Christianity: Today's "Pharisees"

The Pharisees of Jesus' day are with us now. Back then, Jesus said to the Pharisees in Mark 7:6 "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Again in verse 7 He says: "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." In verse 13: "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do."

The same thing is happening in many of today's churches, and it's apparent many of those attending are not able to discern Bible truth from the traditions of men. They haven't read their Bibles.

Today's Pharisees are teaching denominational tradition rather than what the Bible says. For example: some churches teach that Jesus will not heal now; that the supernatural ceased 2,000 years ago. What does the Bible say? "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) A ten-year-old can understand that. Yesterday was then, today is now, and forever is at least until Jesus' return. What Jesus did then He will do now. If only one person was supernaturally healed in this 21st century, that one healing would give the lie to what the churches are teaching. In fact, since 2000 ended, many have received divine healing when the true gospel was preached. Those taught to expect healing believed in it - and many received it. How can folks receive what they are taught not to expect? It kills faith and erects a barrier to the supernatural.

Another tradition says being sick is glorifying God. The Christian who has heard and believed that will say on his sickbed he is glorifying God. Yet at the same time he seeks out every doctor and specialist he can find in attempting to get well, and end that "glorification." Ridiculous, but it is happening. If there was any glory in being sick why would Jesus have spent so much time in "unglorifying" God by healing so many? The Bible says Jesus healed multitudes. There is not one example in the New Testament of Jesus refusing anyone who came to Him to be healed.

Yet another tradition in today's church [thank God for the exceptions] says the Apostle Paul's "thorn in the flesh" was a sickness that he never overcame, that it hindered his ministry. Tradition says poor little us can expect to get sick "just as Paul did with his thorn". That interpretation has been bandied around churches for decades. Yet 2 Corinthians 12:7 says clearly what the thorn was.

It was a buffeting by a messenger of satan. Paul was so fervent for God he got that buffeting regularly. It could be described as persecution, difficulty, opposition, but the Bible doesn't say it was sickness. It's interesting to note that Paul was in action for God up until he was an old man. Sickness never stopped him. He overcame it by God's power - that mighty power Paul refers to in verse 9, but many have gone no further than the aforequoted verse 7.

The Bible informs us that speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 14) Yet the Pharisees of today say it should not be practised, and speaking in tongues is of the devil. The Bible gives a right uppercut knockout to that by saying "Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues." (1 Corinth 14:39) There is no time limit on that statement. Why then do some churches defy it?

The aforegoing traditions are surely cop-outs, excuses for the church generally not doing what Jesus said to do: "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8-9). That is still the instruction for today.