©1995 RBC
Ministries--Grand Rapids, MI 49555 Printed in USA
Is there a distinction worth making? Or is it only a matter of terms? Should
we be encouraged that one opinion poll found that 85 percent of Americans
consider themselves somewhat or very religious? Should we take a second look in
light of the fact that in Jesus' day He was hated by conservative religionists?
This booklet is written with the conviction that there is a fundamental
difference between Christ and religion, and that a study of the Pharisees of
Christ's day can give us insight not only into this difference but also into
ourselves.
Martin R. De Haan II, president of RBC Ministries.
THE DANGER OF BEING RELIGIOUSFrom the beginning, religion has been dangerous. Long before the Japanese
nerve-gas cult Aum Shinrikyo, people of faith have been killing one another in
the name of God. Long before Waco and Jonestown, spiritual fervour has created a
battleground where some have been saved and others have been lost.
The danger of being religious can be seen as early as our first parents. Adam
and Eve's fatal mistake occurred in an attempt to be more like God. Their error
was not that they stopped believing in God, but that they began believing in a
way that had been forbidden.
The people of Israel also got in trouble for trying to serve and worship God
on their own terms. On the threshold of the Promised Land, some Jewish men
accepted an invitation from the local women to be guests at a pagan religious
event. Within hours, thousands of Jewish people had died (Num. 25).
Saul, the first king of Israel, was no different. He lost his kingdom by
making religious errors. When Samuel the priest didn't show up in time to offer
a pre-battle sacrifice, Saul thought it was necessary to offer the sacrifice
himself. He was wrong (1 Sam. 13:8-14; see also chapter 15).
Why does God make an issue of what we believe and how we serve and worship
Him? Because He is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth
(John 4:23-24), not ritualistically and ignorantly. God wants to be worshiped
from a heart that is responding to the truth about His love and grace.
WHAT'S THE REAL DIFFERENCE?Religion and Christ are not mutually exclusive, but they are very distinct.
James, a New Testament writer and brother of Christ, wrote, "Pure and undefiled
religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their
trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27). Religion
can be many good things, but it cannot be a substitute for Christ.
Religion is something to believe and do:
Attending religious services
Enrolling children in religious schools
Showing acts of kindness
Avoiding immorality
Believing in God
Having religious affiliation
Being baptized
Receiving communion
Studying doctrine
Reading the Scriptures
Offering prayers.
Celebrating religious events
Teaching religious classes
Giving aid to the poor
Singing in the choir
Being recognized as a godly person Christ is Someone to know and trust:
Someone who is very near
Someone who has authority to help us
Someone who can forgive us
Someone who can declare us righteous
Someone who can set us apart for God
Someone who can bring God to us
Someone who can bring us to God
Someone who can include us in His will
Someone who can guide us
Someone who can teach us
Someone who can be our example
Someone who never leaves us all alone
Someone who can be trusted
Someone who can defend us
Someone who can intercede for us
Someone who can enable us
Someone who can respond to our emotions
Someone who can feel our pain
Someone who can give us joy
Someone who can give us peace
Someone who can give us hope
Someone who can give us love
Someone who has proven His love for us
Someone who has died for us
Someone who rose from the dead for us
Someone who can live His life through us
Someone who can take us all the way Home
WHAT WAS RELIGION LIKE IN CHRIST'S DAY?Jesus knew the dangers of religion. He was hated by some of the most
religious people in Jerusalem. While the sinners and outcasts of society were
attracted to Him, the religionists of His day--the Pharisees, scribes,
Sadducees, and priests--were with few exceptions His bitter enemies.
Jesus did not flatter these religious leaders. He didn't leave room for the
notion that they were godly men who had just made a mistake about Him. He said
that if they had known His Father, they would have known Him. To their face, He
called them hypocrites and blind leaders of the blind.
This isn't the storyline many of us might expect. We might expect Jesus'
enemies to surface among the atheists, secular thinkers, and criminal elements
of society. That wasn't the case. Street people were attracted to Him. Sinners
were among His friends. Even Pilate, the pagan Roman governor of Judea, was
inclined to give Jesus more consideration and benefit of the doubt. The
religious Sadducees and Pharisees of Jerusalem, however, were always trying to
discredit Jesus. They had no use for Him, and they were convinced that the world
would be a better place without Him.
A Closer Look at the Pharisees. They were not all bad. Respected as
some of the most godly and spiritually committed of the Jews, they were:
Theists, who because of their belief in the God of Israel,
advocated a God-cantered life.
Separatists, who were determined to protect Israel from being
compromised, swallowed, and absorbed into a Gentile world.
Biblicists, who believed that Israel's future depended on whether
or not they honoured and practiced the Law of God.
Populists, many of whom were craftsmen and tradesmen, therefore
identifying with the common man.
Pragmatists, who wrestled not only with what the Law said but how
it looked and applied to the smallest details of life.
Traditionalists, who carefully memorized, repeated, and entrenched
themselves in the ways of their spiritual forefathers. WHY WAS CHRIST A THREAT TO RELIGION?Religionists saw Jesus as dangerous. He caused a commotion that threatened to
destabilize the delicate religious and political balance of power in Israel. He
had a reputation for doing unexplainable things. He taught with an air of
authority and shifted attention from external matters of religion to internal
attitudes of the heart. He taught that God is not looking for people who are
doing well in their religion, but is looking for: The poor in spirit, who recognize their dependence on God in every
area of life.
Those who mourn, grieving the nature and results of sin in themselves
or in others.
The meek, who are willing to live under the authority of God.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, accepting the
rightness that comes from God.
Those who are merciful, giving undeserved relief to others in the
face of misery.
The pure in heart, who are clean on the inside.
Christ was receptive to broken hearts rather than proud religion. He
was a threat to religionists because anyone who accepted Him would never need
the religion of the Pharisees. While the Pharisees were good at detailing
obedience to the Law, Jesus taught that God would forgive the worst sinner.
Years later, an apostle of Christ and former Pharisee named Paul argued that
religious laws never had, never would, and never could save anyone from sin. In
several New Testament letters, Paul reasoned that the Law was given to show us
our need of a Savior who is superior to religion in every way possible.
Christ is superior to religion in any direction you look:
Back--He is the Creator and eternal Word who was not only with God
from the beginning, but who actually is God (John 1:1-3).
Ahead--He is our coming King and Judge who will one day rule the
earth and judge every heart (Acts 1:6-11; Rom. 14:7-12).
Up--He is our Savior and Lord who alone can reach down and save us
while at the same time provide a lordship that is loving and wise (John
3:13-16; Phil. 2:9-11).
Down--He holds us in His own hands as our Provider and Sustainer
(Col. 1:16).
Right--As we turn to the "right" to see what is morally correct, He
becomes our Teacher and Example (1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 2:6).
Left--As we turn away from what is "right," and therefore to what
is wrong, He becomes our Intercessor and Advocate (1 John 2:1-2).
Within--He is our Life, our Peace, and our Strength (Gal. 2:20;
Col. 1:27).
WHAT WERE THE MISTAKES OF THE PHARISEES?In Luke 11, Jesus confronted the Pharisees with several deficiencies of their
religion. Let's see what their faults tell us not only about the Pharisees but
also about ourselves.
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY SETTLED FOR LOOKING GOODThe protester's sign reminds me of what Jesus said to the Pharisees. Luke
11:39 likens them to a group of dishwashers who clean the outside of a
container, while leaving the inside dirty. He said, "Now you Pharisees make the
outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and
wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?
But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are
clean to you" (vv.39-41).
Jesus was referring to the careful and technically exact ritual of
handwashing that Pharisees practiced before sitting down to Religion never changes the heart of the problem. It deals with surface
issues. That's why on another occasion Jesus told a Pharisee and ruler of the
Jews that he needed to be born again (an internal, spiritual birth) if he
was ever going to see and be a part of God's kingdom (John 3).
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY MADE MUCH OF LITTLELike all other strengths, however, a capacity for trivia can become a
weakness if not kept in check. Jesus described the dangers of getting lost in
details when telling the Pharisees that a fault of their religion was to major
on minor issues. Luke 11:42 says, "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint
and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These
you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." In other words, the
little things have their place as long as we don't let them get in the way of
the more important issues.
The Pharisees were the logicians of Judaism. They made a science of carrying
the Law to its logical conclusions. They prided themselves in their ability to
think a matter through down to the smallest detail. When they tithed, for
instance, they gave a percentage of all their increase. If they owed God
a tenth of the harvest, they would give God 10 percent of everything,
including their herbs, even though the Law specifically said that it was not
necessary to do so.
The The Pharisees were like the man who goes to the auto dealer to buy a new car.
While there, he notices some accessories that seem to be just what he needs to
add a touch of class to his new "wheels." An hour later he leaves the showroom
with a smile, clutching his purchase of a coffee mug, dash compass, map holder,
and manufacturer's key chain. Like the Pharisees, he leaves with more than he
came for--and less. With trinkets in hand, he gets in his old car and heads for
home.
Religion, as good and necessary as it is, can fill us up with lesser details
that easily get the better part of our attention. What makes the problem
difficult to detect is that the process of getting good at the fine points of
Bible study, prayer, or giving can feel like it's working when it isn't. There
is no substitute for a heart of love and justice that reflects a right
relationship with God Himself.
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY LOVED THE APPROVAL OF OTHERSIt might seem better to be recognized as a good person than as a godless one.
Wouldn't it be better to be known as a priest or pastor than as a pornographer
or prostitute? Maybe not. Jesus said that unless something changed, the
Pharisees were going to the same hell as the godless. The only difference was
that Jesus reserved His severest criticism for religious people who were using
their spiritual reputation to get social attention and honors. To the
religionist Jesus said, "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in
the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces" (Luke 11:43).
We all love to be appreciated by others. We love to be approved by those who
see something praiseworthy in us. That's not bad. What is bad, however, is when
the opinions of others become more important to us than the opinions of God.
What is dangerous is when the flattery and approving attention of others becomes
like a narcotic, numbing us to our lack of love for others, to the presence and
mind of God, and to the fact that in our sober moments we know that our
reputation is far better than we are.
Being good at the rules of religion enables us to get the praise of men.
Submitting to Christ, however, is the only way to have the favor of God. This is
true even after a person has accepted Christ and entered into the religion of
the church. The question of whether we are going to play to the grandstands or
to God continues to be an issue for as long as we live.
The apostle Paul knew what it was like to struggle with human criticism and
to be found unacceptable by members of one's own spiritual family. That's why he
wrote to Christian critics in Corinth, saying, "But with me it is a very small
thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even
judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by
this; but He who judges me is the Lord" (1 Cor. 4:3-4). Later, in a second
letter to Corinth, Paul wrote, "For we dare not class ourselves or compare
ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by
themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2 Cor.
10:12).
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY PRACTICED COVER-UP RATHER THAN DISCLOSUREJesus would agree. He said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are
not aware of them" (Luke 11:44).
The following story from The People's Almanac #2 illustrates a similar
problem of dishonesty: "Once when Prussian King Frederick the Great visited
Potsdam Prison, every convict he spoke to claimed to be innocent. Finally he
came across one man under sentence of death for stealing who simply said, 'Your
Majesty, I am guilty and richly From God's point of view, religious people can be like that prison community.
Religious beliefs, ritual, and association often give people a way of denying
their shame, guilt, and need of a savior. Instead of encouraging people to
declare their inability to save themselves, religion gives people a front and
cover for their unresolved problems.
Efforts to gloss over our problems with religious activity is a
self-protective reaction that goes back to the beginning of human history. After
our first parents sinned, they were stunned by their loss of innocence. They
used fig leaves to cover themselves and fled among the trees to hide themselves
from the presence of the Lord. When the Lord came into the Garden, Adam admitted
that he had hidden himself because he was afraid.
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY ADDED TO LIFE'S BURDENSJesus knew His audience. These religious experts attached hundreds of
additional obligations to the Law of God. Yet they themselves were masters of
the loophole. They even had ways of sidestepping the law of the Sabbath, which
forbade carrying a burden on that day. William Barclay quotes pharisaic
tradition, which said, "He who carries anything, whether it be in his right
hand, or in his left hand, or in his bosom, or on his shoulder is guilty; but he
who carries anything on the back of his hand, or with his foot, or with his
mouth, or with his elbow, or with his hair, or with his money-bag turned upside
down, or between his moneybag and his shirt, or in the fold of his shirt, or in
his shoe, or in his sandal is guiltless, because he does not carry it in the
usually way of carrying it out."
Religious insiders still practice the art of brick-giving while having ways
of excusing
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY DECEIVED THEMSELVESThis is the point Jesus made in Luke 11:47-51 and in a parallel passage in
Matthew 23 when He said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because
you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,
and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been
partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Therefore you The Pharisees had fooled themselves. They didn't think of themselves as
prophet killers or Messiah killers. They didn't realize that their empty
religion actually made them enemies of God. The flesh has always been at war
with the Spirit. Religion is powerless to restrain the self-centered,
self-protective obsessions of the flesh. It takes a living Christ to change the
human heart.
History repeats itself time after time when people give themselves to
religion rather than to Christ--just like the religious people Jesus confronted.
With their lips they honor God and the Scriptures, but when a child or a mate
confesses Christ as Savior they suddenly see red.
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY TOOK AWAY THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGEHere Jesus said that religionists who were against Him had taken away from
the people "the key of knowledge." What was the key Jesus had in mind? There
seemed to be a number of possibilities. The Pharisees, for instance, took away
the key of knowledge from "the man on the street" by (1) replacing the Word of
God with tradition and trivia, (2) attempting to discredit Christ (John 14:6),
and (3) distracting others from a "right attention of heart" (the "window of
light" in Luke 11:33-35).
While In other words, if a person's "lamp" (his eye or attention of heart) is
right, then he will be filled with the knowledge of God. But if his "lamp" is
obstructed, then a person will be full of darkness (empty of the light and
knowledge of God).
What Were the Mistakes of the Pharisees?THEY MADE CONVERTS TO HELLJesus may have called the religious converts "twice as much a son of hell"
because converts are often more zealous for their faith than those who have come
to take their faith for granted. Proselytes have made a major change of life and
are ready to defend and promote it with fresh enthusiasm. They know they don't
have all the answers, but they are trusting their leaders, who supposedly know
much more than they do.
This trust would put the Pharisees' converts in real jeopardy. Since Jesus
called the Pharisees "blind leaders of the blind" (Matt. 15:14), their followers
would be doubly bound. Not only is the new convert still spiritually blind, but
he has unknowingly placed himself in the trust of a religious teacher who cannot
see where either one of them is going.
The problem with religion is that, in matters of ultimate and most extreme
importance, it offers hope where there is no hope. The implications are stunningly severe. Religionists like the Pharisees and
their converts are headed for a terrible awakening. Jesus assured us of this on
another occasion when He said, "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness
exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means
enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20).
LESSONS FROM A CONVERTED RELIGIONISTThere were about six thousand Pharisees at the time of Christ. As we have
noted, they had a reputation for holding lengthy discussions on such "fine
points" as whether it was lawful to eat an egg that had been laid on the
Sabbath.
Saul of Tarsus (later known as the apostle Paul) inherited this religious
tradition. He described himself as a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee (Acts
23:6). Before his life-changing encounter with Christ (Acts 9), Saul believed
that his standing with God was determined by his relationship to the Law.
When it came to arguable issues of scriptural application, Paul was no longer
preoccupied with the legal rulings of the scribes. Instead he pled with other
members of the family of God not to judge one another in questionable matters.
In his letter to the Romans he wrote, "Who are you to judge another's servant? .
. . So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us
not judge one Many of us need to learn from Paul's "after Christ" point of view. In an
attempt to protect ourselves from compromise, we adopt his "pre-Christ"
perspective. Adopting the way of the Pharisees, we have developed our own lists
of what a follower of Christ will or will not do. The only trouble is that
someone could keep every point on some of our lists and still be no closer to
God. A person could "religiously" refrain from alcohol, rock music, tobacco,
gambling, and going to movies and still be godless. A person could attend
church, give money, offer prayers, and read the Bible while still being angry,
critical, and mean.
THE DANGERS OF APPLICATIONMany of us believe that Bible study must be accompanied by questions like,
"What difference does it make?" and "How does it apply Certainly, it is good to struggle with questions like, "What will this truth
look like in my life?" But that is also how prior generations came up with their
lists of what Christian living "looks like." They don't smoke (unless they're
burning with anger), they don't drink (unless they're getting wired with
coffee), they don't enjoy questionable entertainment (unless it involves
gossip). That's what the Pharisees were so good at.
WHY IT MAKES SENSE TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON CHRISTIn exchange for our trust in Him, Christ does many things for us that
religion cannot do. For example: He loves us (John 15:13; Rom. 8:35).
He brings us to God (1 Tim. 2:5).
He brings God to us (Col. 1:15).
He bought us for God (Eph. 1:7).
He defends us before God (1 John 2:1).
He declares us "not guilty" (Rom. 3:24; 5:1).
He reconciles us to God (2 Cor. 5:19).
He sets us apart for God (1 Cor. 1:30).
He gives us peace with God (Rom. 5:1).
He makes us acceptable to God (Eph. 1:6).
He forgives us (Eph. 1:7).
He frees us from bondage (Rom. 8;2).
He qualifies us for adoption (Eph. 1:5).
He makes us heirs of God (Eph. 1:11).
He gives us His Spirit (John 14:16-17).
He gives us a new focus (Col. 3:1-2).
He lives within us (Col. 1:27).
He brings us into God's family (John 1:12).
He intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34).
He rescues us from Satan's power (Col. 1:13).
He places us into God's kingdom (Col. 1:13).
He gives us eternal life (Rom. 6:23).
A STUDY IN CONTRASTSThere are two sides to many issues in Scripture. This is true of the subject
of religion. In order to keep a balanced view, it is important for us to live
with the tension that holds two seemingly contradictory ideas in place.
Religion is important. The Bible is full of religious practices that
either (1) point us to God or (2) provide a channel for expressing our
relationship to God. Both Old and New Testaments are full of religious law,
principle, belief, and ritual. If we think of religion as action or conduct
indicating belief in, reverence for, and a desire to please God, then it is
clear that this religion provides: a pattern of doctrine and belief (Titus 2:1)
shared experience (Acts 2:37-47; Heb. 10:25).
outward show of inner faith (1 John 3:17-18). Religion is worthless. It is worthless if we depend on any external
actions to make us right with God. Whether before salvation or after, no amount
of religious knowledge or action can save us. Knowledge or action can only give
us a way of expressing our personal faith in Christ. In that sense we must
avoid: attempts to earn salvation (Eph. 2:8-10).
any thought of perfecting ourselves (Gal. 3:1-3).
anything that displaces Christ (Col. 2:6-8).
THE TEST OF OUR RELIGIONImagine that you are making application for heaven. What would you list as
your qualifications? I have always believed in God.
I'm thought of as a religious person.
I have tried to live a good life.
I have been baptized.
I go to church.
I haven't done anything really bad.
I have friends who will vouch for me. I hope by now you realize that if you were to list any of those
qualifications on an application for heaven, it would indicate that you don't
yet understand the worthlessness of religion.
The only application that would be accepted by heaven would be one on which
you listed your qualifications as follows: I can cite no merit of my own.
I have been a sinner from birth.
I am coming not in my name but in Christ's.
I believe He is the Son of God and my Savior.
I have accepted His sacrifice for my sins.
I believe He rose from the dead.
I have put my trust in Him to save me.
DEFINING OUR TERMSChrist--the second person of the triune God who became a member of the
human race, lived a sinless life, was crucified, and rose from the dead to offer
salvation to all who put their trust in Him.
Communion--a symbolic ceremony of bread and wine to remind believers
of Christ's death for them.
Cross--the form of execution by which Christ suffered and died in our
place to pay for our sins.
Faith--personal trust which, when placed in the person of Christ,
forms the heart of true religion.
Justification--to be "declared righteous." In salvation, God extends
to all who trust in Christ the legal status of being right with Him.
Legalist--someone who trusts the Law to do for him what only Christ
can do.
Religion--a system of thought and conduct expressing belief in God.
Religionist--someone who trusts religion to do for him what only
Christ can do.
Repentance--a change of mind evidenced by a change of behaviour.
Resurrection--the act by which Christ rose bodily from death, showing
the value of His sacrifice and His ability to live His life through all who
trust Him.
Salvation--God's loving offer to save from the past, present, and
future effects of sin everyone who puts his faith in Christ.
Sin--any violation of God's moral laws; carries the penalty of eternal
death.
Water baptism--a symbolic ceremony that is an outward declaration of
personal belief in Christ.
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