3. The Pharisees had made the commandments of God of none effect by
their traditions. Matthew tells us of a
confrontation between Jesus
and the Pharisees. Matthew 15, "Then there come
to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given to God; he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition" (Matthew 15:1-6).
The Pharisees had placed their
ownideas over and above the revealed truth of God's Word. Their traditions had made void the word of God. This practice has continued even to this day. There are many who are following traditions rather
than the revealed word of truth. A great amount of division and trouble in the religious today are the direct result of men following their traditions rather than God's Word. How often have I heard people say, "Why, we have done it this way for years." Or,
"our parents did it this way." The fact that something has been done
for years does not make it wrong, but, that cannot be the reason for ourdoing whatever we may be doing. We must do what we do because we can find book, chapter, and verse for the practice. Rather than say,
"We have done it like this for years," why not say, "Here is the
passage that authorizes the practice."
The Pharisees had passed down their traditions; traditions which were not based on God's law. Can you find scriptural authority for all things which you practice and teach?
Sometimes we see even brethren
who justify their practice with the old statement, "We have been doing it like this for
years." Unless we can find better authority for a practice that this, we had better refrain from it. The religious world is divided because of this same excuse.
4. Another error of the Pharisees was that they drew near to the Lord with their mouth, but their hearts were far from Him. Hear our Lord again, "Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you,
saying, This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men" (Matthew 15:7-9). Remember, we have already seen that they "said and did not do." Unless the heart is involved in our worship, our service is vain, empty. It is the heart that must be converted.
In the ninth verse we just read from Matthew 15, Jesus accused the Pharisees of teaching as their doctrines the precepts or commandments of men. Is not this the cause of much of the religious divisions seen today? The creeds, manuals, disciplines of men divide the religious world into many groups. Most of the division is caused, not by what God has said, but by what God has not said. Men refuse to recognize the silence of the scriptures. Where God has not spoken, man has no right to infringe. The inspired apostle Peter says,
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Peter
4:11). The practice of the Pharisees is still very much present today. There are many doctrines being taught today that are based upon the commandments of men.
5.The Pharisees loved the titles and the chief seats in the synagogues. Listen to Jesus again, "But all their works they do
to be seen of men; for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the chief place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, even he who is in heaven (Matthew 23:5-9). They loved the praise of men. They
no longer were concerned about what God thought. I now read from John 12:42-43, "Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him;
but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God."
I am persuaded that there are many today who love the titles of men. They like the praise of men. They wear the titles of men. Many are offended if you do not call them by their religious titles. They are like the Pharisees of old. They demand the glory that is of men, rather than the glory that is of God. Does your religious leader wear a title given by man? Jesus said to call no man father. Obviously, He was not talking about our fleshly fathers, but rather, religious titles worn by man, given by man.
6.Lastly, the Pharisees rejected the counsel of God,
"But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected for themselves the
counsel of God, being not baptized of him" (Luke 7:30).
Counteracting the Pharisaical spirit
1.
Put on His righteousness
2. True and pure hearts of humility
3. Grace, mercy, forgiveness, yielding
to the Holy Spirit not traditions. See Gal. 1:13-14
4. True worshippers in Spirit and in
Truth.
5. Take the last place, be a servant
6. Take up the full counsel of God
We release the spirit of truth,
apostolic and prophetic anointing/utterance, discerning of spirits, and the
spirit of John the Baptist, prepare the way of the Lord. We release the move of God, a visitation of God and the spirit of truth.
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