Irrelevant. Christians are sinners like everyone else who are saved from the wrath of God through the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Its a religion full of people. Saved by grace, but still people.
Of course we’re flawed. All fall short of the glory of God. That’s why we need Christ. Sheesh, if we were all Christ-like already, He wouldn’t have had to bother.
They are like neither, Christians are paulinists:
Christians quote Paul more than Jesus.....defaulting to Paul over Jesus’ words and defaulting to Paul over the words of God in the “OT”.
When is the last time a christian could make their point without quoting Paul over Jesus or God’s Word?
Pharisees of old were Christian. They did not recognize the Christ. Blinded by self rightiousness,their pride was deadly.
Same as it ever was: the tale is an eternal lesson.
‘Pharisees’....like the poor...will always be with us: among all nominal, and actual, “Christians” The survey gets answers to irrational, ignorant questions....from equally ignorant participants. Just more Pharisees painting Christ and Christians as worthy of scorn....at least , and death...at worst.
Same as it ever was.......same as it ever was. No news here.
Just a note of caution. Pharisees will typically think everyone else is the Pharisee.
I don't know about other church's but my church doesn't allow sinful people inside. My church especially disallows hypocrites.
Currently my church has no members (except Jesus) but I'm working on it.
The first flaw in the study is man devising the test to determine who is godly. That, in itself, seems Pharisaical.
I have had issues with people who are too narrow and judgemental but more with people who are too liberal and pervert what is clearly preached in Scripture. To hear them, “sin” is when you don’t believe in global warming and environmentalism, when you don’t believe in government stealing money from the rich, when you condemn those who have sex outside of marriage (whether gay or straight), etc.
So, I have major problems with the premise even before I get to the questions but suspect the questions are just as slanted and absurd.
The Pharisees believed that an adherence to God’s Law was what saved you. The better you kept to His Law, the better you were. Unfortunately, this is still the prevailing belief today. Nothing changes. If Christ were to come back today, his battles would be with the accepted, mainstream Christianity.
It’s a man-centered belief, not a Christ-centered one. This story isn’t about mankind. This story is about God and Christ. We are just blessed to have a small bit part in it. But so many churches put mankind at the center. It’s all about us. So many churches pay lip service to Christ, while the entire sermon is about us - how we should act, what we should do, how sinful we are. All chaff.
Here is some valuable knowledge. The Lord says we will know false prophets by their fruits. Just as there was one fruit that was eaten to cause the fall of man, there is only one fruit by which we may attain salvation: the fruit of the vine, the blood of Christ. If your preacher doesn’t center his sermon on the blood of Christ, you should run from that church. Only false prophets spend their time telling you there is some code of conduct that keeps you in God’s grace or that you must perform some act to please him.
It just seems right, though, doesn’t it? If I can just stop having that beer after work, if I can just stop slipping up and cursing, or if I can just give more of my money to the Church, God will like me better. I will be more righteous. He will surely be pleased with me.
Satan transformed into an angel of light.
It is a faith in the flesh, and the Lord says it’s a path to destruction. It’s laid out very well in this passage in Philippians 3:
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That short passage, which takes less than thirty seconds to read, mentions Christ five times. How many times does your preacher say it in his hour-long Sunday morning service?
Do what??
Christians are those who believe in the Holy Trinity — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Other variations are not Christian...
Matthew 10:38 NKJV
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
No one can be saved with out repentance which is admitting we our wrong and doing our best to go the other way, any one who truly believes would have to be ashamed when doing something God says not to do.
No believer could advocate doing anything God forbids period.
Many people have strong desires which if they are Christian gets them into trouble, and many people Christian or not do not have these obstacles.
Are the people who do not have these strong desires of nature the only ones who can be Christians? no.
That is why Paul explains that Bishops and deacons chosen from among the elders should be responsible.
1 tim 3
2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Not all of the elders would have qualified because other wise it would not have been necessary for Paul to even mention the qualifications.
So it is evidence that even the actual members of the Church were not all people with out things in their lives that could be a detriment to the teaching of the Gospel.
People use that word love with out trying to take the time to understand what it means. as in love your neighbor and your enemy.
Jesus explains what love is very plainly.
Matt 22
39
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
luke 10
33
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: And when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, ‘Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.’ Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He that showed mercy on him.” Then said Jesus unto him, “Go, and do thou likewise.”
People can go around hollering love or they can go around with their fists doubled up but the above is what Jesus says the love of God is.
First we say we will and then we won,t then we say we won,t and then we do, words, words, words.