Proverbs 9:6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
Do you need a Pharisectomy? Will the Pharisectomy hurt? Only if you judge and criticise others.
Pastor Peter Haas wrote a book, Pharisectomy: How to Joyfully Remove Your Inner Pharisee and other Religiously Transmitted Diseases.
I heard a minister of the Gospel say, “The more that he turned toward grace and lived in its peaceful place, the more his Pharisaical attitude within him was cut away.” He determined that he had received a Pharisectomy. Of course, I laughed when I heard him say it, but realised that I could give witness to the same thing.
The closer to grace that I live and believe, the Pharisee within me is cut off and my hypocrisy is actively dealt with. Matt. 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
When I started to extend grace to everyone around me, I found it easier to acknowledge my own sin and shortcomings; therefore, I could joyfully repent of being judgemental. Rom. 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
I find that when I offer grace from a non-criticising position, there is a liberty and joy in my heart toward my brothers in the Lord. Even better is the closeness I feel in my relationship with Christ. Psalms 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
I heard a minister of the Gospel say, “The more that he turned toward grace and lived in its peaceful place, the more his Pharisaical attitude within him was cut away.” He determined that he had received a Pharisectomy. Of course, I laughed when I heard him say it, but realised that I could give witness to the same thing.
The closer to grace that I live and believe, the Pharisee within me is cut off and my hypocrisy is actively dealt with. Matt. 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
When I started to extend grace to everyone around me, I found it easier to acknowledge my own sin and shortcomings; therefore, I could joyfully repent of being judgemental. Rom. 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
I find that when I offer grace from a non-criticising position, there is a liberty and joy in my heart toward my brothers in the Lord. Even better is the closeness I feel in my relationship with Christ. Psalms 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
It is the Pharisee and his traditions within us that stop the Word of God from having an effective result in our spiritual lives. Mark 7:13a Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition. We are unwilling to change our hearts toward God’s leading, because we have been taught a tradition that is no longer working for us. Yet, we fight to keep this tradition because it is how we have always done it in the past.
I am not talking about a doctrinal principle of truth but rather when we say, “We have always done it that way in this church!” These traditions can become an Ishmael to us and hinder the move of God within us, because God is trying to get an Isaac born of vision into our hearts. Gen. 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
I am not talking about a doctrinal principle of truth but rather when we say, “We have always done it that way in this church!” These traditions can become an Ishmael to us and hinder the move of God within us, because God is trying to get an Isaac born of vision into our hearts. Gen. 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
When I lived in Queensland, Australia, there was a particular grass that I loved the smell of. The sun’s heat would cause this grass to give off a sweet curry scent. The locals call it Molasses-Grass. The dairy farmers hate it, because if their cows eat this grass, the milk will take on a spoiled taste.
The farmers are vigilant in keeping this grass out of their paddocks. We should be just as vigilant, through grace, in keeping the Pharisee out of our souls because, if we do not evict this Pharisaical attitude, our religion will produce a spoiled taste for everyone in our lives. We need to cut the Pharisee right out of us.
The farmers are vigilant in keeping this grass out of their paddocks. We should be just as vigilant, through grace, in keeping the Pharisee out of our souls because, if we do not evict this Pharisaical attitude, our religion will produce a spoiled taste for everyone in our lives. We need to cut the Pharisee right out of us.
We want the grace of our Lord to perfume and flow from our hearts, that we may represent Christ’s salvation in the beauty of His love and truth. Will this transformation from the heart of a Pharisee hurt? Will we be able to forsake the foolishness in our lives? I thank my God that He is not finished with us. He is working to bring us into His fullness. Jude 1:24 Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Amen and amen!
Thank you Miss Jasmine. I am having fun and a blessed time with this blog.
Great post Sir Norm!!! Your posts are a blessing! Thank you!
What I mean when talking about a Pharisee heart, or attitude is what Jesus was referring to when one trusted in their own righteousness rather then the righteousness that comes trough faith in Christ as grace or as a gift. God's righteousness can not be earned it is a gift. The Pharisees would make a public show of earning their righteousness and Jesus taught this was not the way to God. Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.
Could you define for me what you mean by the word "Pharisee".
Thank you miss Glennis
I love your posts. Uplifting and cheerful