Jesus predicts Pharisee-ism will increase as the end approaches...
Matthew 24:12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.
Lawlessness will increase. In Chapter 23 of Matthew's gospel, Jesus has just called the Pharisees, who had more laws and followed them more precisely than any other people in history, "lawless". They were following the law with their actions, but their hearts were not in relationship with God. The result is that their love (their hearts) have grown cold replacing a relationship with God with a relationship with the law. Instead of submitting their lives to God, they tried to control God by following God's law (they thought their law keeping would force God to bless them).
BUT Jesus called the Pharisees "lawless." Strict laws - and strict enforcement - is not the answer to humanity's problems. It only makes "love grow cold." Pharisee-ism is true lawlessness. Instead, it is our hearts - a relationship with us that transforms our hearts - that God wants. Obedience is not an issue when our hearts have been transformed by God.
Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that Pharisee-ism will increase? What is going on in the Christian community today? Are we pointing people toward a relationship with Christ or are we just like the Pharisees pointing people to the right rules and right theology and maybe even the right political party to follow?
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