The Spirit of the Pharisee

I've been reading through the gospels a lot lately, and I'm seeing something that's very interesting as I look at the Pharisees. They were supposed to be the Spiritual leaders of their day, but they were corrupt, deceitful, and dirty in both heart and mind. The practiced tradition rather than what the Bible taught and they did everything for their own self-agrandizement and political gain. It was obvious they didn't care about the people they were supposed to be ministering to. In short, they had a form of godliness, but they denied the power thereof.

This is why when Jesus showed up they hated him. It's because he would not be corrupted as they were. We was not political nor was he interested in exalting them and their elistist group mentality. He viewed them as a bunch of great big PHONIES, SINNERS, and HYPOCRITES. It's because he pegged them for what they really were.

Is it no wonder then that we read the following in John 7 :1, "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him."

Because of who they were and what they wanted to do to Jesus, he had to separate himself form them. That is to say, the Pharisees were so wicked and vile in their hearts (and remember their sins were INWARD, for they often made it a point to appear sinless in the eyes of men OUTWARDLY) that they wanted to CRUCIFY Jesus. They wanted Him DEAD! Why? Because he pricked their hearts. His standing against them made them so angry they wanted to completely give in to the basest desires of their flesh and KILL Jesus rather than endure him and his constant ignoring them and not giving them the worship they so badly desired.

They prided themselves on what they did for God. Yet they never dealth with the fact that didn't know God, didn't serve God of a pure heart, and belonged to a group that consistenly chose fame, fortune, and fellowship with man over a close relationship with God.

They were religious people who were carnal and its because of them being so they wanted to MURDER those who wouldn't recognize them as they wished to be viewed.

As I thought on this, it wasn't hard for me to make a correlation to the modern Church and it's religious leaders. The Church today is FULL of modern day Pharisees. I've seen them time and again. Haven't you?

They are easy to spot. They all have the same spirit. And it's not the Spirit of Christ.

So what is the spirit of a Pharisee? Let's look at some defining factors of the Pharisees to find out.

THE CARNAL vs. THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF THE PHARISEE

The first thing we notice about the Pharisees of Jesus' day is they are all lost. They've never been regenerated. They might be claiming to be leaders of God, but they didn't know God. They were not saved. Thus, they were still in their old carnal, sinful nature. Is it then no wonder Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again!" Jesus could see their hearts and he saw a group who didn't care about truth, they only cared about control. They did not serve God out of conviction but rather out of convience. And they were not converted. They were still in their old fallen nature, desiring as little tyrants to rule over the people rather than to truly minister to them.

Jesus said of this crowd that they were then blind spiritually. And this love of their position in which they held lead to them not wanting to humble themselves to the will of God. The were prideful.

This is important. For pride is what damned the Devil. He thought he was better than God so he should just take God's place. The Pharisees felt the same, for when Jesus showed up -- God manifest in the flesh -- they wanted him dead, cause they thought they could do a better job at governing than he could. They were self-righteous and for this reason they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God.

The Pharisees of today often have this exact same spirit. I'm not saying that all religious leaders of today are lost. Some might very well be born again, but it's interesting to look at these men and see that same self-righteous attitude in them, that same spirit of I'm a leader and I'm above reproach cause I'm of God! Yet, in the flesh they continually brag only upon themselves and their group, and they are quick to crucify anyone who doesn't go along with them and their traditions. Truly, they are carnal and quick to allow their flesh to rule them, even ridiculing others who don't do things they same way they do. I often wonder if Jesus would have come in our day instead of in the times of the Jews, if the modern Pharisees would not have crucified Jesus as well. For they seem to have the same spirit.

THE PHARISEES WOULD NOT LISTEN TO EXHORTATION

When Jesus spoke, the Bible says he spake as one having authority and not as the scribes (Mark 1:22). In other words, his speech was different than theirs. Why is this? It's because he spake the TRUTH while they were busy speaking lies.

The Pharisees didn't like to hear the truth. They wanted to be the ones who were right and try to claim that everyone else was wrong. So when Jesus showed up on the scene and exposed them for what they were, religious hypocrites who preached for vain glory, he warned the people about them. He further told them what they really were, going so far as to say they were a "generation of vipers."

Jesus wasn't the only one to tell the Pharisees the truth. Peter did as well. And so did Stephen. And in Acts 7:57 we find that the Pharisees, "Stopped their ears." That is they put their fingers in their ears like a bunch of little school children, rather than sit and listen to the truth when it pointed out their sins. And what did they do? They MURDERED Stephen in cold blood. They couldn't handle the truth. They would rather shut some one up rather than let him tell the truth about them.

In Jesus' day the same is true. They wanted to KILL him for no other crime than his telling them the TRUTH. Why was this? Because the truth exposed them as wrong. It further showed they were what the people really knew they were while they were trying so hard to pretend to be something different.

And, Jesus' preaching of the truth angered them greatly because it made them look bad. (Notice Pharisees only care about themselves and their group and anything that exposes them for what they truly are makes them want to murder others).

In Matthew 15:12 we read: "Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?"

Notice the Pharisees are also easily offended. We see this same spirit in the Pharisees of today. They are easily offended by truth. They cannot receive criticism. They cannot receive instruction. They will not even examine themselves and what they believe in light of the Scriptures to see if what they teach is true. They must immediately denounce their critics and in the flesh seek to destroy them. Why? Because this is the first instinct of the flesh and a flesh-driven person. Just like their great-great-great-great, etc. grandfather Cain, who was of that wicked one, their hearts are full of hatred and malice, and they want to KILL anyone who simply questions them, their works, or their beliefs. Their hearts are full of murder. And although modern day Pharisees might not literally kill someone they don't agree with, they are quick to crucify them with words and attack them mercilessly. That leads us to my next point.

THE PHARISEES LIVE ONLY TO ATTACK OTHERS THEY DEEM A THREAT TO THEM AND THEIR GROUP

The spirit of the Pharisees is a spirit of contention. And though the Bible teaches that we should earnestly contend for the faith, we find no where in the Scriptures that we are supposed to be contending just for the fun of contending. Nor do we find that our contending should be in the flesh. Neither are we to contend with others just to exalt ourselves. Biblical contention is to contend for doctrine not to contend just to exalt a man who calls himself a doctor. In other words, it's to defend God's truth rather than man's truth. And in scriptures, we find that there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. The scriptures tell us to "speak the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15) and in a "kind and tenderhearted" manner (Eph. 4:32). Why is this? It because we are supposed to exercise "brotherly love" and perfer others in "honor" (Rom. 12:10) as we "esteem others" better than ourselves" (Phil. 2:3). Yet, this is exactly what the Pharisees will not do. It's because they think only of themselves and because they are so self-righteous, they believe they are right and everyone else is wrong. It's because of this, they love to argue, ridicule, and belittle others. It makes them feel good about themselves. They love to put others down because it lifts them up. Because they are in the flesh, they want so badly to appeal to the flesh of others and in the flesh make their enemies appear to be inferior to them. This is why they toil endlessly in trying to discredit others. They want people to only follow them. They want to be viewed as the authority and anyone who doesn't exalt them and their group must be eradicated.

In Jesus' day we read time and again that the Pharisees came to Jesus over and over with the intention of trying to tempt him. They further tried to provoke a rise out of him, hoping he too would sink to their level so he would attack them in return. They further sought to push him so hard that it would get him to say something they could use against him. This way they could attack him even the more and claim his word and doctrine was heresy. They wanted so badly to use his own words against him to try to sway the people in thier favor.

Now apply this to the modern day Pharisees. You know anyone like this? I do. Pulpits are filled with men who claim to be Pastors of flocks and Ministers who rather than exhort others spend their days attacking, oftentimes resorting to the childish practice of name-calling towards their enemies in an attempt to mock them and make them look stupid. But where are the fruits of the Spirit in this? They aren't there. That's a FLESHLY practice that is a true sign of a Pharisee.

In the Bible we are instructed how to deal with others. And if someone be overtaken in a "fault" or in "false doctrine" we are not supposed to cuss at them and call them names. Rather, we are to encourage such people to do right, and "restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Gal. 6:1).

Pharisees never do this. They don't consider themselves or do they have the spirit of meekness. Theirs is a critical spirit in which they look at themselves and their group as right and everyone else is wrong. And, rather than take the scriptures to show unto others the truth, they only appeal to the flesh in giving into their basest desires in attacking those with whom they don't agree. Where is the Spirit of Christ in this?

THE PHARISEES FIND STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

An interesting thing about the Pharisees is they are almost always found together. They like to be in a group. Not only do they live of the flesh and by the flesh, but they enjoy the company of other flesh. They are men worshippers. They worship themselves, and they worship men within their ranks whom they themselves deem worthy of special estimation. And because there is so much man worshipping man, man becomes the measure of all things. And the group quickly becomes a movement that devotes its time to exalting those within its group rather than exalting God.

Oh, they might say they are of God, but when you actually examine the group, you find that they follow each other more often than following God. They even stick up for one another and even cover one another's sins. Just look at the story of Jesus in John chapter 8. Some Pharisees came to Jesus with some stones in their hands and brought a woman taken in adultery (always thinking about killing, they were). They wanted to kill that woman, but Jesus wrote something on the ground that made them run off with their tails between their legs. What did he write? We might never know, but some theorize he simply wrote the verse which they tried to quote in allowing them to stone an adulterer. If that be the case, the verse says that both the MAN and the WOMAN under the law were to be stoned. Where was the man who committed adultery with that woman? Was it one of the Pharisees? We might never know. But Jesus' written note to them was so strong it convicted their hearts and made them drop their rocks and walk away. Some think it was because THEY were the adulterers. Who knows. But at any rate, they were protecting the man who adulterated by not bringing him as well. Pharisees will always do this. They will always protect their own. They have a mentality of "us first!" Their fellowship and society is not unlike Satan's many different "secret societies" in which men enter and defend their group no matter the cost. Yet they don't realize their membership cost them their soul.

We find that Pharisees often will never go against the status quo of their own camp. That is, they have a collectivism mentality. They do what's best for the group, and anything that isn't good for the group must be forbidden. This leads to much intimidation within their ranks, in which people who join them often find themselves in bondage to their system. They must conform or die. Or at least face ridicule for not following everyone else's way of doing things.

This leads to a very damnable society, one in which it makes it very hard to leave. Especially, if the whole becomes corrupt. For the more corrupt it becomes, the more devious its followers will be and the more malicious they will behave themselves towards those who of their own accord desire to leave their ranks in order to follow the truth, rather than corruption.

A good example of this is Nicodemus. The Bible tells us in John chapter 3 that he went by night all by himself to speak with Jesus. Why did he do this? I'm sure he feared ridicule by his peers for speaking with someone that they all viewed as the enemy. So in order to speak with Jesus, he went alone, in a time when he hoped no one would see him.

Notice how Phariseeism leads to fear. And as the Bible says, "The fear of man bringeth a snare" (Prov. 29:25).

The spirit of the Pharisee, then, is the spirit of "Convert to us and our group or die!" And this is ultimately what all Pharisees and their Phariseeical groups become--religious systems in which people must obey the laws of the group upon threat of ridicule, excommunication, and even death. See the Catholic Church and the Spanish Inquisition, the Masonic Lodge, The Illuminati, etc.

Sadly, modern day Christianity has become very Phariseeical and we are seeing the same spirit of those Pharisees of old running rampant today in modern Christian circles, denominations, and Churches. Even in my denomination, Independent Baptist, do we find this spirit of the Pharisees. And many of my peers are in a sad type of spiritual bondage in which they are afraid to come out and face the truth. For even questioning some of the things they have been taught could lead to loss of friends, support, fellowship, etc. Further, it could open one's self up to attack from others who portray this spirit of the Pharisees. For this reason they stay quiet and don't want to look at the corruption within their ranks.

As for me, I don't want anything to do with Pharisees. As I read the Bible, I'm faced with the same theme over and over again. It goes like this. A man starts out with God, but then he gets some followers. Eventually, they build a movement, but then it becomes a huge mass which eventually apostasies and falls headlong into corruption. God then sends a man to preach against it, and he then gets some followers and starts a movement that eventually apostasizes the bigger it gets and it becomes a corrupt Phariseeical organization, so then God has to send another man to come along and preach against that and the whole cycle begins anew.

But one thing I've noticed. God can do so much with just one man who's completly sold out to him, while a huge group who has the spirit of the Pharisee, although they might appear in the eyes of others to be doing a mighty work for God, is really not doing much but building a movement which eventually and consistently turns against God.

That's why it appears to me that the best thing to do in order to not have the spirit of a Pharisee is to separate yourself from men and their Phariseeical groups and just walk in the Spirit of God, serving him of a pure heart.

Are their Pharisees alive and well today? YOU BET YOUR LIFE THERE ARE! And they are everywhere! But at least now you know how to spot them. They are easy to find. For they are the ones who continually brag about themselves and what they do, exalting and magnifying men and their group rather than Jesus. They are continually in the flesh, and it shows as they have no charity whatsoever, and are quick to get offended. They also love to attack others and in the flesh ridicule and mock them, even calling them dirty and hateful names. And finally, they are those who faced with the truth would rather KILL you then hear what you have to say.

What's needed is someone to preach against them, their sin(s), and their apostate practices. Who is that man? In the Old Testament, it was many different prophets. What did they get for their service to God in preaching against corruption? Stoned, ridiculed, mocked, imprisioned, and even killed. But then Jesus showed up. What did he do? He preached against the Pharisees. What did they do? They crucified him!

So we see that it's not easy to go against the Pharisees and corruption. Yet, if you truly love God, then shouldn't you choose the Spirit of Christ rather than the spirit of the Pharisee?

The CHARISMATIC Independent Baptist Movement?

Before getting saved, I pertained to the Charismatic denomination, specifically the Pentecostal Church. During my time in that religion, I wasn't even saved. And I never learned the Bible. All they told me was "speak in tongues." But I didn't even know that Biblically, tongues were a WRITTEN, SPOKEN language like Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Spanish, English, etc. So following their teachings, I would just "babble" into the air without even knowing that I was doing something that was unscriptural. I was so deceived.

That's why I'm SOOOOOOOOO glad that my father loved me enough to tell me the truth about the doctrine of that church and I'm SOOOOOOOOO glad I got out of it. For in that denomination I saw a whole lot of false doctrine, and man made teachings, rather than following the scriptures. I further saw most of the members of that organization were led by FEELINGS rather than FACT. In other words, they chose to follow their EMOTIONS, rather than sound Biblical EVIDENCE.

So let me dogmatically state that I'm glad I LEFT the Charismatic fold, and I have no desire whatsoever to go back into it. They not only step on sound doctrine, but they also have chosen to follow man-made teachings over the word of God. And they allow themselves to be SWAYED by what men say and do, rather than by simply following the word of God as it's written.

But as I look around in the Independent Baptist movement, I'm appalled to see so many who claim to be "INDEPENDENT" Baptists who are nothing more than modern day Charismatics. Or at least they are headed that way! It bothers me. Probably because I came out of that mess and I'm seeing them headed towards the very thing I came out of. Yet when I speak up about it, I'm told I'm just a "dissenter" and a "busybody" who's talking about things he doesn't know about. Sadly, the exact opposite is true. I know more about it then they do, as I've come out of that background.

The first thing that bothers me about the Charismatic church was how much they preached so often on "money." It seemed like every sermon was on " financial blessings." And they stressed how you should GIVE to God so that he could in turn give back to you. They even had their own man-made methods of giving with their "Prosperity Gospel" that they set up years ago. It was giving not of what you have, but by FAITH giving what you don't have, trusting God to make up the difference. (Sound familiar?) And you were expected to give above what you could and trust God to bless you so you could give it.

Now, have you noticed this very same thing in the average IFB Church nowdays? It seems like all they preach about is "FAITH PROMISE." Most of them call it "Faith Promise Mission Giving." But did you know that that system or method of giving was invented by PENTECOSTALS and CHARISMATICS in the early 1900's? Yep, that same very system was all I heard from my Pentecostal preacher. That's why when I got into the IFB movement, I couldn't believe they would preach the same thing. But they do.

To read a great article about the modern FAITH PROMISE GIVING method used by modern Independent Fundamental Baptists, please read my article below:

http://confederatebaptist.blogspot.com/2010/12/faith-promise-giving.html

But that's not all. It's interesting to me that the IFB crowd likes to say things like, "All the other denominations in the world are apostate, but we are the only ones who haven't gone into apostasy. We are the only ones who aren't apostate!" Yet, when you look at some of their doctrines, they are WAY far away from where they used to be. Especially when it comes to the doctrine of Salvation.

In the Charismatic Church I remember hearing the false gospel time and again. Over and over they told me that salvation was by a "prayer" or by simply "asking Jesus into my heart." But that wasn't in the Bible. Silly me, I didn't know that, so I did that every night. In fact, I prayed every night before bed: "Now Lord, please come into my heart and save me." But it never worked. He never did. Why? Cause I hadn't heard the Gospel. It wasn't until I was 18 years old that my father took me through the scriptures and for the first time in my life I actually realized what Jesus did for me and I heard and understood the Gospel. And that's when I got saved. It was by "FAITH IN THE BLOOD" of Jesus Christ.

Yet today, I look at the IFB denomination, who once preached very hard on faith in the blood atonement of Jesus, and now most of them are saying the EXACT SAME THING as those Pentecostals I congregated with in times of old. It's common now to hear IFB Pastors, Missionaries, Evangelists, and laymen say to a sinner, "You want to get saved? Well, then just ASK JESUS INTO YOUR HEART!"

But this isn't the Gospel! It has nothing to do with it! It's not even biblical. In fact, it could open one up to demonic possession! So why are they saying this, rather than what the IFB for years used to preach, which is, Trust the blood atonement alone by faith! ?" Someone has changed their message, and it wasn't the pentecostals. They are preaching what they always have, a beggar's gospel of "inviting" Christ into your heart and life, but anyone can do this. But WHERE'S THE BLOOD? And where's the faith in it alone for salvation? It's not there.

For more about this and the modern new-age BLOODLESS gospel so prevelant today, read my book below:

http://www.rrb3.com/mypub/books/where_is_blood.htm

The next thing that bothered me in the Charismatic church was their constant use of man-made religious "PROGRAMS" to appeal to the masses and get them into their Church. It wasn't about "teaching the Bible," rather it was about sports, food, singles mixing, methods, etc. They taught more from what men said about the Bible than they did from the Bible. They used "programs" in which people would play games and have fun, rather than simply go verse by verse from the scriptures. They further would run big bus ministries to get kids in, cohercing them with candy and promises of movies, games, etc. It was about "having fun," and not about what church should be, "hearing from God through PREACHING of the scriptures."

Sadly, the modern IFB church has turned into the same thing. They have big pushes and gimmicks to get people into church, but they never stop to think that THAT is the only reason people come. They aren't there because they love God and want to hear from him. They are only there because they expect something for nothing. They are looking for a hand out.

Finally, Independent Baptists used to be just that, "INDEPENENT!" They prided themselves on being seperated and apart from others. That was their thing. And they enjoyed being different and not tied to any other denomination, organization, crowd, group, etc. Nor did they belong to a "convention" or "fellowship." Each church was it's own sovereign entity, under God.

Buy my how times have changed. Now, Independent Baptists are very much men-pleasers and crowd bunchers. They love to get together and fellowship, and they love to brag upon their numbers and their groups and their fellowships and their camps.

Further, they love to join forces with others, so they can brag about how many they are. And, like the Pharisees of old, as well as the Charismatics, they use their numbers to say things like, "Look at how many we are! God must really be in this, cause look at all the people we have on our side!"

Yet such thinking is a little fouled up. For if we were supposed to live our lives by looking at the "MAJORITY" and then follow them, then we'd all have to be either Catholic or Muslim, as those are the two biggest religious groups in the world. But we know we should join either. So why do they use that argument?

When it comes to the Spanish Bible Issue, I find that many IFBer's are now going with spanish version put out by CHICK TRACTS. This is odd, as I remember sitting around with other Independent Baptists and talking about how liberal and how charismatic chick publications is now. We used to hate the back of their tracts, as they had the "ask Jesus into your heart" gospel. But now, these very same guys are all in favor of Chick, and openly embrace it! But do they know that the majority of those at Chick's publishing are CHARISMATICS???

So, how could the modern Independent Baptist movement be so quick to hook up with a group they all claim to be against which they believe has false doctrine? It's not just these main things in which they are crossing the line and going the way of the Pentecostals and Charismatics. There are a lot of other things too. But isn't this enough for someone to stand up and say, "WAIT A MINUTE!!! You claim to be Bible Believers, so why are you gallavanting around with and preaching doctrines from people who are Charismatics, or to be fair, who have TIES with the Charismatics?" It's enough to make one sick!

For me, I'm almost to the point of leaving the IFB crowd all together. Why? They are heading the wrong way. They are marching toward the very group I came out of, and I can't go that direction with them. For, what I came out of did not give me the Gospel. Does that mean the IFB crowd is not giving the Gospel now either?

To be fair, not all IFBer's are bad. There are still a lot of good men out there who are standing for the truth against apostasy and have not compromised. But they sure are hard to find. And, I sure wish they would stand up and tell their peers the what for, because they don't seem to be saying anything. Why is that?

For me, I think I know the reason. Because to speak up against the IFB crowd is nowadays a punishable offense in the militant IFB ranks. And, it doesn't make you any friends. Rather, it opens you up to constant attack and ridicule from them. And that's what these guys do. They attack and attack and attack! (At least the Charismatic crowd had CHARITY!)

Not only do modern day militant IFBer's dedicate themselves to attacking, oftentimes being in the flesh, but they pride themselves upon their PUTTING DOWN others who don't agree with them. It's like they think that's what God put them here on earth to do, RIDICULE, rather than exhort and encourage. So they spend their time in the flesh cussing out others and gossipping and lying about them, rather than simply trying to understand where they are coming from, what they believe, and why.

This is quite interesting, because I saw this too in the Charismatic movement. I remember one occasion in particular in which people accused me of something I didn't do, and I was chewed up and spit out by others in that denomination. It wasn't until after they finished that I got a chance to speak. And that's when I told them they really should have asked me first if I was guilty of what someone had told them, because I was completely innocent. But they chose to believe GOSSIP rather than the truth.

Sadly, I'm seeing the EXACT SAME THING all too often today in the IFB movement. There is much jealousy and therefore much character assassination. And rather than call someone up and ask them if what's been said about them is true, far too many seem to want to believe a lie; to believe in gossip rather than get to the bottom of the issue and find the facts. I've always wondered why that is. Maybe it makes them feel good about themselves. I don't know. All I do know is that I'm seeing the EXACT SAME THINGS in the IFB movement that I saw in the Charismatic Church, and boy does it scare me. All I can say is, "Even so, Come Lord Jesus!" Because if he doesn't come soon, I don't feel I can go along with direction the IFB crowd is headed. They are constant BOASTERS bragging about themselves, their actions, their motions, their denomination. This is what bothered me about the Pentecostals, and it really bothers me about the IFB crowd too.

Where are those who simply stand on the truth, stand by the book, and no matter the cost will stand for what's right? Why go along with a GROUP when that group is slowly headed the wrong direction? I don't think I'll ever understand that.

All I know is the Bible is an interesting book, and has a really neat theme. It's filled with story after story of mankind growing into a large mass, and then that mass becomes apostate and corrupt. Then God choses one man to go against that group and preach to them. It's was always ONE MAN and GOD, and with God that man could do anything! God used him against the majority, because the majority was WRONG!

Why is it now that the mentality of the IFB movement is the exact opposite? For they think God can't do anything without them, and that only their group is the only one that God uses today. They have a group mentality, and unless you are part of their group, doing what they do, speaking like they speak, and practicing what they practice, you aren't one of them. I believe there's a word for such people: a MOB!

God helps us, and God please give us individual Christians who will raise up and practice DISCERNMENT and actually question if what they are doing is right. If it is, DO IT. If not, FOLLOW THE SCRIPTURES rather than following MAN.