Are You Like A Pharisee?

 

What is a Pharisee?  First we need to know what a Pharisee is.  In the New Testament we learn that the Pharisees were an ancient Jewish group who laid the foundation for the Rabbinic Judaism.  They were a religious sect, a political group, and a social movement.  They were very self-righteous, legalistic and hypocritical.  They were all about the Torah, (Jewish Law), but they were missing the key instructions on how to obey God.  They believed the Law that Moses gave, but also believed he gave oral laws.  They believed Jews were supposed to practice rituals and the Law was the only way to God.

The Pharisees had a prominent position in the synagogue during Jesus’ day.  They viewed themselves as the most righteous, the holiest and the leaders of the people.  They took the laws of the Old Testament covenant and multiplied them in ridiculous ways.  Their entire lives revolved around proving to themselves, to God and to the people just how great they were because they kept the laws.  They looked like men who honored God.

They were Jesus’ greatest human enemies.  They misjudged him but they really misjudged God and themselves.  They thought Jesus was a false teacher and were constantly trying to entrap Him.  The Pharisees didn’t like who Jesus hung out with.  They didn’t like that Jesus did miracles on the Sabbath.  They were simply jealous of Jesus.  They were rule keepers and didn’t like it when Jesus broke the rules.  They had 613 rules and commandments.    

The Pharisees didn’t get along with Jesus at all.  Jesus said they missed the big picture.  They neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness.  Jesus said they abused the Law.  He criticized them and gave them seven woes in Matthew 23.   He called them hypocrites six times.  He called them children of the blind, “whitewashed tombs”, and a “brood of vipers”.  He accused them of leading people astray, straining out a gnat but swallowing a camel, and cleaning the outside of a cup and dish while the inside is full of greed and self-indulgence.

Jesus criticized the Pharisees many times.  It’s very clear as to why the Pharisees wanted to get rid of Jesus.  In their minds by Jesus publicly criticizing them.  They thought He was drawing the Jewish people away from the true Judaism.  So they wanted to get rid of Him by any means necessary.  They followed the law to the letter and wanted to keep people in a right relationship with God, but unfortunately they didn’t recognize that He was God standing right in front of them.

They had lots of faults and Jesus called them out on them:

They were all about long prayers pretending that they were righteous (Matt. 23:14; Mark 12:40). 

They didn’t want people to be healed on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:2). 

They loved the highest seats and public greeting in the market so as to be seen by people (Matt. 23:5-10). 

They threw aside God’s commandments and made the commandments of men and turned traditions into doctrines (Mark 7:7-9).

They did a lot of talking, but didn’t practice what they preached (Matt. 23:3).

They praised God with their lips and their hearts was far from Him (Matt. 15:8).

They were fools, blind guides and hypocrites (Matt. 15:16, 23:15).

They loved to tempt, accuse and oppose Jesus (Matt. 16:1; 19:3; Mark 8:11; 10:2; 12:14; Luke 6:7).

They asked for a sign to believe when many signs had already been given, but would not believe (Matt. 12:38-42).

Are you like a Pharisee?  You might want to ask yourself these questions:

Are you prideful? 

Are you self-righteous? 

Do you do good works just for others to see? 

Do you care more about appearances than reality?

Do you see what’s wrong with others, but not what’s wrong with yourself? 

Has your heart drifted far from God like a Pharisee? 

Are you a hypocrite? 

Do you practice what you preach?

Does your life line up with biblical doctrine?

Does your life match your convictions?

Do you judge people for what they wear, what they drive, where they go to church, or how often they pray?

Do you practice your faith to be seen by others?

Do you just look like you honor God or do you actually honor Him?

Do you take pride in your knowledge of the Bible?

Do you like praise and recognition?

Do you add your convictions or traditions to the Word of God?

Do you lack love and compassion for people in need?

Do you cover your sin instead of confessing and repenting?

Do you refuse to believe? 

Do you give God only partial obedience?

Do you always need to justify yourself?

Do you tend to look down on those you think are worse sinners than you?

Do you compare your spirituality to others to see if you how well you’re doing?

Is it hard for you to be happy for others when they are honored and praised?

Do you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself?  Knowledge is not the key to reviving your heart.  God is.  Knowledge is good but doesn’t open eyes and hearts.  God does.  Humble yourself like a child and come to Jesus.  Tell Him you’re willing to change your life.  Pray that He opens your heart.  Ask Him to help you see your sin clearly and to see others as He sees them.  Allow His Word to soften your hardened heart.  Serve without seeking applause or thanks from others.  Bless someone anonymously. 

Resources

The Holy Bible – NIV

Overviewbible.com

Revelantbibleteaching.com

Reviveourhearts.com

 Join me here next time -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Can a Christian get a tattoo?

 

Tattoos have gone mainstream and are not found on just sailors and bikers.  They are now found on all kinds of people - moms, police officers, doctors, students, and even pastors.  Just because they are popular doesn’t mean they are good.

What does the Bible say about tattoos?

Leviticus 19:28 – “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourself.  I am the Lord”.  This verse is in the Bible because God wanted to protect the Israelites and keep His people different from the other nations surrounding them.  He wanted them to be set apart from other religious practices, like pagan worship and sorcery.  Tattooing was a pagan practice connected with idolatry and superstition.

Isaiah 49:16 – “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”  God is assuring His people that He will not forget them.

Revelation 19:16 says that Jesus has a tattoo on His thigh – “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:  KINGS OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”.

2 Corinthians 6:17 – “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.”

Some use 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 as an argument.  “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are no you own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”  Paul is talking about fleeing from sexual immorality.  He is saying that other sins that a person commits are outside the body, but the sexual sin is against his own body.  Your body is a temp that was bought with a price so you are to glorify God in your body.

God doesn’t condemn tattoos outright.  These kinds of marks when associated with pagan worship were forbidden.  Just because tattoos are gaining in popularity, doesn’t mean they are accepted as godly practice.   You need to ask yourself what is your motivations.  Is it based on vanity?  Is it because of rebellion?  Will it risk my health?  Is it the wisest use of my money?  Will it hurt my witness?  Will it portray hatred, violence, or something evil that is against God’s standards?  The final question to ask yourself is, will the tattoo honor God?  It all comes down to personal conviction.  The decision is between you and God.

Since Scripture doesn’t condemn tattoos themselves, doesn’t a person should get one.  You should think long and hard before heading to a tattoo parlor.  Christians are not under the Law, but under grace. It seems that Christians can do what they want as long as it honors God.  Just because others are getting tattoos doesn’t justify it.  You should ask yourself, “What am I identifying with?”

It seems whatever God desires us to do, Satan encourages us to do the opposite.  We are made in the image of God and Satan wants to change that image.  He wants us to confuse it so all sexes to look alike and confuse their sexuality.  He wants us to do whatever does not please God.  God wants us to live a clean and holy life.  God wants us to serve only Him, but the enemy wants us to serve other things.  Getting a tattoo can identify us with the world.  It can harm our testimony.  It is one more thing the world is offering from which we should be separate.

Before you get a tattoo consider these things:

Tattoos are permanent.

Consider the placement.

Know it hurts.

Health issues could interfere with your ability to heal – diabetes, heart problems, and circulation issues.

Tattoos breach the skin, meaning skin infections are possible.

Tattoos change with age.

Tattoos can fade.

Removal is expensive and not always completely effective and can leave scars.

It may hurt my testimony.

Others things to consider:

Know your tattoo artist.  States require that artists abide by certain health and safety standards. But there's no requirement that an artist have talent.  It leaves people exposed to contracting HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C.

Research shows that having visible tattoos makes is harder to get hired for a job.

Know that a tattoo could change the way you're perceived.  If you are a sensitive person, that could play into your decision.

While there is not a direct link between tattoos and skin cancer, there is enough concerning information about a possible connection to make you think twice.

Because the needles penetrate your skin, you will be exposed to potential infections.  

It seems that tattooing your partner's name on your body is a red flag that you're about to break up.

Make sure the tattoo shop is clean

Make sure the water is sterile or it could contaminate the entire ink supply, spreading infection.

You should get to know the artist and ask lots of questions.  

Watch out for misspelled tattooing.

You could face some discrimination for a visible tattoo.

Make sure your artist is experienced.  Check it out on Yelp.  If you can't find the shop's website or there doesn't seem to be any helpful information on it, that's a bad sign.

Make sure you can see examples of the artist’s work.

In Summary - Tattooing falls into “disputable matters”.  It is a controversial issue so you need to examine your motives before making that decision.  It can harm your testimony.  It is one more thing the world is offering from which we should be separate.

Principle:  Think before you ink.

Join me here next week.  -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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If you have enjoyed my post and have found if helpful, please leave a comment or share this post with the buttons below.  You still need to think before you ink, especially if you’re a Christian.  Study the Bible, pray and ask God for wisdom, and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Resources

The Holy Bible – New International Version

thelist.com/85191/big-reasons-never-get-tattoo/

huffpost.com/entry/is-it-a-sin-to-get-a-tattoo_b_4263807

independentbaptist.com/should-a-christian-get-tattoos/

How do you know your are a Christian?

 

You know you are a Christian by believing in these things:

The virgin birth of Jesus

That Jesus is the Son of God 

There is one true and living God (The Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit)

The necessity of the Cross for salvation

The Resurrection of Jesus

The second coming of Jesus

The Scriptures are the inspired Word of God

Do you love God and seek to obey His Word?

When you sin, do you feel sorry and turn away from your sin?

Are you growing to be more like Jesus by showing love, joy, patience, kindness, and self-control?

You know you are a Christian when you put God first and by not having idols.  Anything you put before God is an idol.  An idol can be a person, a material thing, a denomination or even a ministry.  A Christian is not full of pride, but humility.  You don’t have a feeling of being superior, but think of the others before yourself.

You can know you are a Christian because of God’s Word.  The Bible gives you assurance and encouragement.  By studying the Bible, it helps you grow and mature in Christ.  It guides you in the right way to live.  It tells you of God’s promises and that His promises are for all believers from the beginning of time.

You can know you are a Christian because He has given you the Holy Spirit who has sealed you for salvation.  His Spirit reminds you that we belong to God.  He intercedes for you when you pray.  He speaks to you with an inner conviction when you sin drawing you away from that sin and closer to God.  He bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God.

You can know you are a Christian when you strive to be more like Christ.  You listen when the Holy Spirits speaks to you and you are obedient to God’s Word.  You don’t live as the world does by giving in to the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes.  You love others and want the best for them.  You want to do the Father’s will and not your own.  You obey God’s call to be a witness for the Gospel of Christ.

Remember that being a Christian doesn’t mean you are perfect.  While you try to live as God wants, you will fail from time to time.  But you need to remember that Jesus died to pay the penalty for that failure.  So when you fall, get up and admit your sin and give thanks for what Jesus has done for you.  Look at what He has done rather than what you have done.  His actions, not yours, are the actions by which God has saved you.

You can be religious and go to church, mosque, or synagogue and still not be a Christian.  All roads don’t lead to God.  Jesus said He is the only way.  He is the only one who died for your sins.  You can be baptized and live a good life; you can believe in miracles, heaven and hell, but there needs to be an inward change.  You can pray and still not be a Christian.  We all pray when we are in trouble.  You can pray and pray, but if you haven’t admitted to God that you are a sinner and lost without him; if you haven’t asked His forgiveness, it won’t do any good.

1 Corinthians 11:28; 2 Corinthians 13:5 says to examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith.

Now that you know who you are as a Christian, how are you living?  Is there evidence that you are a Christian?  If anyone examined your life, would they find any spiritual fruit?  Would they find good works? 

Good works won’t save a person, but they are reasonable evidence of salvation.  God has taken care of your salvation through the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  Because of the work of Jesus Christ, your life should reflect your commitment to Him.  If you are saved, then good works will follow.  Do you exhibit the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control found in Galatians 6?  A Christian should also be God-fearing and humble.  No Christian is perfect in all these qualities, but you will continue to grow these qualities when the Spirit is at work in you.

You need to know who you are as a believer so you can live the life and destiny God intended.  Understanding who you are will give your life a strong foundation.

You are not your past or anything you have done or not done.  When you became a believer, you became a new creation.  You have a new identity.  Your old life is gone and forgiven.  You are loved and accepted as a child of God.  You are a Saint, redeemed and forgiven.  You are free from condemnation.

Ephesian 1 and 2 tell you exactly who you are as a Christian:

You were chosen before the creation of the world.

You were predestined to be adopted into God’s family.

You have redemption through the blood of Jesus.

You are marked with a seal of the promised Holy Spirit guaranteeing your inheritance.

You are enlightened so you know you have hope and riches in heaven.

You have power and strength like that power Jesus exerted when He was raised from the dead.

You were dead in your transgressions and sin in which you used to live when you followed the ways of Satan and displayed disobedience.

Now because of God’s mercy, you are made alive with Christ.

We are saved by His grace through faith, not by your works.

You are God’s workmanship created in Christ to do good works.

You were separated from Christ, but now you have been brought near to Him because of His blood.

You are at peace because Jesus Himself is peace.

You are a new creation.

You have access to the Father by one Spirit.

You are no longer aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of His household.

You are part of a community of believers joined together with other Christians building a holy temple in the Lord in which Jesus is the chief Cornerstone.

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope to see you here next time.  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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