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Seeking the perspective of Jesus

“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” Roman 14:1 NIV

I grew up in a home and a church where there were strong opinions against certain freedoms of which some Christians partook. It was a good home and church, but I now understand how far off-base they were in their theology and, more so, in their practice of right behavior before Christ. Much of their attitude had come from bad experiences with abuses that families and certain church members had seen. This caused strong convictions that some liberties were taboo for certain people, and they were strongly convinced that it was wrong for them. These opinions took another position over the years, from personal convictions to a standard for “righteous behavior.” Their healthy personal perspective turned to a “Christian legalism,” as they regarded those people who didn’t agree with their conviction as being disobedient to God’s word or believed that the person was not a “true” Christian. Because they were so consumed with their point of view being the only right view, they were unteachable. They had grown up with this traditional view. However, it was an incorrect understanding of what God’s word had to say about the matter. Worst, oh so worst, was the blatant disregard those people had for the precepts that God’s word was so clear about, as they gossiped, judged, and condemned people who disagreed with them. At this time, I was introduced to “Christian Pharisee-ism,” the effects I’ve been trying to overcome to this day.

Have you ever met a “Christian Pharisee?” If you haven’t, you haven’t missed much except a truckload of self-effort and attempts toward behavior modification of other people that will bleed them dry of joy and the freedoms God’s grace provides. You will also see another impression as you observe people who rarely smile and offer little mercy to others who disagree. Now, these people will be strongly for some things and totally against others. They are pretty black and white in their opinions. This is so because they all have in common a cultish mentality that they think they have God figured out, and they know what He is for and against. You’ll receive the impression that you had better go along with them or you are against them. Did I mention that God’s grace is a concept they don’t understand and will never pass through their life to another person? Yes, they see clearly their own perspectives, but they miss God’s completely. How so? At the core of what they espouse is a view that puts great importance on outward appearances and performance rather than God's most important criteria, the heart of the person. Consider God’s view:

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 NASB

The Apostle Paul spoke against the same “Christian Pharisee” attitudes when he wrote his letter in the Romans passage I referenced. His statement regarding “disputable matters” is a great way to say, “Let us teach and live strongly that which is clearly indisputable in God’s word about right behavior before the Lord. But on the ‘disputable’ issues, let us live in harmony with our own conviction and not attempt to write rules for others that God has not written.” Paul was dealing with people who wanted to impose their lack of freedom on those who had freedoms. They wanted the false security of rules when they needed most to marinate in God’s grace and allow His work in their hearts to make its way to the surface of their life. Like the Pharisees who spoke against Jesus, these “Christian legalists” were attempting to impose standards not from God on the people. They led God’s children down the road of performance-driven Christianity and into Christian Pharisee-ism. Regretfully, I must admit that I have, at a time in my life, lived with a performance-driven view as a Christian because of the way I was raised. During this period, my life was never more active and never less fruitful. However, in my “self-feeding” on God’s word and trying to understand His heart better, rather than accepting a traditional view dictated to me, I have discovered that there is a dynamic that will create supernatural works for God and is pleasing to Him. This dynamic comes from an intimate heart connection with Christ. In making this connection personally, I now see myself as never doing less but, conversely, never seeing more supernatural fruit. It can be explained and understood only as a work God is doing in my heart that is making its way to the surface of my life. Men, the bottom line is it is not our outside disciplines that make us godly men. We will eventually always fail in trying to manage our life this way. Only the inside-out transformation of our intimate relationship with Christ creates perspective, mercy, and a work of God’s grace through our life to our world. It is this dynamic that impacts our world with real godly influence. This is a concept that is foreign to performance-driven Christians, for they are looking for rules and formulas that can guide them rather than God’s perspective. So, how do we spot a Christian Pharisee? Let’s consider what Jesus said about “blind guides” in His famous “Seven Woes” found in Matthew 23: 13-32 (NIV). We’ll see a lot of similarities between those “blind guides” in the Christian faith.

A Pharisee seeks to keep people from intimacy with Christ: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Matthew 23:13)

A Pharisee tries to reproduce men after himself rather than after God’s heart: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.” (Matthew 23:15)

A Pharisee makes his own rules rather than following God: "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it.” (Matthew 23:16-22)

A Pharisee is performance-driven rather than heart-driven: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23)

To change, a Pharisee must undergo an inside-out heart transformation: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” (Matthew 23:25)

A Pharisee is more concerned about the outward show than inward truth: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (Matthew 23:27)

A Pharisee is proud of his religiosity but fails in his righteousness: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!” (Matthew 23:29-32)

There were many flaws with the Pharisees that Jesus pointed out. He spoke these truths to them to lead them and those they deceived away from damnation and to repentance and salvation. Instead, it led to behind doors schemes and a plan to silence the Truth. They had Him crucified. But, His truth and His voice could not be silenced, and His Church has prevailed. There have been casualties along the way. However, His truth always prevails. With this in mind, I challenge us not to be content with being spoon-fed what we should believe, for if we do, we may very well be given the wrong view. I knew I was until I sought understanding for myself. Seek diligently from God’s word the understanding that will delineate a true God perspective from a traditional religious view, a biblical worldview from a secular worldview, a grace-enabled Christian view from a performance-driven Christian view, a view through the eyes of Jesus from a view through the eyes of a Pharisee, even though he calls himself a Christian. Let us walk with Christ and in Christ. In doing so, He will create a man of conviction, clarity of purpose, moral authority, and a heart after His own. It is this heart that will influence our world. It is this grace lived out in and through our life that the world is longing for. So, as my best friend Pete McKenzie always says, “Let’s give 'em’ heaven, men!!”