There is a lot recorded in the Bible concerning Jesus and the Pharisees. You would think that Jesus and the Pharisees would be friends seeing how they were both teachers of the law, yet they were bitter enemies. In spite of all of the miracles that Jesus did they could not accept the fact that he was their Messiah. It appears that the more miracles that he did the more they hated him. The straw that broke the camels back is when he raised Lazarus from the dead.
"Then gathered the chief priest and the Pharisees a council, and said, "What shall we do?" for this man is doing many miracles. If we let him alone all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation" John 11:47, 48.
There real concern was for themselves. They were afraid that Jesus was going to take their place. To say that the Pharisees were full of pride and arrogance may be an under statement. Their idea of a Messiah is one that would be subservient to them and to their egos. The lowly Jesus did not fit their profile of what a Messiah should be. They said, "Is this not the Carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?"
All religions, whether it be the Calvinist religion, the Catholic religion or what ever religion are the epitome of pride and arrogance. Their doctrine is a manifestation of their pride and arrogance, but the root problem is pride and arrogance. The Calvinist says, "Thank God that I am not as other men, I have been predestinated". Pride is never higher than when someone believes that God has chosen them. Pride is never higher than when someone believes that they can please God by what they do or by what they have become, (Catholicism) Because of their religion, which serves their pride and arrogance, they cannot come to the truth. This was the problem with the Pharisees and is the same problem today.
In the Gospel Jesus is God's chosen one, simply because God is no respecter of anyone's person, Acts 10:34. Everything that God does he does corporately, in, through and by Jesus Christ. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is done outside of Jesus Christ. "He (Jesus) is before all things, and by him all things consist" Colossians 1:17. If you want to be saved, you will have to humble yourself and come to Christ as a repentant sinner and ask him to save you, Romans 10:13. Leave your religion, which is your pride and arrogance at the door. Jesus could care less about your religion.
"Then gathered the chief priest and the Pharisees a council, and said, "What shall we do?" for this man is doing many miracles. If we let him alone all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation" John 11:47, 48.
There real concern was for themselves. They were afraid that Jesus was going to take their place. To say that the Pharisees were full of pride and arrogance may be an under statement. Their idea of a Messiah is one that would be subservient to them and to their egos. The lowly Jesus did not fit their profile of what a Messiah should be. They said, "Is this not the Carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?"
All religions, whether it be the Calvinist religion, the Catholic religion or what ever religion are the epitome of pride and arrogance. Their doctrine is a manifestation of their pride and arrogance, but the root problem is pride and arrogance. The Calvinist says, "Thank God that I am not as other men, I have been predestinated". Pride is never higher than when someone believes that God has chosen them. Pride is never higher than when someone believes that they can please God by what they do or by what they have become, (Catholicism) Because of their religion, which serves their pride and arrogance, they cannot come to the truth. This was the problem with the Pharisees and is the same problem today.
In the Gospel Jesus is God's chosen one, simply because God is no respecter of anyone's person, Acts 10:34. Everything that God does he does corporately, in, through and by Jesus Christ. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is done outside of Jesus Christ. "He (Jesus) is before all things, and by him all things consist" Colossians 1:17. If you want to be saved, you will have to humble yourself and come to Christ as a repentant sinner and ask him to save you, Romans 10:13. Leave your religion, which is your pride and arrogance at the door. Jesus could care less about your religion.
