I’m dealing with a little writer’s block at the moment. As I try to dial down into what I’m supposed to writing about, I keep hitting on something. So I’m writing this in an effort to clear some of the blockage.
You know who it’s o.k. for Evangelical Christians to hate? Especially Charismatic Evangelical Christians? You might be guessing President Obama or anybody who tries to take their guns away or maybe even Democrats. But no, our real whipping boys are the Pharisees. I suppose it’s a posthumous sort of hate but then we also love to whip the name label out and use it on anybody who makes even the remotest suggestion that God is unlikely to do what we say he does or that our behavior may, in some way, be affecting our relationship with God.
Legalist.
Pharisee.
And we make careless judgments about the Pharisees simply because it’s o.k. to hate “them.” We somehow feel like we know them and know them well simply because we've read about them in the Gospels and we've met them in everyone who ever said, “No.” to us or we feel is opposing the “current move of God” which, when translated, usually means, “Us.”
Can I respectfully request, on behalf of Pharisees past, present and future, a moratorium on judgment? At least ignorant judgment? Can I plead with you to read an actual history book (a real history book, not someone’s supposed conversation with an angel, Abraham or one or more aspects of the Trinity)? Just take a step back and forget what you think you know about the Pharisees and try to understand what they were really all about?
You know who it’s o.k. for Evangelical Christians to hate? Especially Charismatic Evangelical Christians? You might be guessing President Obama or anybody who tries to take their guns away or maybe even Democrats. But no, our real whipping boys are the Pharisees. I suppose it’s a posthumous sort of hate but then we also love to whip the name label out and use it on anybody who makes even the remotest suggestion that God is unlikely to do what we say he does or that our behavior may, in some way, be affecting our relationship with God.
Legalist.
Pharisee.
And we make careless judgments about the Pharisees simply because it’s o.k. to hate “them.” We somehow feel like we know them and know them well simply because we've read about them in the Gospels and we've met them in everyone who ever said, “No.” to us or we feel is opposing the “current move of God” which, when translated, usually means, “Us.”
Can I respectfully request, on behalf of Pharisees past, present and future, a moratorium on judgment? At least ignorant judgment? Can I plead with you to read an actual history book (a real history book, not someone’s supposed conversation with an angel, Abraham or one or more aspects of the Trinity)? Just take a step back and forget what you think you know about the Pharisees and try to understand what they were really all about?
