Ritualism and Ego

[Guest guest]

" The Pharisees were a self-righteous group. This attitude is shown by the prayer

offered by one Pharisee. Listen to him: " God, I thank thee, that I am not as the

rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers or even as this publican. I fast

twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get " (Luke 18:11, 12). Now, do

not misunderstand me. These things which he did were required of him, but, it is

his self-righteous spirit that the Lord rebuked. He was judging himself by what

others were or were not. He had elevated himself up and over the publican. He

lacked the spirit of humility. Notice what the apostle Paul said concerning this

subject. " For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of

them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by

themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding "

(2 Corinthians 10:12,13). Then in verse 18 of the same passage, he concludes by

saying, " For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord

commendeth. "

 

There are still those today who measure themselves by others, rather than by the

Word of God. They seem to think if they are just a little better than someone

else, then they are right with God. They may be right with God, but it is not

because they are more righteous than someone else, but, rather because they are

obeying the commands of the Father. The Pharisees elevated themselves above all

others; they were a self-righteous group.

 

The Pharisees were desirous of doing their religious acts to be seen of men.

Listen to Christ as He speaks of them, " But all their works they do to be seen

of men " (Matthew 23:5). And again, " When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a

trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,

that they may have glory of men " (Matthew 6:2). Then in verse 5, " And when ye

pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the

synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. " The

Pharisees wanted someone to pat them on the back and pronounce them righteous.

They wanted the praise of men. Could it be possible that there those in the

religious world today that are performing primarily to be seen of men. They

carry on and conduct themselves to make impression with their fellow men and

women. If you do not know how righteous we are, just look at us and you will see

our righteousness. There are a lot of showmen in the religious world. Those who

love the praise of men. Just turn on your television and watch some of the

actors who appear there in the name of religion. This is not a blanket

accusation, because I cannot look into the hearts of men and women and judge

their motives. But, there are certainly many who seem to be acting as the

Pharisees of old. And usually it will not be long before they ask you for your

money.

 

Jesus said [that] the Pharisees, " said " and " did not do " . Hear Him in Matthew

23:3, " all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe; but

do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not. " Jehovah God has never

accepted word worship, in the absence of obedience. How often in our own day and

time have we seen those who professed to be religious, yet all the while

conducting themselves in sinful and lustful practices. Notice what Christ said

in Matthew 7:21, " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into

the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in

heaven. " He then uses the two builders to illustrate the fact that it takes more

than hearing God's Word; it takes obedience to the commandments of the Lord for

one to be pleasing in His sight. Salvation takes a life of obedience, complete

submission to His Will.

 

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.

I am reading from 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 own ideas 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 our doing 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. My

listening audience, 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. May each one have the

courage to pick up their Bible and search it diligently to determine if all

things being practiced can be found therein.

 

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.

I am not talking about the blood pump, but the intelligent, the thinking part of

man. Romans 10:10, states, " for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;

and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. " Our heart must be

involved in our worship for it to be pleasing unto Jehovah.

 

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. "

 

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