Hi Stunned,
Actually the Pharisees were not above reproach. They only obeyed what they chose to obey to give the impression that they were obeying the law. They did easy things that could be faked to have an outward appearance of loving God and obeying Him.
Matthew 23:23-24
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
~ The law required tithing
which they did
~ The law required mercy, justice, faithfulness
which they did not do
Tithing is easy for anyone to do - outward appearance
Mercy, justice, faithfulness takes faith, the new birth (the faith of Abraham)
The epitome of hypocrisy is to tell others how to live, but not live it yourself.
This is one thing that they did correctly because Jesus told others to listen to them, so what they taught was good, but Jesus said don't do what they do. They didn't live what they preached.
The devoured widows houses
Made long prayers
They were great house cleaners
But full of robbery and self indulgence
They looked pretty on the outside
But their dead bones were hypocrisy and lawlessness
The pharisees wanted the praise of men, but didn't want the praise of God.
So what Jesus is saying is that we need more than an outward appearance, we need the inward living it out that can only come by the new birth (the faith of Abraham).
For us today, the faith of Abraham is the fulfillment of the mystery, Christ in you the hope of glory.
So what we teach, we need to be living the truth and not be like the Pharisee who says all the right and correct doctrines, teachings, but didn't live out the truth. The righteous requirements of the law were elusive to them because they lacked faith.
The question we need to ask ourselves is that now that we're in Christ are we walking out the truth for others to see?
Many here use the Pharisees as an example of those who promote works (obedience) after salvation.
It really judges both sides of the issue.
Those who promote obedience (works) after salvation ...... what's going on in their heart. Do they love and produce the fruits of righteousness? ..... those Jesus spoke of which is a life in Him where everything is birthed from love.
Those who promote grace, are they full of grace so that the grace is seen in how they walk out their life showing fruits of righteousness.....which again is living love towards others as fruit; it's lived out from the new man in Christ instead of the old man.
Those on both sides need to love in word and action. Is that going on in here? Loving one another is God's grace at work in the believer.
When we speak and disagree - are we motivated because we love the other person, or are we wanting to be right? are we angry? are we getting back because the other attacked us and hurt our feelings, our pride? do we think we know more? is knowledge puffing us up?
The Pharisees are a lesson for all of us here. Not one side over the other. They are an example for us all.
And for all of the posts, I think we all agree that Jesus is the way the truth the life. No man comes to the father except through the Son.
We all believe that we're saved by grace through faith. We all believe that works will follow those who believe, that we'll live a life of ongoing obedience to the Lord.
Most of us agree that we confess our sin and ask for God's forgiveness and He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We all believe that we're on a journey. Some of us are at different levels of maturity. So why are we beating up our own?
Those of us here, let's take the Lord's words seriously and ask ourself if we are living in hypocrisy or are we living the true grace of love towards others.
Disagreements are good and healthy. But the battling it out with put downs, belittling, name-calling, accusations, judgements and the like does not come from the Spirit of Christ.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”1 John 4:7; John 13:34-35