Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

September 21
Monday



WHITEWASHED
TOMBS

READ:
Matthew 23:1-15
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You...have neglected
the weightier matters
of the law: justice and
mercy and faith.
__Matthew 23:23
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As I study the life of Jesus, one fact consistently surprises me: the group that made Jesus angriest was one that He outwardly resembled. Jesus obeyed the Mosaic Law and quoted leading Pharisees (Mark 9:11-12; 12:28-34). Yet He singled out the Pharisees for His strongest attacks. He called them serpents, a brood of vipers, fools, and hypocrites (Matt. 23:13-33).

What provoked such outbursts? The Pharisees devoted their lives to following God, gave away an exact tithe (v.23), obeyed every law in the Torah, and sent out missionaries to gain new converts (v.15). Against the relativists and secularists of the first century, they held firm to traditional values.

Yet Jesus' fierce denunciations of the Pharisees show how seriously He viewed the toxic threat of legalism. Its dangers are elusive, slippery, hard to pin down. I believe these dangers remain a great threat today.

Jesus condemned the emphasis on externals: "You cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence" (v.25). Expressions of love for God had become ways to impress others.

The proof of spiritual maturity is not how "pure" you are but your awareness of your impurity. That very awareness opens the door to God's grace. __Philip Yancey
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``````````````````````THINKING IT THROUGH```````````````````
``````````````According to Romans 7:18-24, what is the````````````
```````````apostle Paul's view of his own spiritual condition?``````````
``````````What did Paul say is the answer? (Rom. 7:25-8:4).`````````
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Legalism destroys our loving relationship with God.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 23:1-15***********

1 Then Jesus spoke to the
multitudes and to His
disciples, 2 saying: "The
scribes and the Pharisees sit
in Moses' seat. 3 Therefore
whatever they tell you to
observe and
do, but do not do according
to their works; for they say,
and do not do. 4 For they
bind heavy burdens, hard to
bear, and lay them on men's
shoulders; but they
themselves will not move
them with one of their
fingers.

5 "But all their works they
do to be seen by men. They
make their phylacteries
broad and enlarge the
borders of their garments.

6 They love the best places
at feasts, the best seats in the
synagogues, 7 greetings in
the marketplaces, and to be
called by men, 'Rabbi,
Rabbi.'

8 "But you, do not be
called 'Rabbi'; for One is
your Teacher, the Christ,
and you are all brethren....

13 "But woe to you, scribes
and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you shut up the
kingdom of heaven against
men; for you neither go in
yourselves, nor do you allow
those who are entering to go
in....

15 "Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For
you travel land and sea to
win one proselyte, and when
he is won, you make him
twice as much a son of hell
as yourselves."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Phylacteries (v.5) or frontlets are small boxes containing four passages
of Scripture (Ex. 13:1-10, 11-16, Deut. 6:4-9; 11:13-21) worn on
the forehead and left arm during morning and evening prayers.
The practice was based on a literal application of Exodus 13:9, 16;
Deuteronomy 6:8; and 11:18. These Scriptures were recited as part
of the prayers. The Pharisees used the phylacteries to showcase their
piety. __SIM KAY TEE