Accidental Pharisees
by Larry Osborne
Over the years various writers have tried to define
Pharisaism. It dates from prior to the
time of Christ to the present. It seems
to simply have a different cultural context, but the foundations are the same
in whatever generation it appears. The
pendulum swings, and humans react to religious norms by pushing back. So liberalism is followed by conservatism,
and vice versa. It seems we can rarely
achieve balance.
I agree with Larry that some of the more egregious sins of
our day are the pride, exclusivity , and legalism. There seems to be agreement that God expects
his disciples to move toward holiness in their personal lives. As with a lot of concepts, we have extreme
difficulty defining it so that it fits every generation and culture.
Larry tries hard and somewhat successfully not to get into
religious ditches on each side of balance.
I do not know him personally, nor his journey, so I must try to
understand his perspective gained from life experiences. Having written a dissertation on a corollary
subject (philosophical foundations for creating sects) I offer that Larry has a
message that, if heard, could help to bring some balance to evangelical
movements. As always, our danger is to
become the complainer about complaining.
Our Savior is our savior.
It is not in our definitions but in our dynamic relationships. While our tendency toward
institutionalization drives us to uniformity, the Holy Spirit emphasizes our
unique personalities and giftings. If
you can’t say “amen” to this, you should cry “oh me” and pray for healing
grace.
