Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees

Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.

26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean.

Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

28 So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

We live in a time when the mentality of the Scribes and Pharisees has returned. Those who appoint themselves judges over others live in pride and arrogance as they judge those they have no business judging. Judging the righteous for not following them in their apostate ways while elevating those who do follow them.

This is one of the many reasons I belive we are living in the very end of days when the church will soon be taken out to meet Christ in the air.

We will be surprised at who is left behind because the outside looked good but the inside was full of rebellion, appearances will not work for those who are deeply in love with themselves.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

Walking in Pride is Bondage, Walking in Humility is Freedom

When we walk in love we will care more about how sin affects the life of our friend than we do about whether or not our friend likes us. If we are rejected for speaking the truth of the Word of God then we know this person was never a friend and can let them go and leave them to God.

I am not talking about those who judge everyone according to their own human doctrine, but judge righteously according to what the Bible actually says about a matter.

There are many people who place burdens on others not according to the Bible but according to their desired idea of what holiness looks like.

Our culture loves to snatch passages of the Bible out of their context to make it say what they prefer to believe and are intensely resistant to correction or teaching. In short, they are "know-it-alls" who never admit their errors and will not go to prayer to find out the truth. Humility is not their strength, pride rules them.

Proverbs 8:13: "To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech".

Proverbs 11:2: "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom".

Proverbs 16:5: "The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished".

Proverbs 11:2: "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom"

Provebers 15:28-31

"The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

29 The Lord is far from the wicked,

But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

30 Bright eyes gladden the heart;

Good news refreshes the bones.

31 One whose ear listens to a life-giving rebuke

Will stay among the wise."

Proverbs 28:1 "1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion."

Those who love Christ are willing to hear scripture from anyone, answering with scripture, even pondering something they heard they never knew taking it to the Bible and prayer to see if what they heard is true. These people do not rage or mock or dismiss, they search for truth in humility answering according to God's Word.

The thing about humble people who seek Christ is that they are never intimidated by the manipulation tactics of the devil, they are steady, able to admit when they were wrong but bold when they have proven God's Word.

Those who are prideful walk in shame all the time unable to cleanse their souls from error, continually covering up the truth to maintain their stance as superior.

Romans 10:11

"11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”

Walking in truth able to admit our errors eliminates shame and creates righteousness, the greatest freedom there is on earth. Those who walk in shame and pride are in bondage and will not be free until they can weep over their sinful pride.

1 Peter 2:6

"For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

Forgiveness is for the Purpose of Reconciliation not Good Feelings About Ourselves

Forgiveness is for the healing of a broken relationships. Confession of offense and forgiveness when confession occurs is the criteria God gives for reconciling a relationship.

Forgiveness is not for us to feel better about ourselves, all by itself it does nothing of what God intended. When there is confession of offense there is sorrow over having offended then the relationship can be restored.

Luke 17:4 says, "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him".

Why does nearly everyone leave out the part that says; "if he sins and comes to say "I repent"?

Doing anything just for ourselves is not Biblical.

Philippians 2:3

Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others more significant than yourself"

Those who have sinned need to be sorry to grow and become better, when we do not require this but only want to feel better about ourselves this is selfishness.

Psychology says we must forgive to avoid becoming bitter, but God said to pray for those who abuse us, treat them differently than they treated us when in their company but remove ourselves if they will not repent.

Psychology pressures the offended party to forgive but does not pressure the offender to confess their sin. This is the opposite of what God says to do. Nothing we do is "just for ourselves", all that we do has a greater purpose and that is to be what God meant for us to be that will help others move from sinfulness to holiness by their own choice.

Ignoring sin without consequences makes sin grow, it does not resolve anything. Sometimes we have to do the hard unpleasant things for the future greater good.

2 Timothy 3:5 God does not say to forgive those who are rebellious and unrepentant, He says to get away from them.l

2 Timothy 3:1-5

Difficult Times Will Come

3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good,

4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 holding to a form of [b]godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."

Last phrase in verse 5 says; "avoid such people."

Love God's Way

1 John 3:14-15

"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death"

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, / gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Ephesians 4:2

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. / Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. / And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Romans 12:9-10

Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. / Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

1 John 4:7-8

Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. / Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 3:16-18

By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. / If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? / Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

Philippians 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. / Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

2 Timothy 2:24

And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.

James 1:19-20

My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, / for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

Proverbs 10:12

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.

"4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.

5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered,

6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 8 Love never fails; "

Wow, I guess God is pretty clear about the nature of love!