God's Love Against Modern Day Phariseeism

(by Bill Stevenson)

What God hates in our churches:

R -- ritual
E -- earnestness for superficiality
L -- legalistic
I -- ignorant of a lot of what is God-pleasing
G -- going on with un-Biblical tradition
I -- “I” problem especially in pride and selfishness
O -- obnoxious
N -- nasty, hypocritical, and condemnatory like the Pharisees of old

God's forever, unselfish love has two major aspects: "soft" and "hard"-- encouraging and
discipline. In the same way, a true Christian can show both types of love. Our local churches
need both, not just 1he former!! God hates statements and actions of selfishness, pride, prejudice,
hatred against others, and most anger. In churches, this happens because of modem day
phariseeism. There should be exhortation, rebuking, and discipline against such. Matthew 18: 15-
17 should be frequently done in Christian churches, but such is very very rare and in many
churches never done. Most of the problems of society are the results of lack of true Christian
examples in the just mentioned. True Christians should be learning from the Holy Spirit and the
Bible on how to be less selfish. If true Christians keep remembering about the attributes and
accomplishments of God, they would not have any pride even for their church doctrines. The just
mentioned pride is a huge problem that manifests itself in prejudice, hatred against others, wrong
anger, and condemning. Such is influencing many to leave local churches.
Why is such happening? I now believe that the major reason is that those who have such
spiritual pride are probably not truly converted to being in Christ. True Christian Salvation
conversion does not happen by saying "the sinners' prayers" (which are not in the Bible),
responding to an alter call for Salvation, signing a card a paper agreeing with the Gospel,
"speaking in tongues", getting baptized by immersion, keeping the Sabbath on Sunday because
there is no Biblical proof that the children of God are to worship on Sunday instead, and being
very active in ministries for a local church. True conversion is a miraculous happening because
of an individual agreeing to trust his or her life to Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation for
eternal life with God the Father. When confronted with statements of other opinions or beliefs,
no one who has experienced the just mentioned will ever desire to be prejudiced, have hatred
against others, think or manifest wrong anger, and condemn. Instead, a true Christian will be
sensitive to the Holy Spirit and Bible guidance to respond by trying to humbly and
compassionately do Matthew 18:15-17, teach, or just excuse oneself and do intercessory prayer
for the individual or individuals of other opinions or beliefs. Such is God's unselfish love that
especially should be happening in the churches claiming to be His. Remember the results of
spiritual pride just indicated are all forms of hate and Jesus Christ said hate is equal to murder.
So this is a serious problem in Christendom.
Now the question is, are we going to do whatever we can to help alleviate this problem by
manifesting the "hard" part of God's love via teaching, exhortation, rebuke, or/and church
discipline? If we do, we can experience what Romans 14:17 says the Kingdom of God is:
righteousness, peace, and joy and we are only responsible for the first. And we can get all of the
help we need for righteousness from the Holy Spirit and the Bible. The Two Great
Commandments indicate that we need to be compassionate to others (which involves the "hard"
part of God's love) after getting right with and communicating thankfulness to God. There is a

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righteous anger that needs to be done in and outside of the church. Jude ends by saying true
Christians should be trying to "have compassion who are doubting, all on some have mercy with
fear pulling them out of the fire". The Second Coming of Christ Jesus could come soon and most
churchgoers are not ready.
R -- respect for one another and receiving of them
E -- emotions (listening to) and exhorting in a caring/teaching way
S -- Scripture sharing: what does the Bible say about the situation needing restoration?
T -- teaching from a Holy Spirit-led pastor, Biblical counselor, or an appropriate Scripture-
filled book
O -- obedience to God's Word and the Holy Spirit encouragement
R -- repentance encouragement: proper changes of thinking and behavior habits
A -- appreciation and adoration (not flattery)
T -- trusting again help
I -- intertwine souls encouragement
O -- outreach encouragement: sharing good news and lessons with others
N -- notify relatives encouragement about the new ways of thinking and behavior

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Following are appropriate Scriptures for discerning more of what God hates (bold font used for
emphasis):
*Pride, false witnessing, lying, division causing in church, false accusing, and binding true
Christians
Proverbs 6:16-- "These six things does the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: a
proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that devises
wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaks
lies, and he that sows discord among brethren."

Revelation 12:9-11-- "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and
Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the Earth, and his angels were cast
out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, 'Now is come salvation; and strength,
and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is
cast down, who accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the
blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the
death.'"

Acts 23:27-24:9 & 27-- "And provide them beasts, 1hat they may set Paul on, and bring him safe
unto Felix the governor. And he wrote a letter after this manner: 'Claudius Lysias unto the most
excellent governor Felix sends greeting. 'This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been
killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a
Roman. And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him
forth into their council: whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have
nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. And when it was told me how that the
Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to you, and gave commandment to his accusers
also to say before you what they had against him. Farewell.' Then the soldiers, as it was
commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris. On the morrow they left the
horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle: who, when they came to Caesarea and
delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him. And when the governor had

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read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood 1hat he was of
Cilicia; 'I will hear you', said he, 'when thine accusers are also come'. And he commanded him
to be kept in Herod's judgment hall. And after five days, Ananias the high priest descended with
the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertu1lus, who informed the governor against Paul.
And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, 'Seeing that by you we
enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
we accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding,
that I be not further tedious unto you, I pray you that you would hear us of thy clemency a few
words. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the
Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: who also hath
gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our
law. But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of
our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto you: by examining of whom thyself may take
knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.' And the Jews also assented, saying
that these things were so…. But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and
Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound."

Titus 2:2-8-- "That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in
patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior which becomes holiness, not false
accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young
women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers
at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young
men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in
doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that
he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

*Spiritual hypocrisy and wrong "righteous" leading/teaching

Matthew 23:13, 23, & 28-29-- "But Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you
shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer
you them that are entering to go in. ... Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For
you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the
Law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other
undone.... Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of
hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you bulld
the tombs .of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous."

*Selfishness, holy piety, and lack of compassion

Luke 10:30-32-- "And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and
departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and
when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the
place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side."

2 Timothy 3:1-5-- "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall
be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of Godliness, but denying the power
thereof; from such turn away."