Phariseeism is quite old; it is the default setting for the\nhuman race. We love to disparage those\nwho don\u2019t agree with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One common format for this old Phariseeism: \u201cyou can\u2019t\npossibly be a Christian if you believe that\u201d or \u201cyou can\u2019t claim to be a Christian\nand then practice that\u201d or \u201cyou can\u2019t possibly be a Christian if you vote that\nway\u201d or \u201csupport that politician\u201d or \u201cparticipate in that activity\u201d or\n\u201cfrequent that business\u201d or \u201cagree with that individual.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We live in a time where people are convicted over minor\ninfractions and tossed away with abandon. \nIf someone says, thinks, or does something that the in-group decides is\nreprehensible, not only are they vilified, they are boycotted, and they are\nturned into an unperson who can never, ever be forgiven. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s like living in a high school that can never end. You say something that someone dislikes or\ntakes the wrong way on Twitter or Facebook and you will lose your job, your\ncareer, and your standing in the public arena. You\u2019ll never get invited to the prom. You will never be forgiven no matter what you\nsay, no matter what amends you attempt to make, no matter how you walk back\nyour words. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Love, mercy and forgiveness no longer play much role, except\nas platitudes. The Pharisees are in\ncharge and they want to see some punishment; they want to have endless power,\nand they demand that everyone bow to their way of thinking, and living, and\nbeing for now and ever more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The legalism that is inherent in the way the world works is\nfundamentally about power and diametrically opposed to Christianity. And because we live in this world, Christians\nare easily infected by it. Look at the\npower of worldliness in Colossians 2:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual\nforces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you\nsubmit to its rules: \u201cDo not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!\u201d? These rules,\nwhich have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are\nbased on merely human commands and teachings.Such regulations\nindeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their\nfalse humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value\nin restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:16-23)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is a mistake for the church to concern itself with\njoining those who wish to pass laws to prohibit evil things. Making more rules is an ineffective approach\nto solving problems. Passing a law\nagainst annoying behavior does not mean that the behavior will stop. My wife\ntells me to stop chewing with my mouth open. \nOver and over again. Her\nreminding me of the rules doesn\u2019t stop me. \nPeople still speed, still steal, still murder. All a law does is create\nthe possibility of rendering punishment. \nProhibiting the ingestion of various substances does not keep people\nfrom imbibing. Prohibiting behaviors\ndoes not stop behaviors. Fear of my wife\ngetting annoyed does not seem to be enough to make me keep my mouth shut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only way to solve bad actions is through a\ntransformation of the human heart. This genuine\nchange is what the church can accomplish through the power of the Good News. Through the power of the Gospel, the Holy\nSpirit enters people and they are made into something new and different. You cannot have God living inside of you\nwithout that having a profound impact on your choices and lifestyle. We wage war against the darkness, not by\nusing the weapons of the world, but by using the sword of the Spirit. God can fix what otherwise cannot be repaired. God changes lives that all the laws in the\nworld never will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even then, because we are dealing with human beings, they\nwill still misbehave. Misbehavior cannot\nbe ended this side of eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remember these \u201celemental spiritual forces of this world\u201d\nthat saddle us with rules are our enemy. \nIn contrast, the people of this world are never our enemy; they are\nfellow-sufferers and victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against\nthe rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and\nagainst the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our struggle, as the struggle of the people to whom the Book\nof Revelation was written, is ultimately the same: it is against the necessary\nevil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recall who runs the necessary evil: the one who offered the\nnecessary evil to Jesus if he would only worship him:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed\nhim all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. \u201cAll this I will give\nyou,\u201d he said, \u201cif you will bow down and worship me.\u201d (Matthew 4:8-9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so John writes against those in Revelation who are\nworshipping that necessary evil that wants to keep us living in an eternal high\nschool. In the time of John, it was personified in the Roman Empire, which\nrequired the literal worship of the Caesar. All right-thinking Romans would gladly acknowledge\nhim with their sacrifices and proclaim \u201cCaesar is lord.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christians then and now must affirm that no, only Jesus is Lord. \u00a0Never Caesar. And only Jesus can change lives. Caesar can go to Hell.<\/p>\n
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