How many Wise Men, How many Gifts?

“After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” 

(Matthew 2:11, NASB).

According to Christian tradition, there were three wise men who came from the East with three gifts. The question is, is this true? The passage in question is found in Matthew 2:1-12. First, the passage in question talks about the “Magi” a caste of wise men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science. The term Magi is in the plural. So we know it is talking about more than one wise man. However, this does not imply there were three wise men as often heard during Christmas time. For all we know there could have been as many as a dozen wise men. No doubt, the popular notion that assumes there were three wise men comes from the three types of gifts that were given. The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (see Matt. 2:11). The truth is, the Scriptures never tells us that three wise men, or Magi came searching for the birth place of Christ the child, nor does the Bible tell us how many wise men came. Second, the question about how many gifts were given is usually believed to be only three gifts. Again today’s text does not say only three gifts were given. The passage only tells us that three specific types of gifts were given, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. It does not tell us how many gifts were actually given. The gold speaks of Christ’s deity as the Son of God, the frankincense tells us of His holy and righteous life as the Son of Man, and myrrh reveals to us the sufferings of Christ as the Lamb of God. Not only were such gifts given to the Christ child as an act of worship by the wise men. They also prophetically speak of His life and purpose. To conclude, since the passage of Scripture does not tell us how many wise men there were, we also don’t know how many gifts were given. To teach there were three wise men who gave three gifts is reading into the text what is not there. It is being dishonest with the word of God to teach a congregation or an individual that there were only three wise men who presented only three gifts to the Christ child. Dear reader, let’s stay true to the text of God’s Word and teach what it actually says, not what tradition or poor Biblical hermeneutics wrongly asserts.

Heavenly Father, there is so much misinformation and misinterpretation being passed off as the truth of God’s Word during Christmas time. Today’s text about the Magi and the gifts presented to Christ is only one example among a number. Lord, help us to be true to Your Word and present only the truth of Scripture to those we share it with, in Christ name. Amen.

The Magi’s Question that Troubled Herod

"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." 

(Matthew 2:2, NASB).

This chapter in the Gospel of Matthew opens with the “Magi [wise men] from the east” asking a very pertinent question: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” This question had quite an impact upon king Herod and all Jerusalem. For verse 3 tells us that Herod and all Jerusalem “heard this” question, and it troubled them all. Imagine, Jerusalem, known as the “The City of Peace” was troubled at the news of the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). It is interesting to note that king Ahab had this in common with king Herod, for “When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?"” (1 Kings 18:17, NASB). Ahab was troubled at the sight of Elijah, a prophet of God, who had peace with God. Now we read in today’s passage of another “troubler of Israel.” Only this time, we are not dealing with a prophet of God, but the very Son of God! It is this Son of God who the prophets prophesied of His coming into the world in the flesh, this “King of the Jews” that troubled Herod and all of Jerusalem. So it is with man. He may proclaim he has peace, but is troubled at the good news of the Gospel that teaches that only Christ can give true lasting peace. For apart from Christ, man can never know true satisfying peace. On hearing this troubling question, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?”  Herod “gathered together all the chief priests and scribes of the people” to find out where the “Messiah was to be born.” Four truths can be drawn from this scene: 

First, we read that Herod and all of Jerusalem were troubled about the news of Christ, whereas the wise men rejoiced (see Matt. 2:3, 10-11)! 

Second, we see Herod enquiring about the birth of Christ through the religious rulers. The religious rulers were not the wise men who sought and knew about the birth of Christ. They could quote Scripture, but they did not seek His coming. So it is with religious man, he knows what Scriptures say about Christ, but do not know Him personally as Lord and Saviour (see Matt. 2:4; John 3:3, 7; Rom. 10:9-10). 

Third, we note that Christ was not found, nor was He born in Jerusalem, this supposed city of peace. So it is with man. As long as man erects his own “city of peace,” the true peace of Christ will never be found there (see John 14:27).  The human heart can know no true peace until it finds peace with God. 

Fourth, just as “Bethlehem” [house of bread] was the birth place of Christ, so it is with the believer who has trusted Christ. His heart is a “little Bethlehem” where Christ dwells. Because The Lord Jesus is “the Bread of life” (John 6:35) the believer has bread to share with those who hunger for God’s salvation that satisfies.

 Five, finally we read of Herod’s deceptive reason for wanting to find the Christ child. He told the Magi he wanted to “worship Him” (Matt. 2:8), when really he wanted to kill him (see Matt. 2:13). So it is with the natural man. The flesh cannot reign beside Christ in the heart, neither will Christ share the throne of a man’s heart with the flesh. Either man dies to the flesh or he dies to Christ. The truth is man needs to die in the death of Christ in order to truly be dead to his flesh. Only then, can we have our Bethlehem, were Christ is born in our very heart!

Lord God, we are challenged by today’s passage that is often read at Christmas time. Are we troubled at the good news of Christ coming into the world like Herod was? Or do we rejoice at the news of Christ like the Magi did? How we answer such questions reveals where our heart is with God. We can never have true lasting joy and peace in our heart, if we do not have peace with God. Thank you dear Lord, for sending Christ into the world to die for our sins; in Jesus name I pray. Amen.

WHERE DO WE DRAW OUR WEALTH FROM?

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19, NASB).

Riches don't make a man wealthy, it is the man behind the riches that makes him truly wealthy. The man who only has material wealth to offer is truly impoverished, whereas the man who is wealthy in character and personality is truly Rich! Richer and more wealthy still is the man whose inheritance is in Christ. (see Rom. 8:17; Eph. 1:11-18). To know the Lord Jesus Christ as one's Saviour gives that person access to an endless supply of wealth to draw from. For rich is the man whose wealth is in Christ! "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Cor. 9:15, NASB).

During this Christmas season, let's not just focus on what we get in material blessings, but instead, let's focus on that one specific Gift, the Gift that trumps all gifts. The very Gift God the Father gave, when He sent that "indescribable gift" of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Let us give special thanks giving and praise this Christmas season for the best Gift of all, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Wealthy is the man,

Who has his inheritance in Christ!

Wealthy is the man,

Who has trust in the work of Christ! 

Impoverished is his soul,

Who only makes passing wealth his goal.

Wise is the man who has Christ,

Who has trusted in His sacrifice.

"LOVE THY SELFIE"

"For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy" (2 Timothy 3:2, ESV).  

It is no secret that "self love" is on the rise today. So much so that the present generation is three times more "self-centered" than the previous generations. It is one thing to "love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31, ESV), but it is quite another thing, when you have an unhealthy view of yourself. For another Scripture says, "I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he[she] ought to think." (Rom. 12:3, NASB). It is hard to focus on others, if our focus is too much on ourselves. The Apostle Paul instructs "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." (Phil. 2:3-4, NASB).

At present, there is much in music, the social media, magazines, movies, and so on in our society that promotes the "self" life. Modern technology is boasted to help make our lives easier, but instead it has fed our egos and inflated our self-esteem in such a way that we think too highly of ourselves. Many people from various age groups have become narcissistic, self-entitled, and privileged. Such people get easily offended if you don't feed into their over inflated perception of themselves. Such social websites as Facebook is chalk full of profiles of young people who have numerous "selfie" photos. It's like they are obsessed with themselves and addicted to the attention they get from the number of likes and complimenting comments they get. 

I have personally come across this type of behaviour myself, in my interactions with some women here on Facebook. Look, I'm not against people taking pictures of themselves, but when you see their photo page littered with selfies, or their conversations with you peppered with little selfie shots, then it's obvious there is a deep underlying problem in their life. It's a cry for attention, insecurity, or as mentioned earlier an unhealthy obsession with one's self. For example, one 40 something lady on Facebook, titled her photo section, "LOVE THY SELFIE." She had over 200+ selfies. Or as one guest, Iyanla Vanzant on Oprah Winfrey put it, "It is Self-full to put yourself first." This lady on Oprah's show was exalting self as an actual virtue! Imagine that! Even more disturbing was when she cited this quote from A Course on Miracles: "When you give to others to the degree that you sacrifice yourself, you make the other person a thief." Then she concluded, "They are stealing from you what you need, and they don't even know it." This of course is in complete opposition to Jesus' words, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, NASB). Again, Jesus says, "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matt. 16:25, NASB). Noted author, Ayn Rand, in his very telling book, The Virtue of Selfishness" made this self exalting statement: "To hold one's own life as one's ultimate value, and one's own happiness as one's highest purpose are two aspects of the same achievement." With such comments, is it any wonder people today are so self-centered and narcissistic. Whether people realize it or not, this unhealthy act of self-love, is a form of "self" worship. It is idolatry (see Ex. 20:3-5). Actually, the practice of self love and the worship of self is known among Satanist as one of their most revered practices.

The wonderful news is, it doesn't have to be that way. You don't need to post a hundred selfies to get validation from others. Put away your video cameras, cell phones, iphones, and other computerized gadgets and go out and talk to people, really make an effort to socialize with people without whipping out your cell phone every few minutes to check your messages and updates. Really make an effort to focus your interest on other people, and never seek validation from others. If you really want validation from other people, then give them a reason to do so, by focusing your attention on them, and not yourself. Put your focus on Christ, and not yourself; put your focus on your neighbor, and not yourself. Make this a daily habit, and soon you will reap the positive benefits from it. I challenge you with this thought provoking quote from Jim Elliot: "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose."

I came across this quote from a friend on here on Facebook. The quote reads:

"So many years of education, yet nobody ever taught us how to love ourselves, and why it's so important." -Spirit Science. 

I would not say education is the problem, but rather the issue is, they don't know how to love themselves appropriately. For most people don't have a problem loving themselves. People are usually full of self love, so much so that many are narcissistic, in love with themselves. It is a self-centered kind of love that fails to reach beyond one's self in love towards others. For the Scripture says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31, ESV). You see, it is too much self love that is the real problem here, not a lack of it. People need to be taught to not love themselves too much to the exclusion of others. Why is this so important? Because without a healthy balance between loving our self properly and loving others appropriately, we get off balance and fall victim to such inappropriate behaviours as self-entitlement and narcissism.

Notice the host of sinful problems that follow right after Paul's phrase, "For people will be lovers of self." The list goes beyond just the verse in today's text. The complete list reads as follows: "lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God," (2 Tim. 3:3-4, ESV). This of course is akin to the works of the flesh (see Gal. 5:19-21). If focusing on loving our self amounts to producing such bad fruit that is mentioned in the list of bad behaviours by Paul in the verses above, I will gladly pass. I would rather have the fruits of the spirit produced in my life, which are as follows: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23, ESV). You see, as I stated earlier, it is not a lack of loving our self that is the real problem here, but rather it is "self love" that is at the root of our problem. If we are to be taught how to love, it should be in how to love others. For we selfishly love ourselves naturally. With that said, I concluded with Jesus words here: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, ESV).

LGBT – Choice or Genes?

By Mark Escalera 

The science aspect of this question is rather simple. There is no “gay” gene. There never has been a “gay” gene. There never will be a “gay” gene. Modern scientists will strive in vain to find that which undermines and countermands the Word of God. The reason is because modern culture hates everything about God. It hates the Bible with a passion because it points out the sin nature that is found in every man, woman, and child who has ever lived. Modern culture wants to think that man is getting better and better. Because of this thought process, it demands that all must conform equally to whatever is considered to be the acceptable norm.

Enter the LGBT community along with their open and unashamed agenda for the total destruction of all that is right and wholesome. How have we come so far in such a short time?

There was a time when acts such as lesbianism and homosexuality were punishable as crimes, and we do not have to go all the way back to the Old Testament to find that such behavior has long been considered an abomination. However, if the only guide we had to what is acceptable behavior, we can go all the way back to creation to find that God made them male and female. Ultimately, the final authority belongs to God. He created marriage to be between one man and one woman, but sin has destroyed all of that. God created marriage to produce and populate the earth and to care for His creation, but sin has destroyed all of that.

The wickedness of the earth continues to grow as it rises in rebellion against God.

The advent of television and movies is probably one of the greatest contributors to the open acceptance of the perversions that run rampant in our societies over the last century. We found out that certain movie stars were womanizers, adulterers, fornicators, or living a life as a homosexual or lesbian, and we excused it because, “That’s just Hollywood.”

People acting in an effeminate manner were mocked but only for a short time. The so-called wholesome family shows soon began mocking the family unit. The role played by the husband was denigrated and they were made to look like bumbling fools. The beautiful picture of a lady quickly faded into obscurity as women were paraded into more and more masculine roles.

Bedroom scenes quickly moved from a man and woman sleeping in separate beds to the actors being filmed in risqué and questionable situations. Before long, that was not enough for audiences and the movies began to include partial nudity. Then, it became more open as the cameras relished in the depraved scenes mocking all that God created to be holy within the bonds of matrimony.

But that was never enough! Movies began to flirt with lustful relationships between two men or two women, then proceeded to make films and tv episodes where homosexuality and lesbianism was fully acceptable. Those who cried against these perversions were mocked as being prudes and as those “Christian types who really don’t understand that God is love and that He loves everybody just like they are and that He even created some men to love other men or some women to love other women.”

Do we wonder why there are so many who have chosen lifestyles that are opposed to God? It is because culture has made it seem innocent. It has taken all that is good and holy before God and destroyed it a little bit at a time. What is acceptable now brings little more than a yawn to many, even to some who claim to be followers of Christ. Such portrayals on the screen 20, 30, or 50 years ago would have brought the wrath of much of America down on the heads of movie studios.

However, the movie producers were smart. Test the waters enough and before long, what is sin and wickedness will be acceptable. Now, social media like Twitter and Facebook has allowed those who live in open rebellion against God and His Word to parade their sin. Gay parades and the accompanying perversions of those who prey against our children is no longer headline news. Those who make the news are the “bigots” who stand in the way of cultural evolution as “the earth moves towards a utopian society.”

In just a few short decades, the LGBT community went from only wanting to be free to do whatever they wanted in the privacy of their homes to demanding that their perversions must be taught to impressionable young boys and girls. Believers got a little squeamish with the idea but began hearing from the pulpit that “God loves people just like they are. He wants us to accept people for who they are. Whatever they do in the privacy of their own homes is none of our business.” And we bought the lies. Churches began to accept the depravity a bit at a time.

Public schools were the breeding ground for the introduction of sexual freedom of all kinds to children. Children went home and the things not acceptable in homes was openly allowed to be portrayed on the televisions when they got home from school. The sexual revolution opened the door and now pregnancy out of wedlock and people openly living together with no commitment and no marriage is totally acceptable. To question a person living in such a lifestyle is to be a bigot.

Is it any wonder that once society accepted the perversions, and the family allowed the perversions on the screen, and then the church accepted the perversions – is it really any wonder that boys and girls are growing up in confusion as to what they were created to be? Today, judges are passing laws that demand equal rights for those who want to live in a fantasy world while demanding that those with any morals left be held in contempt of court.

Churches stopped taking a stand for truth. Pastors failed to prepare the hearts of the believers to stand for the truth because there were no more absolutes. Absolutes were only for bigots. Churches went from preaching the truth to accepting all lifestyles that were opposed to all that is holy to God. Pastors stopped preaching against sin because it was not popular and would cause a decline in the offerings every Sunday.

What sane person finds it acceptable for a man to walk into a woman’s bathroom because he thinks he is a woman? What sane person finds it believable that through the use of medicine and genital mutilation a person can actually change themselves from a man to a woman or from a woman to a man? Sorry, but Bruce Jenner will always be a man and he is no hero. He is a man who needs to seek forgiveness from the Most High God that he has offended and against Who he lives in outright rebellion.

What is next? Polygamy? Many false religions already allow for this and it will not be long before they will demand equal protection for their lifestyle. The polygamists of Utah and Colorado used to be a very quiet group who worked diligently to stay under the radar of the authorities. Now, television and movies have promoted this lifestyle as being acceptable. Judges are already throwing out cases that involve polygamy and it will not be long before polygamy will no longer be a crime, but will be openly acceptable behavior from any who choose to have more than one husband or one wife.

What else is coming? Bestiality? Lowering the age of consent to accommodate the agenda of the LGBT community? Yep, all of the above and even worse will be coming because our societies in the west are on a cliff-face headed straight for hell. If you doubt that the LGBT community has an agenda, then you are living like an ostrich with your head in the sand.

The Roman Empire was destroyed from within by its debauchery. Rome became a place where biblical Christianity was mocked while allowing polygamy, slavery, and the selling of boys and girls for whatever perversions were needed to satisfy a person’s lust was on offer. Our society will also soon be there because it hates God, but God will not be mocked. Neither will His judgment be withheld forever.

However, there is hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone. You will never find hope inside of a pill, or drugs, or a bottle, or illicit sex, or lust-filled relationships. The emptiness that is within the heart of each person can only be filled by Jesus Christ. When a person comes to the end of themselves and realizes that they are lost in the depravity of their sin, only then will they be able to understand the joy that belongs to true believers. Repent from your sin while there is yet time.

If you claim to know Christ, you cannot remain in your sin or your perversions otherwise the Bible makes it clear that you are not a true believer. If you are called to be a minister, you must take a stand for truth regardless of what it will cost you.

HOW THANKFUL ARE WE REALLY?

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

(1 Thess. 5:18, NASB).

Yes, my friend, you read correctly. We are to give thanks "in everything." Challenging text to live out in our life, isn't it? It is not easy to be thankful in everything. It's easy to be thankful when things are going well in our life, but very difficult to be thankful when everything seems to be going wrong in our life. It's hard to be thankful when you don't get that job promotion. It's not easy to be thankful when you lose a loved one. It's difficult to thank God when prayers don't get answered in the way you like, or when you are still waiting on the Lord for an answer. The fact is, it is God's will that we give thanks in everything, whether good or bad. Oh, that we would be wise and adopt Job's attitude when he said: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15, KJV).

The danger in being a Christian here in America, is that we are so blessed that we have become ungrateful and dissatisfied. Compared to most of the countries of the world, we are extremely wealthy. We have become far to comfortable and complacent in our attitude. Far too many in the Church here in the West have become proud, self-centered, narcissistic, and privileged. We have taken God's blessings for granted, we have taken Him for granted. Instead of thanking the Lord for His many wonderful blessings, we selfishly complain. Yet, there are many people in third world countries that would gladly trade places with us. It seems the more God shows His goodness to us, the less we thank Him for it. How ironic, that even animals show more gratitude to their Creator than man does. The truth is the Western Church is materially wealthy, but spiritually poor. John writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote this indictment on the Church in Laodicea: "'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,.." (Rev. 3:17, NASB). Does this not aptly describe the state of the American Church today? 

Today, I had the blessing of being invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner, we were asked to share what we were thankful for. When my turn came I stated I was thankful for the trials and difficulties in my life that has given me invaluable wisdom and experience, and has helped to contribute to the book I am presently writing, and God willing, will soon get published. I don't find it easy saying that, especially when life gets hard and frustrating. Yet, my attitude during such times needs to be like that of the Psalmist, "It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes." (Psalm 119:71, NASB). In God's school of difficulties, no child of God gets exempt. The only way to genuine spiritual growth and maturity is the way of the cross. It is when life's hardships visit us we should consider them life's opportunities for spiritual growth.

The Apostle Paul gives cause for the Roman Church to give thanks, when he wrote: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28, NASB). Later in the same chapter, Paul said: "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." (Rom. 8:37, NASB). Then there is Paul's words to the Philippian Church: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Phil. 4:6, NASB). There's that phrase again, "in everything." The NIV says, "in every situation." The phrases in the above Scripture texts, "all things" and "all these things" carries the same truth as seen in the phrase in today's text: "In everything."

So we have the truth being conveyed here that we are to give thanks "in everything;" next, "in all these things" we are more than conquerors. Why? Because the Lord is with us, which makes all the difference (see Phil. 4:13); then "in everything" by prayer and supplication, there's that word again "with thanksgiving" make our requests known to God. Not only are we to give thanks in everything, but it is God's will that we do so. So tell me, how thankful are you?

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, 

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. 

Count your blessings, name them one by one, 

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God has done. 

(Johnson Oatman, Jr.)

MODERN DAY PHARISEES!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." (Matthew 23:15, ESV).

The Pharisees who lived during the time of Christ were quite zealous for their efforts in winning people to Judaism. However, they really lacked in the areas of showing love, justice, mercy, and faith. When the Lord Jesus renounced the Pharisees, He pointed out this very thing (see 23:23). Because Pharisees were not known for their love, they could be cruel indignant, and arrogant. This certainly can be seen in their ill treatment of their Messiah, Jesus Christ that their Old Testament Scriptures prophecied about. Sadly, do we not see this type of attitude creeping into our local Churches today? Sure, some of us may be just as zealous in winning souls to Christ today as the Scribes and Pharisees were in their effort to proselytize people to Judaism. Sadly, for many of God's children today, that is not the only thing we have emulated from the ancient Pharisees. Unfortunately, we have adopted their cold, unloving, harsh, indifferent, and legalistic ways as well. The believers in many local Churches today have become quite Self-centered, when they should be Christ-centered. God forbid if this is true of us.

So what are some of the Symptoms we need to watch out for in regards to Phariseeism?

(1.) Pharisees love the praise of men. For Matthew writes, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6:5, ESV). Again Matthew says, "They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long," (Matthew 23:5, ESV). Notice what Jesus says here "that they may be seen by others" and "to be seen by others." The scribes and Pharisees were NOT concerned about bringing glory to God, for they wanted the glory for themselves. They were more concerned about drawing attention to themselves, rather than to the Lord. They desired the approval of man rather than God's approval. Hence, the Lord Jesus says of them, "Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward."

(2.) Phariseeism is legalism. Their focus was more on the letter of the law then the Spirit of the law. They were also more taken up with keeping the traditions of the fathers, than they were the Holy Scriptures; they were more interested in condemning people then they were commending them; they majored on the minors and minored on the major issues. Not much has changed since then. There are modern day Pharisees within the body of Christ who do the same thing today. Often legalistic Christians will pressure other believers to feel they have to measure up to their standard of righteousness.

(3.) Phariseeism glorifies the FLESH, therefore robbing God of the glory due to His name; whereas the Christ centered believer glorifies Christ in the SPIRIT, therefore rightly taking back from the flesh the glory that only belongs to God! May the Lord preserve us from adopting a Pharisee attitude as we seek to live and serve our beloved Lord Jesus Christ.