The Marks Of The Pharisees
Taken from Chapter 10 of the book "The Harlot Church System" by Charles Elliott Newbold, Jr.
Ministers who are smitten with the need for preeminence, power, position, riches, and domination have embraced the false teachings of the Nicolaitans and are likely to perpetuate both the teachings and the deeds of the Nicolaitans. They have the same marks that characterized the Pharisees in Jesus' day.
In Matthew 23:33, Jesus called the Pharisees "serpents" and a "generation of vipers." The Greek word for "generation" also translates "offspring." Here, Jesus is calling the Pharisees snakes and the offspring of snakes. He continues in verse 33, "How can you escape the damnation of hell?" The Bible identifies Satan as a serpent. Gen. 3:1-5; Rev. 12:9; 20:2. The association between Satan and the Pharisees is without dispute. Why did Jesus call the Pharisees snakes? What objection did He have to them? After all, they were devoutly religious and zealous to keep the law.
The scathing litany of woes spoken by Jesus in Matthew 23 define some of what were the detestable marks of the Pharisees. Though the differences between some of these marks of the Pharisees are little, they are important distinctions to make--not so much to judge others, but to judge the Pharisee in us all.
ABUSIVE USE OF AUTHORITY
Jesus hated the way the Pharisees misused and abused authority. Jesus said to the multitude and to His disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat." Matt. 23:1-2. The Pharisees assumed the position of authority over people's lives. They considered themselves experts on the law. Therefore, they presumed to tell everyone else how to live.
The present-day Nicolaitan attitude is seen in that air of self-importance that wants to sit at the head of the table, to be elected to positions of authority, or to be hired to some prestigious office. Nicolaitans typically politic for higher positions of preeminence and authority within the church systems. They flatter themselves and seek the flattery of others. Moreover, they pass gavels of authority to designate someone among them as the head over them. Only Jesus is the head of His body, the ekklesia. 1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 1:22; 5:23; Col. 1:18.
HYPOCRISY
Jesus hated the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. "All therefore whatsoever they bid you to observe, that observe and do; but do not do after their works, for they say and do not." Matt. 23:3.
Hypocrisy is pretending something on the outside that does not exist on the inside. It is the pretense of virtues, principles, or beliefs that are not genuine. Jesus said the Pharisees were like whitewashed tombs which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Matt. 23:27 NAS. He called them hypocrites. "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." Matt. 23:28. Again He accused them saying, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" Matt. 23:14. What they said in keeping with the law of Moses was okay, but their failure to do what they expected others to do was not okay.
So it is in "THE Ministry" today. The pulpiteers may cry out for everyone else to be sexually pure, while pretending themselves to be pure when they are not. They may preach against smoking, drinking, cussin', and dancing, while pretending themselves to be holy when they are not. They may call for others to confess sins while they hide their own sins for fear of what others may think. They may condemn politicians for wrong doing while they continue to do what is most abominable to God--practicing their manipulations (witchcraft) upon "their" people.
The whole climate of church is clouded with hypocrisy. The church should be the one place we can go and feel safe enough to be ourselves, but it is not. We put on our masks and hide behind our Sunday morning smiles long enough to fulfill our obligations to God, feel good about doing it, and get to the cafeteria before the Methodists let out. Sunday morning church has little to do with how we live the rest of the week.
To read the entire book online, please go to http://www.meatindueseason.net/newbold/or/harlot/harlottoc.html
LEGALISM
Jesus hated the mean legalism of the Pharisees. "They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." Matt. 23:4. Jesus hated their heavy-handedness over the people and how they imposed their laws upon everyone else.
Legalists in churches still bind people to church systems and orders, church buildings, church services and rituals, church giving, and church work--things that have nothing to do with Jesus or the Kingdom of God. People are made to feel guilty and unspiritual if they do not go to church.
Keeping the Sabbath was one such issue between Jesus and the Pharisees. Some legalists still make an issue of keeping the Sabbath day holy according to how they think it ought to be observed. They want to make Sunday (sometimes erroneously called "the Sabbath") the day of rest even though for them it is far from a day of rest--it is their high day of church works.
We do not keep the Sabbath by going to church on Sunday or by napping all day Sunday. We keep God's law by entering into Jesus through faith. Jesus is our Sabbath rest. Heb. 4. He is our righteousness. Jesus is not looking for a people who will keep the Sabbath day holy. He is looking for a people who will keep themselves holy (separated). Keeping the Sabbath day is not how we keep ourselves holy.
Holiness is the work of God's Holy Spirit in us, separating us from the love of the world. Holiness is a change of nature from within us as the result of God's work in us. It is not what we do outwardly, but who we are inwardly that matters to God. We are as phony as the Pharisees if we think our righteousness could ever depend upon what we do outwardly--the clothes we wear, the way we fix our hair, the food we eat or don't eat, the way we worship, or going to church. We live, move, and have our being in Jesus every moment of every day. (See the chapter on Legalism.)
RECOGNITION SEEKERS
Jesus hated the Pharisees' desire for recognition and how they pursued admiration for themselves. "But all their works they do to be seen of men. They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments." Matt. 23:5. (Phylacteries were small leather boxes that the Pharisees strapped on their foreheads containing quotations from the first five books of the Bible).
The Nicolaitans in many church traditions today are enticed by their own lusts for self-importance to wear clerical collars, vestments, robes with academic stripes on their sleeves, and other such appointments to distinguish themselves from "the laity." A cardinal in the Roman Catholic church is addressed by saying, "His Eminence" or "Your Eminence." Such veneration of men smacks insult to God. Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them as He would say today, "If any man desires to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." Mark 9:35.
PREEMINENCE
Jesus hated the self-inflated desire of the Pharisees to be above others. They "love the uppermost rooms at feasts" (the inner circle), "and the chief seats in the synagogues" (sitting on the platform). Matt. 23:6.
Preeminence is that air of self-importance within the present-day Nicolaitans that makes them want to be top dog in the system. They want to sit on the platform in bishop's chairs, making a difference between them and the people. Pastors give other pastors these places of prominence, because they love it for themselves.
It is that air of self-importance within them that causes them to gloat in their plans, programs, methods, organizations, building projects, heritage, traditions, statistics, and doctrines in order that they might be honored and recognized.
It is that air of self-importance within them to draw up organizational charts, pyramiding themselves at the top.
It is that air of self-importance within them that wants the bigger church and better salaries. They spare no politics to obtain them.
It is that air of self-importance within them that causes them to "sermonize" and wax eloquent from their pulpits in order to be highly esteemed of men.
It is that air of self-importance within them that wants to acquire knowledge, write books out of their own intellect, and achieve great things in order to be acclaimed of men. They hold their educated professionalism over the heads of the "laity," making themselves out to be one of the indisputable authorities in biblical and ecclesiastical matters. This is the tyranny of the clergy.
It is that air of self-importance within them that focuses upon the externals rather than upon the internals. They are preoccupied with building a kingdom for Self rather than building the Kingdom of God. They build church systems and church buildings rather than people. Worse yet, they confuse the one for the other.
It is that air of self-importance within them that compels them to pack their bags and run when the wolves of dissension nip at the heels of the flock. They are hirelings.
It is that air of self-importance within them that causes them to forget that they, too, are sheep under the staff of the Good Shepherd. Such pride and haughtiness makes them think more highly of themselves than they ought to think.
POSITION SEEKING
Jesus hated their desire for position. They love "greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi." Jesus continued to exhort them saying, "but do not be called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brothers. And do not call man your father upon the earth, for one is your Father who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for one is your Master, even Christ." Matt. 23:7-10.
The present-day Nicolaitan attitude is seen in that air of self-importance within them that wants to be called Pope, Your Eminence, Cardinal, Bishop, Father, Reverend, Reverend Mr., Pastor, and Minister with a capital M. The competition for recognition is so fierce today that many clergy persons want to be called "Doctor." Some of them have earned doctoral degrees and some have honorary degrees, but some have purchased phony degrees. They bestow titles upon each other within the system. They politic for places of authority and seek to be hired by the largest congregation within their reach.
Insecure people in ministry get their strokes from being in the ministry. There they gain power, position, recognition, security, financial income, and their sense of significance. Mature believers find that Jesus alone is their all in all.
No such "one-up, one-down" positioning exists in the Kingdom of God. Jesus made it clear that true leaders were servants. True leaders do not exalt themselves.
REBELLION AND STUBBORNNESS
Jesus hated the rebellion and stubbornness of the Pharisees. "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, for you neither go in yourselves neither suffer them who are entering to go in." Matt. 23:13.
Many of the Pharisees had to have known from their thorough knowledge of the scriptures that Jesus was Messiah. Too many coincidences existed between Old Testament prophecies and the events of Jesus' life and death for those to be ignored. They knew! But did not want to believe. (See John 9:39-41.) They had compromised with the world system in order to gain power, position, riches, and dominance. While many Pharisees believed and turned to Jesus, most of them did not. Those who did not believe hardened their hearts against the truth. They refused to enter in and hindered others from entering in as well.
Many leaders in the church system today should know that "their" membership is held hostage by the rigidity of their belief systems and governmental systems, but they refuse to set them free. They teach and preach church, church works, and church membership as "the way." They need commitment from their membership in order to build a kingdom for themselves.
People are stuck in those places. Those who run the churches invite us to stay put in their place forever and shame us for going from place to place. Those who remain in these places are served up the same day-old, worm-infested manna. Spiritual growth is minimal, if at all. Any growth one might experience is most likely experienced outside of and in spite of that place.
Spiritual growth is, in reality, a spiritual journey. It is a journey that answers the call of Jesus, "Come, follow Me." "But Lord, let me first go bury my father." To which He still replies, "Let the dead bury the dead." Luke 9:59-60. If you find yourself in a dead place, get up and follow the Way, Jesus. Jesus is the Way, not a place. If we are to follow Jesus, we must not get stuck in a place. Church as we know it today is a roadblock to Jesus.
DEVOURING OTHERS
Jesus hated the way the Pharisees took advantage of widows. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers; therefore, you shall receive the greater damnation." Matt. 23:14. Pharisees are takers, not givers, though they pretend to be giving something in return for offerings and donations.
This practice occurs everyday on so-called "Christian" television and radio. Great promises are made by televangelists to their fleeceable viewers who send them contributions. "Send me a donation of $50 and I will send you this anointing oil from Israel." The "Jesus" junk they offer is ridiculous. Bracelets, special study Bibles, books, healing cloths. Some will promise to pray for you or send you a book if you send them a donation. What if you do not? Are they still willing to pray for you and send the book? These gimmicks are used to increase their data and support base.
Kathleen was the widow of a benevolent man. After his death, she felt obligated to continue his level of generosity though she could not afford to do so. Knowing her vulnerability, the president of a seminary persuaded her to give an extraordinary contribution to his institution. It was a feather in his hat. She was a devout believer and assumed that her contribution was advancing the cause of Christ. Little did she know that this school was corrupting the faith of young men and women with their liberal, anti-Christ curriculum. He devoured her house.
Rather than devouring widow's houses, we should set our hearts upon devouring Jesus. Jesus said, "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you...He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood dwells in Me, and I in him.." John 6:53, 56. He alone has the words of eternal life. John 6:67-68.
PROSELYTIZING
Jesus hated how the Pharisees proselytized converts to Judaism. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte [convert to Judaism], and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." Matt. 23:15.
A proselyte is a person who has been converted from their religion, faith, sect, or party to that of the one proselytizing them. The Pharisees were not doing others a favor by converting them to Judaism. Rather than bringing others to a faith in and relationship with Yahweh (God), they brought them to their religious observances of traditions, days, and rituals; thus implying, "This is the way, walk in it." In so doing, they put others under bondage to their law. Their motivation was to increase their own sphere of influence.
As with the Pharisees in Jesus' time, present-day Nicolaitans lead their converts to believe that salvation is assured by being associated with their form of religion. In so doing, they preach "another Jesus" and make their converts twice the children of hell as themselves.
Jesus came to set men free. Binding others to our religious practices is an offense to Him. We are to join people to Jesus in order to set them free. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." John 8:36.
SELF-RIGHTEOUS
Jesus hated the snobbish self-righteousness of the Pharisees. "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith. These you ought to have done and not left the other undone." Matt. 23:23. They kept the letter of the law: tithing "mint and anise and cummin," but knew nothing of the spirit of the law: "judgment, mercy, and faith." They thought by keeping the letter of the law, they would attain righteousness by the works of Self.
Self-righteousness is thinking that our righteousness has something to do with how well we perform. It suggests that we can appease God by being good or doing good works, by keeping the law, or such foolish things as fulfilling our Sunday morning obligation. The Pharisees kept the law in order to be saved by the law. Paul expressly stated that "the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." 2 Cor. 3:6. They knew the law, but did not know the Spirit of the law.
Self-righteous persons can be legalistic, prideful, arrogant, haughty, religious, pious, hateful, restrictive, judgmental, critical, rude, preachy, mean, dangerous, and lacking in mercy, compassion, kindness, and generosity. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. Gal. 5:22-23.
Our righteousness is not God's righteousness. "Ours." "His." See the difference?! His righteousness can be ours only through faith in Christ, but our attempts at righteousness can never be His. Jesus is the righteousness of God. He alone fulfilled all the law and the prophets. Matt. 5:7. Philippians 3:9 reminds us that we are to be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ.
We are the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Cor. 5:21. It does not say we "will be," "we should be," or "we almost are," it says "we are." It has to do with being and not with doing. We are because Jesus made us to be who we are in Him through His own finished work on the cross. There is nothing in fallen, sinful man that has the potential to save himself or to be good enough for God to put his saving stamp of approval upon him.
MURDER
Jesus hated the murderous hearts of the Pharisees. "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous and say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Wherefore you are witnesses unto yourselves, that you are the children of them who killed the prophets." Matt. 23:29-31. Moreover, Jesus predicted that they would kill and crucify some of the prophets, wise men, and scribes that He would be sending. "And some of them you shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon earth." Matt. 23:34-35.
Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews in John 8:44, "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts [desires] of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." If Jesus said that the devil was a murderer and that the unbelieving Jews were his sons, the implication was that they, too, were murderers. Jesus had previously established that they sought to kill Him. John 8:31.
If they could, the unrepentant Pharisees in the church system today would kill those who threaten to dethrone them from their little empires. They are the tares that have grown up among the wheat. In Matthew 13:24-30, Jesus said it would be that way.
Nicolaitans today spiritually slaughter the sheep of God when they use them for their personal and sordid gain.
I went to a seminary as a young man in the ministry. I was taught that the miracles were not real and that much of what was told in the Old Testament were myths. I was taught religion, but religion had no life. I was young, impressionable, and ungrounded in the word and Spirit. Rather than being built up in faith, I became spiritually bankrupt. Eventually, I became a professed atheist until my radical conversion years later.
We are instructed in the scriptures to turn away from those who have the form of godliness, but deny its power. 2 Tim. 3:5.
These present-day Nicolaitans, who bear the marks of the Pharisees, are the doorkeepers in spiritual Babylon. Babylon is the Great Mother of Harlots. Rev. 17:5. Her other name is Jezebel. She is the puppeteer behind the stage that pulls the strings of the Nicolaitans in the churches today.
