The Enemies of Grace
Earmarks of the Pharisee

By Ron Horner

When Jesus, the son of God was on living on the earth approximately two thousand years ago he was the epitomy of grace – not necessarily the view of grace we bestow upon certain people because of their behavior social settings, but rather .

Matthew 23

1  Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,

2  saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

3  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

1 - They burden you down with things they won't do themselves & won't help you with the burden they put on you.

Whatever they tell you to observe – observe & do

Do not do according to their works

4  For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

2 – They want to be seen of men
 

5  But all their works they do to be seen by men.

They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.

3 – They love positions

6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

7 greetings in the marketplaces,

4 – They love titles - Don't demand titles

and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'

8  But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren.

9  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

 

5 – They try to keep you out of the presence of God

13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

6 – They take from the defenseless & make long prayers as a show

14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

Hypocrites – say one thing and do another

7 – They seek to duplicate their bondage

15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

8 – They make idols of things

16 "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'

Blind guide = how can someone who can't see where he is going help you get there?

17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

18 And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.'

19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.

21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it.

22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

 

9 – You make rules more important than justice, mercy and faith

23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

10 – You make the outward more important than the inward

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

26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

11 – You are dead and wicked and don't know it

27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

12 – You are self deceived

29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,

30 and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'

31 "Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.

33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
 

The enemies of the new move of God are often those who were leaders in the last move of God.

God in His mercy is sending even more prophets, wise men, and scribes in the hopes that the Pharisees will see their wickedness and turn to God in true repentance.
 

34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,

35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

The mercy of God expressed to Jerusalem

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

38 See! Your house is left to you desolate;

They didn't even know the glory had gone.
 

39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' "

Questions You Need to Ask Yourself

1 –  Do you put burdens on people that you won't do yourself?
 

Do you have false expectations of people or try to place false expectations on people?


1 - Pharisees burden you down with things they won't do themselves & won't help you with the burden they put on you.

A key to becoming disillusioned with people is to have illusions about how they should behave.

2 –  Do you do things to be seen of men?

Do you have a talent you cannot lay down?

Do you try to get your self esteem from other people besides God?


2 – Pharisees want to be seen of men
 

3 –  Do you seek position(s)?
 

Do you need to have the preferred seating?

Do you need people to "see who you know"?
 

3 – Pharisees love positions
 

4 –  Do you seek a title?

Rev. So and so, Worship Leader, Prophet, Pastor, etc.


4 – Pharisees love titles - Don't demand titles

Are you willing to be a servant whether anyone notices or not?
 

v. 11  But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
 

Are you willing to humble yourself?
 

v. 12  And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
 

5 –  Do you hinder people (actively or inactively) from entering into the presence of God?
 

5 – Pharisees try to keep you out of the presence of God

v. 13  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.


You can inactively hinder by not worshiping (sitting with your arms folded, sleeping, daydreaming, etc.) when others are worshiping.


You can actively hinder by do things that would make it harder on others to worship.
 

6 –  Do you take advantage of the defenseless?
 

Do you pray long prayers just to look spiritual?


6 – Pharisees take from the defenseless & make long prayers as a show

v. 14  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
 

7 –  Are you, by what you say or do, trying to put YOUR rules and regulations on others?

7 – Pharisees seek to duplicate their bondage

v. 15  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
 

8 –  Do you make idols of things?

You can't touch this, you can't touch that?


8 – Pharisees make idols of things

v. 16  "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.'

v. 17  Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?


The vessel is greater than the adornment on the vessel.
 

9 –  Are your rules more important that loving people?

• Justice
• Mercy
• Faith (which works by love)
  
  9 – Pharisees make rules more important than justice, mercy and faith
• v. 23  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
• v. 24  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
   

10 – Is the outside appearance more important than the heart?

• Earrings,
• Tatts
• Clothing (certain clothes aren't appropriate for Sunday morning)
• Hairstyles

10 – Pharisees make the outward more important than the inward

v. 25  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

v. 26  Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

11 – Have you died spiritually, but refuse to admit that you have and that you are undone?

11 – Pharisees are dead and wicked and don't know it

v. 27  "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

v. 28  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

12 – Are you self-deceived?

If you instantly said to yourself "Certainly not!", then maybe that is a clue that you are.

Do you think to yourself…

• "Oh, I never would do what those people over there did."
• "I'll never do something as awful as that!"
• "I'll never commit that sin."
• "I'll never become self-righteous!"

Do you refuse to acknowledge the possiblility that you could have sin in your life?

12 – Pharisees are self deceived

Hell may be in the future of the Pharisee.

v. 33  Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
 

Do you think you are without sin, or are beyond committing certain kinds of sins?

Do you have attitudes toward those who do any of these things mentioned?

Do you look down your nose on those who are struggling with some things?

v. 37  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!


You must be willing to be gathered to the closeness and protection of the Father.


v. 38  See! Your house is left to you desolate;

v. 39  for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'BLESSED is HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' "

Pharisees are set up for a removal of the presence of the LORD.
 

Pharisees want…

• Rules more than relationship
• Recognition over favor
• Titles over a right testimony
• Pretense over presence
• Self-righteousness over servanthood
• Bondage over freedom
• Idols over right ideals
• Rules over righteousness
• Outside appearance over inside cleanliness
• Rightness over righteousness
• Self-exaltation over self-abasement
• Most of all…they don't even know the glory is gone!

The Response to the Pharisaic Heart:

James 4

v. 6   But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
 

Submit to God & resist the devil (of pride & self-righteousness)

v. 7   Therefore

submit to God.

Resist the devil (who would make you proud & self-righteous) and he will flee from you.
 

v. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands & purify your hearts
 

Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and (Acts of sin need cleansing)

purify your hearts, you double-minded. (double-mindedness has to do with heart issues)
 

Truly Repent

v. 9   Lament and mourn and weep!
 

When the repentance has been wrought, joy will come

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
 

Humble Yourselves

v. 10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
 

Do not speak evil of one another

v. 11  Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12  There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

When you speak evil, you are placing judgment on their actions and have taken the place of God who is the only Judge & lawgiver

You have exalted yourself just like Lucifer did…saying "I will be like the Most High God…."
 

Don't Think You Know Everything:

v. 13  Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 

v. 14  whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

v. 15  Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

v. 16  But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

v. 17  Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
 

Definition of when you are sinning: When you know better.
 

James 5:

v. 1   Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

v. 2   Your riches are corrupted, and

your garments are moth-eaten.

v. 3   Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. 4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

v. 5   You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury;

you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

v. 6   You have condemned,

you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

v. 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

Establish Your Hearts – get them right before the LORD

v. 8   You also be patient.

Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Do not grumble against one another – it's a doorway to judgment

v. 9   Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
 

Take the prophets as your example of suffering & patience

v. 10  My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.

Remember the nature of the Lord is compassion and mercy

v. 11  Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
 

The last thing on the Pharisees mind is compassion and mercy.

Do I seek judgment first, or compassion and mercy?

Do not swear

v. 12  But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.

Not merely as an oath in a court of law, but the use of swear words in a profane sense. In one case you are asking God to "damn" something. You are passing judgment with that phrase. It is not your place.
 

Pray, sing psalms, call for the elders

v. 13  Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.

Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

v. 14  Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

v. 15  And the prayer of faith will save the sick,

and the Lord will raise him up.

And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
 

Confess your faults to one another

v. 16  Confess your trespasses to one another, and

pray for one another, that you may be healed.
 

Confession to another flies in the face of Pharisaism because they "are above sin" in their own minds.
 

The confession of trespasses brings healing – the reason we do the negative things we do is the result of pain of some kind in our lives. If the source of that pain can be healed, we will cease doing that negative behavior.
 

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.


Your prayers are hindered because you are hindered by the junk in your heart.
 

v. 17  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

v. 18  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
 

Always have a heart for restoration

v. 19  Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,

v. 20  let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

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