Pharisaical Behavior and Attitudes to Avoid Contrasted With Christ Like Love
Pharisaical Values That Were Rooted in Their Traditions and Rigidity:
1. Pharisaical insistence on following every small aspect of their own laws for the approval of men.
2. Pharisaical emphasis on pleasing God through keeping to legalistic standards
3. Pharisaical examples of elevating themselves to the highest scats ill the temple through insider politics and close attention to the laws of their Fathers.
4. Pharisaical rewards were given through elaborate festival performance and political intrigue
5. Pharisaical problems of taking religion for granted because of its Familiarity
6. Pharisaical manipulative use of their selfish interests
7. Pharisaical blindness to their forefathers' rejection of' the godly prophets sent for their correction.
Christ Like Love:
1. Christ's Values of Loving the Lord with all of one's heart, soul, strength and mind.
2. To love one's neighbor as ourselves
3. Christ's insistence on following the leading of Holy Spirit in the heart of every believer through the teaching of holistic Biblically based truths
4. Christ's emphasis on pleasing God by doing the Father's will with the right motives
5. Christ's example of elevating oneself by being a servant to all "The greatest among you will be your servant but whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted Christ's rewards are laid up in heaven for those who will be content with the rewards given to those who please God through quiet service and obedience
6. Christ overcame the problems of the coldness of Christianity by emphasizing a fresh developing relationship with the heavenly Father through daily devotional times in prayer and in study of the scriptures
7. Christ's example of living a simple lifestyle and urging others to store up for themselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy or where thieves do not break in or steal He said "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also
8. Christ's willingness to consult Pharisees with their stubborn pride while rejecting Him
