The Pharisaical Mindset

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13 NIV)

I think there comes a time in every believer’s life where there is a struggle with the Pharisaical mindset.  You know the one, where we believe we’ve come to a sense of enlightenment that should be emulated by everyone else. Jesus summarized this thinking through His story of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14).  The Pharisee looks down on the tax collector and thanks God he is better because of his great righteousness. Jesus, of course, takes apart this self-exulted attitude and lauds the tax collector for his humility.  

The problem with Pharisaical-minded people is they are arrogant and have forgotten their own shortcomings.  They adopt a superior view of themselves and believe everyone should listen and follow their point of view.  They are quick to tell others what they should be doing and quick to judge when they don’t do it.  

I remember back in my early days as a follower of Jesus, struggling with the idea of baptism.  Some of my Christian friends questioned whether I was truly a believer; while others cited their favorite Scripture verses about baptism, telling me I was being disobedient.  I became so frustrated with them and resented their judgment of me.  However, after studying the Scriptures myself, I came to the conclusion I did need to be baptized. Months later, I was working at a summer camp and the topic of baptism came up among the counselors.  At that point, I entered my Pharisaical mindset and began to argue and judge in the same way my friends had done to me just a few months earlier.  Sadly, I stayed in that mindset for several years.

Our pastor once said, “It is better to be kind than right.”  To the Pharisaical-minded, that is blasphemy, but I think this is what Paul is telling the Colossians.  The mindset of condemnation and judgment has its birth in our forgetting we have the same need of forgiveness as anyone else.  Once we become “enlightened” about spiritual matters, we tend to forget that.

Do you realize how much you need the forgiveness of the Lord?  If you don’t, then you are in danger of, or may have already entered into, having a Pharisaical mindset.  Remember the words of the Lord at the conclusion of His story: “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Today, bear with those with whom you disagree.  Have grace for them and forgive them, just as the Lord has done for you.

© Jim Musser 2013