You won't convert the Pharisees

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When there is tension within the Body of Christ, in the local church, it is usually because the wheat do not have anything in common with the tares.

This has nothing to do with doctrine, but with the fact that there are very two different spirits abiding within the church: that of the Pharisee's (the tares), and that of Jesus (the wheat).

When we are called to "love everyone," that does not mean that we are to set up camp with some of them!

Jesus did not hang with the Pharisees when He walked this earth.  Jesus' love was not the mushy, gushy sort of love that we can confuse with real love.

Jesus actually said that there was more hope for the whores and tax collectors than the religious leaders when it came to salvation!

Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you."  Matthew 21:31

Not exactly a way to win friends and influence people.

So don't even bother trying to "win" the legalists you meet at church.  It is there way or the highway!  Only trouble is, according to Jesus, theirs is the highway to hell!

Why bring this up?  Because we must learn to see things as God does.  There was division in Jesus' day and there has been ever since.  

Yes, pride is always involved.  But there is a foundational reason for such divisions.  It is the spirit, the nature, of the matter. 

So those of use who follow after Jesus, want to know Him (not just know about Him, but know Him), seek to obey Him (which is how we show Him love), we are the wheat.  This means that whatever He tells us to do, we do it!  This means that we speak up and tell the truth as He did, even if it costs us "friends."

Those who are into rules, regulations, keeping up appearances, are those to be pitied.  Why? Because they will never be able to keep all the rules!  They will live in constant frustration and then cast judgment on others who don't keep the rules!  Deep down they know, if they are capable of being honest with themselves, that they cannot truly keep all the rules.  No one can.  That's why Christ came for us! 

We need help.  We need a Savior.  We need His Spirit in us in order to live rightly before Him.  And even that is not of our own doing, but it is the power of the Holy Spirit in us.  We can take no credit whatsoever for any righteousness in and of ourselves!

That is the big never-the-twain-shall-meet difference between the wheat and the tares.  We know that we are helpless to help ourselves apart from divine help.  The tares are "just fine on their own," thank you very much.

So the next time you sense the spirit of legalism on someone, kindly excuse yourself and run in the other direction!  You will never win them over because they don't think they need winning.  

Love Jesus.  Love others.  But be discerning as to who's who and what's what, or else those hypocrites will pull you down, persecute you, and make your life miserable as they did with Jesus.

Dear Lord.  Your Holy Spirit in us gives us wisdom and discernment.  Sadly, some of the tares are sometimes  the very ones who get into positions of leadership in the church.  Please give us clarity in all things, Lord, that we may always stay true to You, worship the real Jesus, and not fall into the traps of the legalists.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.


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