They themselves don’t keep the law! And they are highly selective in the laws they do observe. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast of their success in recruiting you to their side. That is contemptible!
Galatians 6:13 MSG
We have considered the kind of righteousness which is not enough according to the standard of God. It is not a righteousness that gets a person into the kingdom of God. This righteousness is that of the pharisees and scribes. It is the type of righteous living where the words are good to follow but not the lifestyle. As we have dealt extensively with this, our disposition is to make sure we are not like that. Our words and actions must match.
Now, another thing the Lord is drawing our attention to is how the Pharisees and Scribes see righteous living. They have reduced the matter of righteous living to some pack of rules and regulations that they are unable to obey.
Instead of giving you God’s Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals.
Matthew 23:4a MSG
Pharisees and Scribes are fond of giving ‘good life principles’. They reduce God’s words to a set of dos and don’ts. They crush people with unbearable religious demands. Their motive is awkward. They teach the commandments to the people but they do not practice what they teach. In other words, they teach, ‘Do as I say, not as I do’.
“They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads and wouldn’t think of lifting a finger to help.”
Matthew 23:4b MSG
Meanwhile, “They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ’s suffering and death” (Galatians 6:12 MSG). They do not have the faith to live a righteous life. Although they talk faith, their life avoids the practicality of it. As a matter of fact, they avoid persecution for the cross of Christ. Therefore, they are highly selective when it comes to obeying God’s word.
Dear believer, as you are reflecting on this, don’t see someone else. Look within yourself. Are you not this Pharisee? Do you follow the instructions of Jesus? Are you not just enthusiastic about others following your gigantic religious rules?
If this is you, you cannot enter the kingdom of God in this way. Until you live the correct life of righteousness (not just words of mouth), you are no different from the Pharisee. You must really look into yourself. Above all, open your heart up to Jesus so that He will search you. For you, it might be in your thoughts. You don’t say anything but you think about it. Hypocrisy must not be found in you. Either in your thoughts or your actions. May the Lord help us. Amen
