I appreciate the thoughtful reply, and I understand what is at stake. The whole "God's Laws are burdensome" God's Laws are against us", contrary to us". A yoke and an evil hardship that Jesus had to come back and save us from, is all founded on the preaching that the Pharisees were trying to "Follow the Letter of the Law". But God's Word says the opposite. That is my point.
When did Jesus ever say they were following God's Laws? And what about Paul's own words in Rom. 1, and elsewhere?
Gal. 1:
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion,
how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation,
being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
I understand we have been taught that the Pharisees were trying to earn salvation by following God's Laws from our youth. But if you would just free your mind from the preaching we were born into for just a few minutes and SEE what you are saying.
Paul said He persecuted the Church of God and was more zealous than most for the "Traditions of his fathers". (Jews) Listen to Stephen:
Acts 7:
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost:
as your fathers did, so
do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels,(From God)
and have not kept it.
You said:
Can you show me anywhere in the Bible that says this? Paul was a Pharisee and was a "perfect" Pharisee. "As touching the law, a Pharisee". But the Pharisees were never following God's Laws. Zechariahs did, Noah did, Abraham did, Daniel did. But the Mainstream Preachers of Christ's time did not.
John 8:
44 Ye are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
Yet you just said the Pharisee "Loved the letter of the Law". I mean no disrespect, but how can you ignore so much of the scriptures regarding the Pharisees?
Jer. 14:
14 Then the LORD said unto me,
The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them:
they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought,
and the deceit of their heart.
Matt. 23:
4
For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay
them on men's shoulders; but they
themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Jesus described a specific group of people that WILL try and deceive us. And He warned to "Take Heed".
Matt. 24:
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For
many shall come in my name, saying,
I am Christ;
and shall deceive many.
There is only one group of people who come in Christ's Name, who teach that Jesus is truly the Messiah. "Christianity". Not Islam, or Buddha, or Atheists. Jesus warned specifically about Christians.
You and I have learned everything we know about God from their influence. If you clear your mind of this influence for just a little while and study about the Jews religion, you will find they had, like Jesus said, created their own Laws and had rejected much of God's Word.
Not all of His Laws, everybody keep some of God's Law. But the Pharisees had created their own Sabbaths where is was against god to help a sick brother during the Sabbath. God never taught that. They taught you couldn't eat or visit with a gentile. God never taught that. They preached you couldn't take a walk on the Sabbath and eat a strawberry, God never taught that.
"We have a Law, and by our Law He should die". Can you find in the Law and Prophets where God condemned Jesus to death?
No my friend, you can't because it isn't there. The Pharisees had created their own Laws. They call it the "Talmud" today. You might look into it.
Ask yourself some questions.
Why did God send the Prophets to the Pharisees of the Old Testament? These were the "traditions of Paul's fathers" Was it because they were following the letter of God's Law? Or because they had corrupted God's Law?
What if they had really "followed the letter of God's Laws"?
John 14:
23 Jesus answered and said unto him,
If a man love me,
he will keep my words: and my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
I could go on and on. The Pharisees were not follow God's Laws, they had created their own.
Why is this so hard to grasp? Why is it hard to believe that this religion, which killed Abel and the Prophets, and Jesus and Stephen, was not following God's Laws but had created their own?
Because most of todays Mainstream Christian doctrine is built on this lie. Their version of Col. 2, all of Romans, Galatians. When a man accepts the truth about the Pharisees, it exposes who Jesus said to "take Heed" of. Most people are comfortable in their deception as prophesied.
Jer. 5:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by
their means;
and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply. This is certainly an uncomfortable subject as so much church tradition rests on it.