The Pharisee vs The Christian

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Mathew Ward

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The Pharisee is motivated by GUILT; the Christian is motivated by GRATITUDE.

The Pharisee operates in FEAR; the Christian operates in FAITH.

The Pharisee lives spiritually by his LIST; the Christian lives spiritually by his LIFE IN CHRIST .

The Pharisee works by INTIMIDATION; the Christian works by INSTRUCTION.

The Pharisee sees it as a DUTY; the Christian sees it as a DELIGHT.

The Pharisee works primarily on the OUTWARD; the Christian works primarily on the INWARD.

The Pharisee wants religious UNIFORMITY vs the Christian wants spiritual UNITY

The Pharisee wants to LORD OVER OTHERS; the Christian want to SERVE OTHERS.

The Pharisee is moved by the LAW; the Christian is moved by God’s LOVE.

The Pharisee loves TRADITION; the Christian loves TRUTH.

The Pharisee has a man-centered MOVEMENT; the Christian has a God-centered MINISTRY.

The Pharisee labors by the LETTER; the Christian labors by the SPIRIT.

The Pharisee lives for the LAW; the Christian lives for the LORD.

The Pharisee studies the Bible in IGNORANCE; the Christian studies the Bible in ILLUMINATION.

The Pharisee has a RELIGION; the Christian has a RELATIONSHIP.


Having lived many of my years as a Pharisee, there are times that I sadly act as a Pharisee and not as a Christian. This list is not directed at anyone in particular, but may you and I be encouraged to look at our own lives introspectively to determine where we are at and ask God to help us not to live in a Pharisaical way but in a Christ honoring way as a Christian.

 
Great thoughts. This all fits so well with what I have been working through lately.

Surrender. Can anyone actually live the life Jesus offers without being fully surrendered in the areas you mention (plus everything else)?

His yoke is easy. Yet I still have a hard time surrendering to it.
 
subllibrm said:
Great thoughts. This all fits so well with what I have been working through lately.

Surrender. Can anyone actually live the life Jesus offers without being fully surrendered in the areas you mention (plus everything else)?

His yoke is easy. Yet I still have a hard time surrendering to it.
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Hard?  That's Matthew's point!  If you are actually TRYING to be anything then you are FAILING.

Just clear your mind, assume a yoga position and simply.......................................be...............................................................yyymmmmmmmmmmm..............................................................................just...... ...............................................be............................................... ...................................ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............................................
 
I am motivated by gratitude, but when I fall short, I pray I feel guilt (i prefer conviction),

I operate by faith, but never want to lose a fear of God,

I delight in serving God, but I also consider it a duty,

I work on the inward, and it always also affects the outward,

I seek Spirit led unity, but find that it produces a Spirit sanctioned uniformity,

I am moved by God's love, but have not lost respect for God's law,

I love truth, but don't feel like I have to desecrate sensible tradition to prove it,

I oversee a God-centered ministry, that produces men moving to do His will,

I labor in the Spirit, knowing that the Spirit will not violate God's Holy Word,

I live for the Lord, and prove my love to Him (at his request) by keeping His commandments,

I study the Bible by illumination, and it keeps me from being ignorant,

I seek a relationship, and it produces a pure religion. 

As for intimidation and lording over, well, most rebels at some point accuse authority of that......



Point is, these (mostly) are two sides of the same coin.  You can never separate loving God from serving and obeying Him........
 
Frag said:
subllibrm said:
Great thoughts. This all fits so well with what I have been working through lately.

Surrender. Can anyone actually live the life Jesus offers without being fully surrendered in the areas you mention (plus everything else)?

His yoke is easy. Yet I still have a hard time surrendering to it.
Click to expand...
Hard?  That's Matthew's point!  If you are actually TRYING to be anything then you are FAILING.
Click to expand...

Then Paul was a failure too, putting me in good company.
 
Frag said:
I am motivated by gratitude, but when I fall short, I pray I feel guilt (i prefer conviction),

I operate by faith, but never want to lose a fear of God,

I delight in serving God, but I also consider it a duty,

I work on the inward, and it always also affects the outward,

I seek Spirit led unity, but find that it produces a Spirit sanctioned uniformity,

I am moved by God's love, but have not lost respect for God's law,

I love truth, but don't feel like I have to desecrate sensible tradition to prove it,

I oversee a God-centered ministry, that produces men moving to do His will,

I labor in the Spirit, knowing that the Spirit will not violate God's Holy Word,

I live for the Lord, and prove my love to Him (at his request) by keeping His commandments,

I study the Bible by illumination, and it keeps me from being ignorant,

I seek a relationship, and it produces a pure religion. 

As for intimidation and lording over, well, most rebels at some point accuse authority of that......



Point is, these (mostly) are two sides of the same coin.  You can never separate loving God from serving and obeying Him........
Click to expand...

Thanks Jerry, you helped prove Mathew's point
 
Frag said:
I am motivated by gratitude, but when I fall short, I pray I feel guilt (i prefer conviction),

I operate by faith, but never want to lose a fear of God,

I delight in serving God, but I also consider it a duty,

I work on the inward, and it always also affects the outward,

I seek Spirit led unity, but find that it produces a Spirit sanctioned uniformity,

I am moved by God's love, but have not lost respect for God's law,

I love truth, but don't feel like I have to desecrate sensible tradition to prove it,

I oversee a God-centered ministry, that produces men moving to do His will,

I labor in the Spirit, knowing that the Spirit will not violate God's Holy Word,

I live for the Lord, and prove my love to Him (at his request) by keeping His commandments,

I study the Bible by illumination, and it keeps me from being ignorant,

I seek a relationship, and it produces a pure religion. 

As for intimidation and lording over, well, most rebels at some point accuse authority of that......



Point is, these (mostly) are two sides of the same coin.  You can never separate loving God from serving and obeying Him........
Click to expand...

I confess to struggling with faith and you accuse me of works. Yet you post a laundry list of your works.  :-\
 
Mathew Ward said:
The Pharisee is motivated by GUILT; the Christian is motivated by GRATITUDE.

The Pharisee operates in FEAR; the Christian operates in FAITH.

The Pharisee lives spiritually by his LIST; the Christian lives spiritually by his LIFE IN CHRIST .

The Pharisee works by INTIMIDATION; the Christian works by INSTRUCTION.

The Pharisee sees it as a DUTY; the Christian sees it as a DELIGHT.

The Pharisee works primarily on the OUTWARD; the Christian works primarily on the INWARD.

The Pharisee wants religious UNIFORMITY vs the Christian wants spiritual UNITY

The Pharisee wants to LORD OVER OTHERS; the Christian want to SERVE OTHERS.

The Pharisee is moved by the LAW; the Christian is moved by God’s LOVE.

The Pharisee loves TRADITION; the Christian loves TRUTH.

The Pharisee has a man-centered MOVEMENT; the Christian has a God-centered MINISTRY.

The Pharisee labors by the LETTER; the Christian labors by the SPIRIT.

The Pharisee lives for the LAW; the Christian lives for the LORD.

The Pharisee studies the Bible in IGNORANCE; the Christian studies the Bible in ILLUMINATION.

The Pharisee has a RELIGION; the Christian has a RELATIONSHIP.


Having lived many of my years as a Pharisee, there are times that I sadly act as a Pharisee and not as a Christian. This list is not directed at anyone in particular, but may you and I be encouraged to look at our own lives introspectively to determine where we are at and ask God to help us not to live in a Pharisaical way but in a Christ honoring way as a Christian.
Click to expand...

Thank you for sharing. I need to print this out and hang it on the wall ....
 
Tarheel Baptist said:
Mathew Ward said:
Tarheel Baptist said:
Mathew Ward said:
Tarheel Baptist said:
I thank God I'm not like Mathew
Click to expand...

Fixed it for ya  ;)
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I said exactly what I meant to say.... ;)
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Well I'm glad that you can rejoice that you are not like other men. ;)
Click to expand...

I'm working on a list about it... ;)
Click to expand...

I hope it come out well for you. I look forward to seeing you post your list on how you are glad that you are not like other men.

Sarcasm on...But, tongue-in-cheek, here are some suggestions for your list from your recent topics...

I'm glad I don't celebrate modern Valentine's Day.
I'm glad I don't have nude worship in my church.
I'm glad I don't plagiarize my sermons.
I'm glad I watch fox news and not those liberal ones.
I'm glad we do church heavy and not church lite.
I'm glad I don't complain and I show maximum love, especially on the fff.
I'm glad there are no liberals in our state SBC, at least none I hang with.

I will say you're welcome in advance...sarcasm off...

Have a great day bro, praying for your mom...
 
Mathew Ward said:
Tarheel Baptist said:
Mathew Ward said:
Tarheel Baptist said:
Mathew Ward said:
Tarheel Baptist said:
I thank God I'm not like Mathew
Click to expand...

Fixed it for ya  ;)
Click to expand...

I said exactly what I meant to say.... ;)
Click to expand...

Well I'm glad that you can rejoice that you are not like other men. ;)
Click to expand...

I'm working on a list about it... ;)
Click to expand...

I hope it come out well for you. I look forward to seeing you post your list on how you are glad that you are not like other men.

Sarcasm on...But, tongue-in-cheek, here are some suggestions for your list from your recent topics...

I'm glad I don't celebrate modern Valentine's Day.
I'm glad I don't have nude worship in my church.
I'm glad I don't plagiarize my sermons.
I'm glad I watch fox news and not those liberal ones.
I'm glad we do church heavy and not church lite.
I'm glad I don't complain and I show maximum love, especially on the fff.
I'm glad there are no liberals in our state SBC, at least none I hang with.

I will say you're welcome in advance...sarcasm off...

Have a great day bro, praying for your mom...
Click to expand...

I'm thankful I'm not like other men.... ;)
 
Evangelicals disguised as Baptist are always amusing....


They pride themselves on having their motives right.  They are unproductive, unseparated, unconcerned, unmotivated, underachievers, but hey, at least they are not doing anything for the right reasons......
 
Frag said:
Evangelicals disguised as Baptist are always amusing....


They pride themselves on having their motives right.  They are unproductive, unseparated, unconcerned, unmotivated, underachievers, but hey, at least they are not doing anything for the right reasons......
Click to expand...

We are glad that you have so much productivity to be "proud" of. Enjoy the fall that cometh after.  ;)
 
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