The practical life of the Christian

 

The main difference between Jesus and the Pharisees was the fact that they could not life the divine life.  Jesus lived the life of God and that was why He could say that He was the true teacher and they the false ones.  (Matthew 23:3)  Paul again said that he was not interested in the talk of the people that he taught but in their power.  You see my brother/sister; the gospel is not talking about Jesus and His Father and how righteous they are but rather to explain to people why your (godly) life is so different to theirs.  That is wherein the power of the gospel lies.  (1 Peter 5:2-3, (1 John 4:17 and Matthew 5:48) 

 

The spirit of the Pharisees has taken control of much of our life.  We are satisfied to listen to nice words about God and what He did etc. (Matthew 23:13) But to be partakers of that divine life and to experience the reality of it in our life we know nothing of.  Everybody is so earnestly pleading for a holy life – but it just stays there.  (Matthew 23:14) Nothing of Gods holy life realizes in our daily life.  The only thing we can do is to speak about Jesus and his nice godly life and to fight against al the different sins like sex, liquor, cigarettes etc.  We are happy to carry these heavy burdens for Jesus that the Pharisees put on our shoulders – while He meant it totally different! (Matthew 11:28 – 30 and Hebrew 4).   We are totally happy to listen to them and clean the outside of the cup and of the platter but within we are full of extortion and excess. (Matthew 23:25 – 28)

 

Their downfall has arrived!  (Ezekiel 13)  Are you still fighting against sin and still trying their way my brother/sister?  Why?  Have you not read that God give to His children that which they need while they are sleeping.  Why are your Christian life so much of a battle?  Where is Jesus’ easy yoke and light burden?  How long do you still want to struggle? 

 

The good news is that everyone still has his chance!  We have the chance to realize our folly and to correct it.  We still have the chance to believe what God said.   We can only grow through the Word. (Jesus)