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Evidence for Eras
Chapter IX
The Righteousness
Of the Pharisees
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,
and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Romans 10:3
The Pharisees were noted for thinking they were superior to others. They believed that righteousness could be attained by being like them and following their traditions. While they appeared to keep God’s commandments, they elevated their own tradition above God’s law. They were zealous, but their zeal was directed toward the standards that they had created and not towards the literal truths expressed in God’s Word. They applauded themselves for holding to God’s truth, but were unmerciful and judgmental toward anyone who was different. Often they would verbally attack those in other sects who taught slightly different views.
It is this very same spirit that permeates God’s Church as we enter the end of the age. Many members think that being lukewarm is being lethargic and half-hearted in general. As a result, they believe that, because they are zealous in their church activity, or passionately believe in their personal views of scripture that they could not possibly be Laodicean. But when we look at the Pharisees, we see that they too were zealous. Their zeal was of the extreme nature, but without true knowledge. As Paul writes:
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God (Romans 10:1-3).
The Pharisees were incredibly enthusiastic about their sect of Judaism. They were wholehearted about what THEY were doing and deeply passionate about making converts to THEIR religion, but they were lukewarm toward what God desired of His people. This is the very same spirit found in the Church of Laodicea.
For example, they believe that they are “rich and increased with goods.” The use of these terms certainly does not indicate an inactive or lethargic people. Rather, it indicates a conviction of being spiritually well off—“rich”—and increased with aspects of godly character—“goods”. When Christ describes the attitude of Laodecia with these terms, it is obvious that God’s meaning is spiritual and not physical. This is evident by Christ’s very next statement that tells them they are actually “poor” and must buy “gold” a symbol of godly character.
Yes, Laodecians are zealous for what they believe and what their church organization is doing. In fact, they work hard at making converts to their particular group, or their personal belief. However the carnal values reflected in the way they live end up misleading people and corrupt them from the pure standards of God. As Jesus said of the Pharisees:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves (Mathew 23:15).
Does this sound familiar? Today, many are zealous about their particular views on doctrine. They seek converts to their beliefs, and they work hard at convincing others. A new member to their cause validates them and seems to confirm that their thinking is right and their choices correct. It makes them feel righteous and important to see their work grow.
Thus, ministers and brethren accuse others of being Laodicean. They speak of themselves as being right on track, or that their church is doing a really “big work.” Perhaps this makes them feel important. However, desiring to do a big work, one group overworked their people and had to begin sending a chiropractor to their main office every week to relieve the worker’s stress. Another group teaches that they are superior to others because they have the most members. One wrote on their website that they are better because they have published the most material. One exceedingly bold leader even went so far as to state that his organization was the “only standard by which God could judge His people.” This kind of behavior is a mirror image of the Pharisees.
The Jews in Christ’s day were divided into four different sects, the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots (Josephus, War II:118-168 and Ant:169-172 XVIII). Each believed in the Scriptures, and in keeping the commandments. Each had their distinctive interpretation of the law. Each claimed to have a monopoly on God’s favor, even recommending to their followers that they not marry members of the other sects within the community of Hebrew believers.
Not only did the Pharisees set themselves in opposition to all the other sects, they set themselves against the upper and lower economic classes as well. The infighting between the Pharisees and aristocratic Sadducees documented in the New Testament is an example of this ongoing hostility (Act 23:6). The fact that the High Priest was Sadduceean was a continual thorn in the Pharisaic side. So disliked were the Sadducees, that the Pharisees would say, “A learned mamzer takes precedence over an ignorant High Priest” (Mishnah, Horayot 3:8).
A mamzer was an outcast, a child born of adultery, or incest. The Pharisees had no fear of calling others one of the lowest names possible. Perhaps it is for this reason that, after Christ told us that our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees, He then spoke of the future Church saying:
But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:22).
While all the sects basically entertained the same core beliefs, the Pharisees fought with others over pet doctrine, rank, class, traditions, and just about any other difference they could find. Today there is little variance in the way the modern day Church operates. Leaders of the various churches attack one another in similar ways.
One leading evangelist wrote that another evangelist was “Satan’s tool.” One leader claimed that the director of another church was “the most dangerous man on earth.” Yet another head of a congregation accused other members of God’s Church as being “curmudgeons” because they refused to buy and sell on the Sabbath.
This attitude of superiority and ridicule is not limited to the ministry, but has also infected the flock (Eze. 34:17-22). Various members do not hesitate to speak against other churches. Brethren treat each other like heretics for not believing exactly the way they do. Instead of self denial and submission to God, pet doctrines and personal interpretations of scripture have become the cross that many are choosing to bear. Today, the vast majority of the Church of God is fulfilling the characteristics of the last era. It is just as Jesus foretold when He said:
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of (Matthew 24:48-50).
The Pharisees were zealous, but their zeal was without godly knowledge. They were zealous for their sect and their personal beliefs, but not zealous for the true love of God. In like manner, in the Church today, a great deal of zeal is expended. However, in too many cases that zeal is directed toward discrediting others and validating the self. Yes, men and women are working hard, but they are working to advance their own cause—not God’s.
We need to admit the truth. At this stage in Church history, few are conscientiously working to overcome sin. We are not striving diligently to imitate Jesus Christ. We are not working hard to purify ourselves. We are not zealous to overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust the eyes, and the pride of life. Yet, this is exactly what we must do. This is why we are called to repent of self validating behaviors!
In Need of Nothing
Perhaps one of the main reasons that God’s people lack the zeal to overcome sin at the end of the age is due to an inflated view of ourselves. When it came to the Pharisees, they were filled with self. As Jesus said:
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi (Matthew 23:5-7).
Looking at the Church today, it appears that little is different than the time of the Pharisees. There are those who enjoy, or even require, that they be called “Doctor.” Others make the distinction that they are a “senior Pastor.” One claims to be a “leading evangelist.” Another has made himself an apostle, and yet one more arrogantly claims to be “That Prophet.”
This superior mentality has spilled into the lives of God’s people everywhere. It is a terrible problem in the Church of God today. Thousands believe that because they remained faithful during the apostasy, or are following one of these men who claim to be God’s only true leader, that they too are right with God. We have become little different than the Pharisees who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” (Luke 18:9). To these men, as well as to us today, Jesus gave an eye opening parable saying:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (Luke 18:10-14).
In these verses, Jesus describes the difference between two prevailing attitudes. The Pharisee thought that he was in need of nothing, and it is this very mindset that is flourishing in the Church today (Rev. 3:17). We have come to feel that we are heroes. We pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves for holding fast, but this is simply our duty to do (Luke 17:10). By choosing to do the right thing, some have come to believe that one single right choice automatically places us into the category of being Philadelphian.
It is this attitude of superiority that has bred complacency in the vast majority of Church members today. Because we think we have done the right thing in the past, or because we feel we are in the “right” organization, we have somehow drawn the false conclusion that we have arrived—we are spiritually rich and increased with goods. Unlike the apostle Paul admonished us, many subconsciously feel as though we have “apprehended” (Phi. 3:14-15).
As a result, we are no longer enthusiastically seeking the righteousness of Jesus Christ as we once did. We may have a zeal for what we are doing, but ultimately have little passion for what God wants us to be.
We seldom fast to humble ourselves anymore. Many no longer feel obligated to be on a “search and destroy mission” to find sin and eradicate it from our lives. If we would honestly look at ourselves, most would have to admit that we did those things more diligently in the past. Isn’t it apparent by this alone that we are now living in a different era of God’s Church?
Today, we have blurred the lines of obedience to God’s law. People attend congregations where pastors believe in the trinity but are under orders not to teach it. Few ministers deeply study in order to carefully answer questions that members might ask—they simply give canned answers. It has become commonplace for people to do business on God’s holy Sabbath by going out to eat at restaurants, or even attending theatres. On top of that, when we do go to the movies, we are often watching the wrong kinds of films. Admit it—we are becoming sloppy in our Christian living.
The irony is that, like the Pharisees, we think that we are righteous. While we point the finger at others, even mocking or ridiculing them, we are the ones who cannot be corrected. In our mind, we are in need of nothing. However, we are in severe need of correction!
They Who Justify Themselves
Most people do not see themselves the way they really are. Instead, human nature influences us to see ourselves as better then others. In like manner, it is very difficult for us to see what has happened to the Church. We don’t realize how far we have slipped. We have created various reasons to justify our spiritual condition. The Pharisees were masters at this. As Jesus pointed out:
…Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God (Luke 16:15).
One of the most difficult things for human beings to do is to admit that we are wrong. Everything in our human nature flies in the face of self abasement. This has been the case from the time Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed Satan for their eating of the forbidden fruit. When accused of doing wrong, our internal defense mechanism kicks into gear and we will almost always try to come up with some sort of excuse to justify ourselves.
The Laodiceans are characterized by this trait. They seem to overlook the verses reminding us that every man appears right in his own eyes, and that our hearts are deceitful and wicked (Pro. 21:2; Jer. 17:9). As a result, when the churches are faced with the issue of doing business on the Sabbath, they create scenarios of “handicapped” people who can’t make their own lunch, or various emergencies that require people to work such as those who must “redirect traffic.” They create these speculative situations to excuse their behavior instead of accepting the error of their ways and allowing themselves to be corrected. Rather than looking for ways to obey God’s commandments, they imagine and construct situations to justify what they are doing, even if it directly breaks the commandments. In this, they are no different then the Pharisees of old.
God help us! We must become different! Our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees! If we have ears to hear, this is the key to overcoming in the end time. By continuing to examine ourselves and take an unrelenting inventory of our motives and behavior, we humble ourselves before God. Then, in humility, we can admit our sins, see the weakness of our humanity, and reject the wrong in favor of God’s righteousness. In this context, the writer of the proverb states:
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? (Proverbs 20:6)
Yes, it is easy for us to excuse our situations and proclaim our own goodness. We do this by hopping on a soap box and pointing the finger of accusation at others. We twist our perspective to justify ourselves and rationalize. However, these are just that, rational lies. This is our wicked human nature at work. But someone who is humbly honest, who admits wrong and accepts reproof is difficult to find.
For this reason, Jesus tells us to be zealous and repent! We need to turn from rationalizing our behaviors. We are all human, and there is none righteous (Rom. 3:10). Admitting this is the first step toward overcoming and the first move we must make in exceeding the righteousness of the Pharisees.
Binding Heavy Burdens
Christ excoriated the Pharisees on several levels. One of the flaws He exposed was their tendency to put burdens on others which they would not consider doing themselves. As our Savior states:
The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. for they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers (Matthew 23:2-4).
These verses reflect a characteristic of the last Old Covenant era that is also a trait found in the last New Testament era—the age in which we now live. The Pharisaic leaders required more of their followers than they would do themselves. Similarly, leaders in God’s Church today often put burdens on others that they will not bear.
For example, at a ministerial conference sponsored by one particular group, the ministers were told that brethren should not attend a different Church of God even if it was only five miles from their home. The pastors were to instruct members that they should be willing to travel 100 miles or more if necessary to attend with their preferred group. Even though no specifics were given to validate their reasoning, they were told that there was a great difference between the groups, and to attend with others who were not of the same organization would be harmful. Members were encouraged to make the long trek and there was no consideration given to the fact that this would force some people to purchase gas and be subject to the burdens of travel on God’s Sabbath.
At this same time, the ministers were given new cars and the Church paid for their gas and meals while they were on the road. Understandably, sometimes ministers were simply caught in a preexisting system, and many may not have agreed with the policy of the Church, but it became a way in which the leadership put burdens on others that they would not lift themselves.
In another example, members were rightly told that they must save ten percent of their income for use at the feasts. They were taught that they could only spend the money on things that were needed to properly keep the feast and that they were to spend the entire ten percent in eight days. If they did not spend the entire amount, they were encouraged to give any excess to the Church in the holy day offerings.
While these instructions were not altogether wrong, the ministry did not bear this burden. They did not have to save a second tithe. Like a bonus, it was mailed to them. They received checks twice a year before the two holy day seasons. In at least one of the larger groups, these checks were accompanied by a letter reminding the ministers that, if they did not spend all these monies on feast related activities, the remainder would be subject to taxes.
In several other cases, when Church members all stayed at one hotel, the Church would receive two or more dollars per day, for each room. The hotels also provided a certain number of complimentary rooms based on how many members lodged there. Those complimentary rooms often were taken by the ministry who were speaking at the site instead of giving them to the widows or the poor.
In another true story, a young married couple was struggling in their third tithe year. They could not pay their bills, so they asked the minister to counsel them. They did not know what to do, but they wanted to obey God. Upon learning that they did not have enough money to pay their third tithe, the minister told them to put it on a credit card. What is so hypocritical is that the ministry was never required to pay third tithe.
Please understand that these stories are not expressed to pick on the ministry. Sometimes, the amount of work performed by God’s servants is overwhelming, and their many good deeds are often taken for granted. These examples are given to ferret out, and identify, the kind of behaviors that are a part of the last era. Those in the ministry are leaders of the end time Church, and they are acting just like the last era of the Old Covenant. They are binding burdens on others that they will not lift themselves.
What about us personally? Are we any different than the Pharisees of Jesus’ time? Do we expect more of others then we are willing to do ourselves. Do we expect people to give to us, and we do not feel any compunction to give back? Do we expect our children to surpass the efforts we would have put forth at their age? What about our relationships to co-workers, or our mates? Do we smugly take them for granted? We should not expect anyone to do more than we are willing to do. This is no small issue. It is no less than the second most important commandment. We are to love others as much as we love ourselves (Mat. 22:39).
Consider that, every year the Church of God observes a unique, and vital, ceremony. During the Passover evening, we kneel and wash one another’s feet. Some call this the ordinance of humility. What we do on that night each year is a reminder of how we are to live each day throughout every year! We are to be servants of one another. We are not to take more than we are given. If anything, we are to give more than we take.
God is creating a servant family—one that serves our fellow man in love. As the people of God, we must practice the way of giving and serving one another. God desires that we do unto others as we would have done to us (Mat. 22:39). By living this way, our righteousness can exceed that of the Pharisees.
Swearing by the Gold
During the final era of the Old Covenant, the prevailing religious community was one that cared more about the monetary value of things than they did the true worship of God. Jesus disclosed this ungodly characteristic of the Pharisees saying:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? (Matthew 23:14-19)
One does not need to look very hard to see evidence of this characteristic prevailing in the Church today. It is tragic that many value physical things more than He who created the physical. This was the case with the Pharisees, and it is no less a fault with us today. In this context, there is enormous irony in Jesus telling Laodicea to buy gold tried in the fire. They believe that they are rich and increased with goods, but do not humbly appreciate what they have.
Things of monetary value, like gold, are what the majority of men and women care about. Knowing this, God made it the symbol for what He cares about most—spiritual character (Rev. 3:18; I Pet. 3:3; I Cor. 3:12). Thus the last era of the Church has sought gold in this life, but not the gold of spirituality. Therefore, God tells them that they will have to buy this gold in the fiery trial of the tribulation.
Those in the last era of the Old Covenant loved money. This shared passion with the last era of the New Testament may be the reason Christ caused the story of the young rich man to be recorded. It was delivered to them, but do not make the mistake of thinking that it was only for them. It was also meant for us!
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions (Matthew 19:16-22).
When Jesus told this man that in order to enter into eternal life, he needed to keep the commandments. The young man replied that he had kept them from his youth. However, when Christ asked him to sell everything and give it to the poor, he balked. He had great possessions, and by this statement, Jesus revealed the young man’s weakness. He had not truly kept all the commandments from his youth. He did not keep them all at that moment. He was covetous and had little mercy for the poor.
This man was indicative of our Laodicean attitude today and, like the Pharisees, our lust for money has developed over time. Because the scriptures point out that God blesses those who obey Him, the Church came to view wealth as a blessing from God. Many came to think that when the people were doing right, God compensated them monetarily. This kind of thinking evolved to the point that many thought that those who had money were righteous. What was not fully realized was that God’s blessing may very well be a deeper understanding of Scripture, a closer walk with God, spiritual healing, and not financial security!
Further, since the Laodiceans believe that they are “rich and increased with goods,” it is expected that they would naturally interpret income to mean that they have God’s favor. What they don’t seem to realize is that today we don’t live anything like Church of God members in past history. We actually live better than many of the kings of ancient times! We live in efficient well built homes with insulation, running water, indoor plumbing, electricity, heating, and air conditioning. We possess washing machines, dryers, ovens, microwaves, blenders, electric shavers, entertainments centers, and many other conveniences.
We shop in beautiful stores that are loaded with colorful, beautiful merchandise. We walk down grocery store aisles and pick and choose from row after row of exotic and wonderful foods. We have CD/DVD players, computers, cell phones, and powerful electronic equipment. We buy products that have been shipped in from all over the world. We drive chariots that are luxurious, with stereo sound, power steering, climate control, and beautiful interiors. Even the wealthiest state officials of ancient times never even dreamed of having things which we take for granted. Compared to our brethren in the past, we are rich beyond belief with vast amounts of goods, and luxuries.
While many members think this wealth is a referendum on their righteousness, some Church leaders still think that it is never enough. Even though the truth has been revealed, many churches take up offerings seven times a year—not three as the Bible clearly states. Some have even instructed their members to mortgage or sell their homes and give the proceeds to the Church. Some churches publish articles, and give sermons, encouraging members to preach the gospel with their last will and testament. By this we take widow’s houses, and in the least, we ignore the scriptures and prevent children from receiving an inheritance as God requires (Pro. 13:22).
Because of our obsession with wealth, in this era, there is also the tendency to give preferential treatment to those who have money. Perhaps this has generally been the case with mankind, but it certainly should not be in the Church of God. For this reason, James wrote:
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors (James 2:1-9).
While the apostle James wrote during the first era of the New Testament, it was still the end of the last era of the Old Covenant. The spirit of the Pharisees continued until 70 A.D. when they faced their type of the tribulation as Rome destroyed the temple and disbanded the priesthood. This same spirit infects us in the last era of the Church this very day. There is an emphasis on the power of money. As one Church leader said, “Mr. Armstrong spent money and I intend to spend it.”
In another example, a minister was transferred to a congregation in an area that had become a retirement community. When asked how he liked the congregation, he responded by saying that there was only one new car in the parking lot. Another church leader repeatedly speaks of the possibility of a millionaire being called into the Church and giving big offerings. Then there existed cases where serious accusations were brought against wealthy Church members. Instead of following the correct application of Matthew 18 and making a righteous judgment, the ministry chose to ignore the situation in order to avoid losing their tithes. In other cases, ministers have been told to take wealthy members to dinner and treat them with greater respect.
We must come to see this in our own lives. Today, we have much of the same spirit that the Pharisees had in their time. We care far too much about money and what it can buy. How important is money to us? Are we driven by it? Do we think we need to keep up with the Joneses—the rest of society? Do we believe that both parents must work in order for us to have all that we desire? Or do we look to the Kingdom and not this life? Do we see this life as training for that Kingdom or do we see it as an end in itself?
Jesus said that we cannot serve God and mammon (Mat. 6:24). By this statement He warned us to avoid this trap which the Pharisees and their modern day Laodicean counterparts fall into.
The Traditions of Men
One of the most infamous traits of the Pharisees was that they put greater emphasis on their own traditions than on the commandments of God. They considered their oral law as being of greater authority than that which was written. For this reason, they were in error regarding many doctrines. Jesus repeatedly told them, “You do err not knowing the scriptures.” With a touch of sarcasm He once asked, “are you a teacher in Israel and don’t know these things?” He constantly reminded them that, “It is written in your law” (Mat. 22:29; Joh. 3:10, 10:34). In an example from the Bible, Matthew records one of these encounters pointing out the hypocrisy of these people, stating:
Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?… Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (Mathew 15:1-9).
While reading the rebuke of Christ, we need to ask ourselves an important question. Is it possible that we are following in the footsteps of the Pharisees? The answer is emphatically yes! In many cases, the modern Church teaches and practices its tradition rather than what God’s Word plainly says.
Consider Matthew 18 for example. In these verses Christ outlines the proper method of solving conflicts among brethren. We are to first go to our brother—alone. That failing, we are to take a witness or two, and then if that does not solve the problem, we are to take our issue to the Church.
This important procedure is seldom followed today. Most people skip the first step in reconciliation and go directly to the ministry when they have an issue with their brother. In the rare occasion that a brother is first consulted, if the matter is not resolved, there are very few times that a witness is brought in. And, in the extremely uncommon instance when the first two steps are adhered to, it is almost unheard of to have a hearing in which the witnesses testify.
Further, the scriptures state that two or more must agree on a decision in order for Christ to be in the judgment. Since the tradition has been for the offended member to go right to a Church pastor, the presiding minister often only hears one side of the story, and then makes a decision without a hearing, testimony of witnesses, and the required validation of a second minister who must agree with the judgment.
On another level, the Pharisees would often create doctrines based on issues in which a particular revered Rabbi had previously judged. In like manner, leading Church ministers today have openly taught that it is acceptable to do business on the Sabbath. They teach that is appropriate to frequent restaurants on God’s holy days, and they boldly justify their position by saying “Mr. Armstrong did it.” By this, we do little more than follow the Pharisaic tradition of quoting their favorite Rabbi to establish doctrine—instead of quoting God!
In another example, the Church of God traditionally takes up offerings seven times a year, on each holy day. When taking up these offerings, they read the following verse:
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty (Deuteronomy 16:16).
These Scriptures plainly tell us to take up offerings three times a year. Then the verse tells us exactly when these “three times” are. In the context of God’s instructions, great irony plays out during each holy day which is not mentioned in this edict. While probably originally born out of zeal, this mistake continues to be propagated in spite of the obvious discrepancy. These Scriptures are read seven times a year in several hundred congregations all around the world. This means that they have been read more than 21,000 times in the last decade, but the Church keeps on reading “three times a year” to the brethren while they continue their unlawful tradition of taking up offerings seven times. (For more on this subject, order our free booklet, Three Times in a Year.)
In these ways we violate God’s statutes and place our tradition above the Scriptures. Thus, we are following the same pattern as the last era of the Old Covenant. Again, this is not only about the ministry.
What about us as individuals? Do some of our own traditions take precedence over God’s commandments? Do we remember to keep God’s Sabbath, but forget to keep it HOLY? Do we allow ourselves unholy entertainment on this day? Do we prepare our meals during the preparation day, or do we cook on the Sabbath? Do we plan future personal events during God’s holy time? Do we treat our families and brethren with the love of Christ, or do we lash out when things do not go our way? Do we practice mercy and forgiveness, or are we quick to condemn and quick to wrath? Do we give our employers a full day’s work, or do we extend breaks and take care of personal matters on their time? Have some of these things become our traditions? Are we dedicated to patiently keeping God’s word, or are there times when it is a personal habit that we follow—rather than God’s commandment?
Jesus said our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees. We therefore must consider this truth regarding Church eras. We should evaluate our lives asking ourselves, how much of our existence is tradition based on our human reasoning? How much of it is guided by the Word of God? What are we putting first?
Blind and Naked
Clearly, the Pharisees were a forerunner of what would become the last era of the New Testament. A final example of this fact is their spiritual blindness.
The Pharisees, and their adherents, were primarily concerned with that which could be seen. Therefore, they focused on appearances and not the inner man. They wore broad hems around their garments accompanied by fringes. They made long their phylacteries. They washed their hands and arms up to the elbow meticulously before eating. They made their faces appear pale when fasting so that everyone would view them as suffering righteously. They prayed in public and made offerings in the market place, doing so after a trumpet was blown to get everyone’s attention. Today, this might seem like a circus of self righteousness, but to them it was a way of life. It was their culture that they grew up in. It was all they knew. In order to climb the social ladder in their culture, they had to be good at these things—and many were. When confronting these seemingly religious people, Jesus said:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous (Matthew 23:23-29).
Jesus excoriated the Pharisees for their wrongful behavior that they thought was righteousness. He then accused them of being blind to the truth of God. This fact was so obvious that He made this comment on several occasions. Imagine how Christ’s statements reeked with irony as He called these leaders, “blind guides.” The imagery was simply too crisp, too sharp, and too cutting to avoid recognizing this obvious truth.
Do we also look through the lens of personal experience? Do we tend to judge by outward appearance? How often do we look at the amount of wealth a person has, the kind of clothing, or the type of car they drive, and evaluate them by external criteria?
In another example, many churches measure their spiritual success by the number of hits they receive on their websites. They equate righteousness with the amount of tithes and offerings, income levels, and life styles they are able to sustain. They trumpet the superiority of their work by the number of booklets published, articles written, or the amount of literature sent out. They are therefore looking at the outward appearance of numbers and statistics instead of the inward spiritual dedication each person has toward God.
In another case, instead of admitting that Church members have problems, and making attempts to deal with the reality of the difficulties that we are presented with in the process of overcoming sin, ministers too often prefer their congregations to have an appearance of righteousness. They would rather see the outward show of good, than the reality of sin that lies underneath. Consequently many ministers do not make themselves approachable to members of the congregation. They sometimes act aloof, superior, and distant. If they were to be more open and available, they would likely find that the Church is sick inside and needs help!
These underlying problems develop when the congregants are told how they should live, but are not shown how to accomplish it. Ministers will thunder what God expects from a family in sermons without showing them how to attain it. Then, when the brethren do not measure up, they are afraid to go to the minister. If they did, it would require admitting their failure and they would likely be told that they were not trying hard enough, were unconverted, or needed to pray and study more. As a result, there are hundreds of assemblies that look good on the outside, but have broken families at home. Marriages are on the rocks, children are troubled, yet at services they appear to be happy and well adjusted.
Some ministers actually prefer this. They want a Church that appears to have no problems. After all, it reflects well on them. It makes them look successful. Their congregation looks as though it is righteous and untroubled. But inside, where Christ sees all, mothers are forced to work outside the home. Children are being raised by so called “politically correct,” “tolerant” teachers, or worse yet—by the television. Business is being conducted for personal advantage, not the glory of God. There is anger, pride, and lust inside the people of God, instead of the peace, love, and self sacrifice that should be there.
The pace of life in our modern age has also had its effect on us. It has become nearly intolerable. Most people are exhausted by it all. We are constantly assaulted by information, noise, and just the shear speed of our world as we cascade into the last days. We feel constantly rushed—driven—by the tyranny of the urgent. Life is speeding by, and we are distracted by all that is required for us to keep up. We become sidetracked by everything that we feel needs to be done. These details develop into diversions that ultimately prevent us from taking a long, hard look at ourselves.
Because there are so many distractions, it is difficult to perceive what we are really doing and how we are actually living. Thus, we never get around to doing that which must be done to correct the error of our ways. Instead, we are busy being proud of our physical accomplishments. We think we are okay because we look good on the surface. In our minds, we seem to be doing all right because we are increased with goods. Yes, we have done a nice job of “white washing” the outside of our lives, but we do not work to correct vanity and the self serving attitude that is prevailing on the inside. For this reason, God tells us the plain truth from His perspective. He sees right through the outward appearance and says that we are “poor, blind, and naked.”
Our righteousness must go deeper than this. It must exceed that of the Pharisees who were the physical type of the spiritual reality we live in today.