New Year’s Resolution: Avoid Pharisaism and Be More Christ-like

I’m not sure why, but I’ve never been one on setting New Year’s resolutions.  Though I’ve made some attempts in the past, I’ve never given it any serious thought until last year when I was reading through the Beatitudes and felt impressed to strive to model them more in my life.  So, 2007’s resolution was to model the Beatitudes in my heart and life. 

This past fall, while reading through Matthew again, Jesus’ woes against the Pharisees stuck out (Matthew 23:13-36).  I find it easy to sit atop my perch on the moral high ground when reading in Scripture about the sins of Israel and the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.  “I’m glad I’m not like them!” I tend to say to myself.  Or, “How could they have been so blind to their sin and folly?”  Yet, as I read and re-read Jesus’ woes against the Pharisees, the question came to mind: “How often do I do that which Jesus condemned the Pharisees of doing?”  How often am I more Pharisee-like in my life and ministry instead of being Christ-like? 

Matthew did not place the seven woes (or eight, depending how your translation handles verses 13 and 14) in his gospel for us to merely learn about the Pharisees; rather, it is to serve in part as a warning to believers to watch their heart and motives.  As such, these seven (or eight) woes will serve as my New Year’s resolutions for 2008.  I’ve listed each woe against the Pharisees along with questions to ask myself throughout the year.  I do not intend for these questions to serve as a checklist, but for accountability.  Lord Jesus, make me more like You in my life and ministry!

•  13But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

Do I accurately present the Word of God? Do I prevent others from salvation  through ill-preparation, incorrect or Spirit-less teaching? Do I neglect to share God’s Word to another because of bitterness, jealousy, fear, or any other reason because of my selfishness or pride?

• 14[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]

Why do I minister? Do I minister with impure motives or false pretenses? Do my actions back my words?  Does my public life match my private life, and vice versa? Do I take advantage of others for my own gain – whether it be for money or for reputation?

• 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Why do I evangelize? When sharing the Gospel, am I seeking to share God’s Truth with another, or do I seek to convert him to be the way I think he should be? Do I desire that others become more Christ-like, or more Danny-like?

• 16Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ 17You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? 18And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ 19″You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? 20Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. 21And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. 22And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

Do I let my yes be yes and my no be no? When I give my word to another, is it with unspoken exceptions or qualifications? Do I keep my word?

• 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

Do I give the Lord my all? Do I give for show, or from a cheerful and grateful heart? Do I withhold anything from the Lord, whether it be money, time, gifts, etc.? Am I stingy with my possessions, but freely receive from others?

• 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. 27Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Is my heart full of un-confessed sin? Do I appear righteous to others yet live a life of sin and godlessness? Do I pay more attention on my outward appearance than on the spiritual condition of my heart? Do I strive to be holy as He is Holy? Does righteousness and holiness flow from the well of my heart?

• 29Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.33You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? 34Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Do I find the speck in my brother’s eye while ignoring the plank in my eye? Do I place myself on the moral high ground and look down upon others for their sin? Am I blind to my own sin, or do I recognize the sinfulness of my own heart and humbly seek the forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do I falsely accuse brothers and sisters in Christ?

written by Danny McDonald  © 2007 Musings of a Wannabemuser blog