2-12)28. cannot stand it when Jesus forgives someone (John 8:9)In Christ,tony

That's a very powerful and sobering list, my brother.

Tony,thank you for this. I can see that i am still in need of some work here. It is better to prayerfully consider things before I say them. When you have the gift of discernment it is hard not to nit pik everything. I am learning to pray for and love them anyway- learning how to have compassion because i know that I am also a sinner.This reminds me of another article I posted last year from Zac Poonen called 'The Five Sins Jesus Hated the Most'. I think I'll post it again as a reminder to myself and others. It's a good word. :-) In His love, chanin

28. cannot stand it when Jesus forgives someone (John 8:9)What a powerful and sobering list. I suppose I'm a recovering Pharisee myself. The Encyclopedia Judaica says there used to be 7 types of Pharisees; five were hypocrites and the other two were likened to Abraham and Job. It is amazing to me how Paul the Apostle was so radically changed once the Holy Ghost came into his life. He went from killing Christians, thinking he was actually doing God a service, to spending himself and being spent for Christ.Honestly, I have had a reputation for being pharisee. Even very 'radical.' Calling people to repent and all. Yet, there must be love in all this call to repentance. God has driven that fact home to me these last few weeks. I have been sitting on the other side of the bench listening to others call for repentance. Some things I have heard reached into uncharted waters even for a guy as 'radical' as I am. As I would say, 'the stuff took me to a whole new level.' Friend, Pharisees and Zealots are not Prophets even when you combine them. Listen to Paul, Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,... (Philippians 3) Paul was a 'zealous' Pharisee, but it did not qualify him for ministry. He killed Christians? I wonder had anyone stopped to consider how Jesus tightened down the requirements of the Law and simultaneously demanded the people to forgive and show mercy? The woman taken in adultery was brought by the Pharisees who had no doubt heard Jesus totally close loopholes of any type of illicit sin- including that of the heart. The Pharisees may have thought he would have struck her dead instantly. What did he do? What did he write? What did he say? My question is where was the man? Why did they not bring him? Because that's the way people are. They want to bring judgment on folk hypocritically. Yet, the message is still the same- he that is without sin cast the first stone.Again, the Lord Jesus did not give the Gospels to add an adendum to the Law to add more ammunition to those who seek to damn folk. He spoke those words for 2 reasons:1) To utterly condemn any who thought they were not sinners.2) To demonstrate how a person will live who walks in the Spirit.Those people were no more capable of living what He was teaching than the Law without the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost came- men and women can live that life. It is the Spirit filled life for Spirit filled people. Those who miss 'the mark' need repentance, forgiveness, regeneration, and filled with the Spirit. God Bless,-Robert

I received number 29, for the list "Profile of a Pharisee" this morning by email, no scripture reference was given.29. recoil, when Grace is taught and preached.