Pharisee
1.Pharisee A member of an ancient Jewish sect that emphasized strict interpretation and observance of the Mosaic law in both its oral and written form.
2.A hypocritically self-righteous person.
The Pharisse way is alive and well and expressed abundantly in our religious organizations. We do it naturally as we want to all be a part of something. We want to be on the same team and we want to follow all the same rules. We need and want to know what is right and what is wrong. We want to make sure all the lines are drawn in the sand. The only thing that has changed is it no longer Mosiac law that must be observed. The law that must be observed, is the religious organizations interpretations law.
I shake my head. You see, we are no longer bound by any of these "Laws". We have freedom from the law. Yet as soon as the church realized it, they made up a whole new set of laws. These laws defy thought. They are "grace" laws which actually require our "personal intervention" in order to fulfill this "Grace". Its obscene.
I have read prophesy after prophesy that tells me that God WILL assemble His people. This will happen regardless of any religious law that I may follow. I studied for years with people who told me " We are not bound by Law, but by grace AND we must follow certain religious practices in order for this Grace to be extended to us. This seems foolish to me now. The minute we realize we have grace...we turn it into law....thats what we do AND we are not happy unless we hold each other to the same bondage as we declare for ourselves.
I am shown in scripture, that I am a prophet. Am I a false prophet? or am I a prophet of God? or a prophet of my own imagining? I am told in scripture that I am a minister of the word. Am I a rogue minister? In order to be a minister, must I be ordained to a particular religious point of view?
I think its much simpler. I simply must follow Spirit. That is the personal voice of God in me. I was made in Gods image. I was reconcilled to God. Gods Spirit was put in me. Its the whole package and everything I need for my relationship to the creator has been provided. What more is required? No more doctrine needed..... No more laws required. A simple joining of Spirit. Jesus told me...You be in me and I'll be in you. Thats it. Thats all. No hail marys....No confessions of faith. No tithing.....No outward acts to prove anything....nothing needs to be proven. God is Alpha and Omega and owns both sides of the coin.
So people, when you read the scriptures and come to the many scathing remarks that Christ made against the Pharisee's, I think you might just want to check your eye to see if there are any stumps there...(bad christian humour)...oh and I will do the same.
In the meantime, I bid you peace, love and joy beyond circumstance
Very well thought out and written. I came to a similar conclusion. Human law is often a weapon for the lawless to use as a means to mess with the law abiding. The Law of Nature, in its highest form, is the Spirit of God's love moving through existence. Simple, clear and not subject to inconsistencies.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy and appreciate these Spirit teachings Don. Thanks
I recall coming across the following some time ago and love the message it conveys and how it's as relevant today as when it was written in 1765.
ReplyDeletePeace
Alex
John Wesley on Differences of Opinion Among Christians
If there [is] a difference of opinion, where is our religion, if we cannot think and let think?
-John Wesley, “The Lord Our Righteousness,” preached at the Chapel in West-Street, Seven Dials, Sunday, November 24, 1765.
From the "Preface" to Sermons On Several Occasions,
1872 Reprint of the 1771 edition of the Sermons
But some may say, I have mistaken the way myself, although I take it upon myself to teach others. It is probable many will think this, and it is very possible that I have. But I trust, whereinsoever I have mistaken, my mind is open to conviction. I sincerely desire to be better informed. I say to God and man, "What I know not, teach thou me!"
Are you persuaded that you see more clearly than me? It is not unlikely that you may. Then treat me as you would desire to be treated yourself upon a change of circumstances. Point out to me a better way than I have yet known. Show me it is so, by plain proof of Scripture. And if I linger in the path I have accustomed to tread, and am therefore unwilling to leave it, labour with me a little; take me by the hand, and lead me as I am able to bear. But be not displeased if I entreat you not to beat me down in order to quicken my pace: I can go but feebly and slowly at best; then, I should not be able to go at all. May I not request of you, further, not to give me hard names in order to bring me into the right way. Suppose I were ever so much in the wrong, I doubt this would not set me right. Rather, it would make me run so much the farther from you, and so get more and more out of the way
Nay, perhaps, if you are angry, so shall I be too; and then there will be small hopes of finding the truth. If once anger arises, [aute kapnos], (as Homer somewhere expresses it,) this smoke will so dim the eyes of my soul, that I shall be able to see nothing clearly. For God’s sake, if it be possible to avoid it, let us not provoke one another to wrath. Let us not kindle in each other this fire of hell; much less blow it up into a flame. If we could discern truth by that dreadful light, would it not be a loss rather than gain? For, how far is love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth itself without love! We may die without the knowledge of many truths, and yet be carried into Abraham’s bosom. But if we die without love, what will knowledge avail? Just as much as it avails the devil and his angels!
The God of love forbid that we should ever make the trial. May he prepare us for the knowledge of all truth, by filling our hearts with all his love, and with all joy and peace in believing!
I remember coming across this some time ago and am so amazed at how it speaks as loudly today as it did when it was written in 1765.
ReplyDeletePeace
Alex
John Wesley on Differences of Opinion Among Christians
If there [is] a difference of opinion, where is our religion, if we cannot think and let think?
-John Wesley, “The Lord Our Righteousness,” preached at the Chapel in West-Street, Seven Dials, Sunday, November 24, 1765.
From the "Preface" to Sermons On Several Occasions,
1872 Reprint of the 1771 edition of the Sermons
But some may say, I have mistaken the way myself, although I take it upon myself to teach others. It is probable many will think this, and it is very possible that I have. But I trust, whereinsoever I have mistaken, my mind is open to conviction. I sincerely desire to be better informed. I say to God and man, "What I know not, teach thou me!"
Are you persuaded that you see more clearly than me? It is not unlikely that you may. Then treat me as you would desire to be treated yourself upon a change of circumstances. Point out to me a better way than I have yet known. Show me it is so, by plain proof of Scripture. And if I linger in the path I have accustomed to tread, and am therefore unwilling to leave it, labour with me a little; take me by the hand, and lead me as I am able to bear. But be not displeased if I entreat you not to beat me down in order to quicken my pace: I can go but feebly and slowly at best; then, I should not be able to go at all. May I not request of you, further, not to give me hard names in order to bring me into the right way. Suppose I were ever so much in the wrong, I doubt this would not set me right. Rather, it would make me run so much the farther from you, and so get more and more out of the way
Nay, perhaps, if you are angry, so shall I be too; and then there will be small hopes of finding the truth. If once anger arises, [aute kapnos], (as Homer somewhere expresses it,) this smoke will so dim the eyes of my soul, that I shall be able to see nothing clearly. For God’s sake, if it be possible to avoid it, let us not provoke one another to wrath. Let us not kindle in each other this fire of hell; much less blow it up into a flame. If we could discern truth by that dreadful light, would it not be a loss rather than gain? For, how far is love, even with many wrong opinions, to be preferred before truth itself without love! We may die without the knowledge of many truths, and yet be carried into Abraham’s bosom. But if we die without love, what will knowledge avail? Just as much as it avails the devil and his angels!
The God of love forbid that we should ever make the trial. May he prepare us for the knowledge of all truth, by filling our hearts with all his love, and with all joy and peace in believing!
Issac Newton...
ReplyDeleteLet me therefore beg of thee not to trust to the opinion of any man concerning these things, for so it is great odds but thou shalt be deceived. Much less ought thou to rely upon the judgment of the multitude, for so thou shalt certainly be deceived. But search the scriptures thyself and that by frequent reading and constant meditation upon what thou reads, and earnest prayer to God to enlighten thine understanding if thou desires to find the truth. Which if thou shalt at length attain thou wilt value above all other treasures in the world by reason of the assurance and vigour it will add to thy faith, and steady satisfaction to thy mind which he only can know how to estimate who shall experience it.
Peace
Alex