“John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he does not follow us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you’” (Luke 9:49-50, ESV).
Are you a Pharisee? What an offensive question! Pharisees in the gospels refer to self-righteous legalists who were most often hypocrites. They focused on outward actions driven by pride rather than humble service. They frequently looked down on others with contempt. In Luke 18:9-14, the Pharisee who went to the temple to pray trusted in his religious activity to justify himself in God’s eyes. A tax collector also went to the temple to pray. His prayer is in sharp contrast to that of the Pharisee. He made no attempt to justify himself. Instead, he acknowledged that he was a sinner in need of God’s mercy and grace. Jesus surprised the Jewish audience when he stated that the tax collector went to his home justified with God, not the Pharisee.
Are you a Pharisee? You could challenge me by asserting, “I thought these devotions were supposed to be encouraging.” My response to such an accusation is that facing hard, even offensive, questions tear down the facades of self-righteousness and arrogance. They may sting us, but they are for our good. They can bring brokenness and lead to the healing of our souls. We live in a divided culture where individuals speak authoritatively about their personal opinions. Some even hold the view that if a person disagrees with the stated personal opinions, they are wrong, must be demonized, silenced, and, in some cases, punished, incarcerated, or even eliminated. We are divided by issues of worldview, truth, politics, nationalism, racism, gender identity, religious beliefs, etc. Some resort to witch hunts that are akin to the Salem Witch Trials.
None of us is like that, are we? Unfortunately, I must confess that I have stepped very close to the line, and even crossed the line to my shame, more often than I care to admit. What about you? Some of the harshest words from the Lord contained in the Gospels are for the Pharisees. Academic arrogance is a common malady among scholars. We are all susceptible. How can we be appropriately humble people of faith, standing firm in our convictions without crossing the line?
It really comes back to our personal walks with God. We are called to conform to the image of Christ. Spending time with God every day in prayer and Bible study helps embed humility, patience, and a spirit of service in our souls. The Bible protects, guards, and guides our lives. When I disagree with revealed biblical truth, I am wrong 100% of the time. The Bible is not words about God. It is the very word of God, inerrant and infallible. It is the truth, and sometimes it corrects us.
Too frequently within the Christian church, we are quick to judge others. Never exclude others in the practice of ministry in Christ’s name because “they are not one of us.” The church must guard itself from unwarranted judgment by excluding outsiders who believe the cardinal tenets of historic Christianity simply because they are not associated “with us.”
Avoid the temptation of making tertiary issues primary.