Accidental Pharisees

Yesterday I read a book review at Challies-dot-com on the book Accidental Pharisees by Larry Osborne. I'll offer a few quotes from both Osborne and Rev. Challies...

"Osborne is concerned that a new kind of legalism is creeping up within Christianity—even Christianity that focuses on being theologically-correct and gospel-centered. He hears these constant calls for zeal and sees behind it all a subtle pride that will inevitably work itself out in legalistic ways."

It’s easy to see the scriptural misalignment in the crazy guy on the street corner with the “Turn or Burn” sign. The same with the cut-and-paste theology of people who toss out the Scriptures they don’t like. It’s also easy to spot it in the pompous coworker with a big Bible on his desk, a chip on his shoulder, and a tiny heart in his chest—the self-proclaimed great witness for the Lord—whom everyone tries to avoid and no one wants to eat lunch with. But we seldom see it in the mirror.

We don’t have freedom to lie, steal, slander, turn a deaf ear to the poor, hoard the gospel, worship idols, or fornicate. But we do have freedom in many other areas. And it’s this freedom that can drive the fledgling legalist within all of us crazy. Once the Holy Spirit places a clear call on our life to do something (or not do it), it’s hard for most of us to fathom why everyone else didn’t get the same memo.

I loved that last line "hard for most of us to fathom why everyone else didn't get the same memo." I know peace and joy, why wouldn't everyone else want to?!

The simple fact is that once we have found our passion, once we have found that implication of the gospel that stirs our hearts, we find it inconceivable that anyone else would have a different passion, that they can’t see things the way we do. And it is not long before we begin to criticize or exclude them.

Osborne describes a situation I know well. I've seen competition between churches, miscommunication between family members, and even disagreements over the "best" worship music stem from these tendencies. My first reaction to the book review was to think of the names of several people I knew who should read it!

"If there is any sin we can spot in others from a thousand paces but cannot see in ourselves even when staring in the mirror, it is pride."

Yesterday I complained about a co-worker whose lifestyle, work habits, and personality are not like my own. Perhaps "by accident" I was prideful and intolerant. How easy it is to fall into the trap of judgement.