Accidental Pharisees: Part Seven GIFT PROJECTION

Most Bottles Recycled by a Dog
Guinness World Records

In the final part of Accidental Pharisees, the author, Larry Osborne, develops the concept of gift projection, a new term to me. Part seven is subtitled When My Calling Becomes Everyone Else's Calling. Osborne describes gift projection as "the chocolate-covered arrogance that assumes that everyone is just like me--or will be when they grow up . . . the more full-blown our gift projection becomes, the more likely we are to think that God is especially pleased with us and ticked off at everyone else, when nothing could be farther from the truth (pp. 152-153)."  We think if we are gifted in something, that everyone else should be like us. Everyone should recycle everything all the time as this dog does in the picture. But life has a way of humbling us and causing us to not think so highly of ourselves. The longer I live the more I am struck with my human failures and need for God's grace. After all, we read in Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in holiness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. All of us have different gifts. 

Osborne's questions from pp. 191-192 and quotes from him are in red and my answers are in black or blue.

1. What are some of the gifts and callings in your life that you would be most likely to project onto others? I am not sure. Thinking hard here. When I diet and lose weight, I think that everyone should diet and lose weight. I forget that I am not always good at keeping weight off. Or, when I have a consistence prayer and devotional life, I think everyone else should also. Or, when I am generous, I think everyone else should be generous as well. Or when I blog, I think everyone should blog or at least comment on my blog. I have to laugh at hypocritical self. We are all unique and sinners saved by grace, called to be obedient. Obedience isn't determined by others. We all plug along at our sanctification and we do not grow by osmosis or by joining the "perfect" church or by whom we marry or whom we "friend" (new Facebook verb).

2. From your experience, what are some of the most common gifts and callings that tend to be "gift projected" in your church? Not sure how to answer this.  To help identify them, think about what typically gets promoted, highlighted, or walled in your church. Seminary and prison ministry. What gifts, ministries, and callings tend to get ignored? Visiting the sick in the hospital; men's and women's Bible studies; Sunday School for all ages. There are reasons they are ignored at this time. We are a small church and people lack time. However, I am pleased to say that we are a nurturing church.

3. Have you ever been guilty of "gift envy," wishing that you had gifts that others possess and failing to value the gifts God has given to you? Osborne says that this is the other side of gift projection. If so, where is that most likely to show up? Can't identify where this would show up in my life.  What do you see as the root of these feelings of inferiority or envy? Plain and simple--SIN! Osborne says We're all tempted to define spirituality and discipleship in ways that align perfectly with who we are and what we do (p. 173).

4. Consider the myth of "full-time ministry."
a. Do you tend to attribute more dignity and significance to those who serve in professional ministry.  Not really. Actually, I pray for them.  If so, why do you think this is so? Osborne writes on p. 177, If you are a Christian, you're in full-time ministry.
b. What could a church do to undercut the myth of full-time ministry and to foster a healthier view of Christian vocation?  Ministers maybe can admit their humanity so that we laypeople do not keep them up on a pedestal. I liked it when we consulted with my pastor about fixing up an old car vs. buying another car. He just didn't tell us what to do--he didn't want to be the end-all answer man for us. List as many specific things as you can. Really we need to cut our ministers slack and stop looking to them for our spirituality, when really we are responsible ourselves. We ALL need to be disciples and be disciples full-time.

5. Are you prone to be one of the "money police," or are you more likely to be criticized by one? Probably criticized by one.
a. After reading the chapters in part 7, are there any parts of Scripture that you realize you may have neglected, ignored, or glossed over? That God promised a lighter load, but the Pharisees demanded more.
b. What passages and insights in part 7 did you find to be most challenging or troubling, or that you simply didn't agree with? The section on evangelists. Why? We were all given the challenge of the Great Commission and should be diligent for opportunities. Osborne says it is not his gift!

Larry Osborne ends his book with these four paragraphs that I think are worth noting.

Make no mistake. My warnings about the dangers of an overzealous faith are not meant as a defense of soft and easy Christianity. They are simply a plea that we remain true to the heart of the gospel, offering rest, help, hope, and salvation to the weary and heavy laden. 

None of us live a truly righteous life. Even the best of us--even those at the front of the following-Jesus line--fall far short of the righteousness needed to stand before our God. That's what makes grace so amazing. That's what makes the arrogance of today's accidental Pharisees so sad. 

There is nothing praiseworthy in a feel-good, lukewarm, consumer Christianity that never asks us to change or do anything. It makes Jesus gag. But we must never forget that there is also nothing praiseworthy in a spiritual zeal that looks down on others or sublimates Jesus' grace and mercy in order to emphasize our radical obedience and sacrifice. That too makes Jesus gag.

Our hope is not in what we do for God. Our hope is in what God has done for us. That's the gospel. That's discipleship in a nutshell. And that's what keeps people like you and me from becoming accidental Pharisees. p. 196

Amen!

I found on our bookshelf one of my husband's books--Hypocrisy: Moral Fraud and Other Vices, by James S. Spiegel. In a chapter called "At Least I'm Not a Hypocrite" the author describes the skeptic who says "Christians are not really better than anyone else, so don't listen to them."  To answer those critics he points out that 

1) it is indeed difficult to live the Christian life; 

2) Christians are sinners; and 

3) Christianity's doctrine of salvation is based on 

divine grace rather than human merit. p. 142 

Amen! 

Lord, I do not want to make you gag.
I want to be a vessel that shows
your grace in my world. 

Accidental Pharisees: Part Six THE QUEST FOR UNIFORMITY

Proverbs 6:16-19 has a list of seven things the LORD hates. The seventh is one who sows discord among brethren. 

Another Scripture I came to recently in my Daily Audio Bible trip through Scriptures is Matthew 22, the parable of the wedding feast. Jesus ends the parable in verse 14 with For many are called, but few are chosen. Then in the next chapter Christ warns woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men (23:13). It is not for us to decide or shut up or shut out by being exclusive and insisting on a certain type of uniformity.

This part of Larry Osborne's Accidental Pharisees looks at the difference between uniformity and unity. Unity is what we need, not uniformity. I refer back to pp. 100-102 where Osborne deals with the diet wars and the Sabbath wars of Romans 14 and 15. We do not need emphasis on these wars,  but we do need unity. 

Some Reformed folks I know insist on uniformity and it is so sad. Where might they go--home church, an Internet church or no church at all?!  We all need to accept the leadership in our church and be accountable to the pastors and elders who preside. Or we need to prayerfully transfer our membership to an active congregation and not run off in a huff over uniformity. We need unity not wars about uniformity.

Questions from pp. 157-158 are in red and my answers are in black and blue.

1. After reading part 6, how, in your own words, would you define the difference between uniformity and unity? Unity doesn't expect uniformity.

2. Have you ever seen firsthand a situation where the quest for uniformity destroyed the potential for biblical unity? Yes, I have.  If so, what happened? Church members took it upon themselves to run away from unity to uniformity to their "perfect church," rather than stay and be the body of Christ in the local congregation. As if THEY know best, they opt for nonessentials that they feel are essential!! What did you learn? Don't know yet. Still hurting over this. Hope there is repentance and restoration. We will move on from this with tears in our eyes.

3. If you had to name your tribe's boundary markers, code words, and "red-word" teachers, what would that list look like? Be as specific as possible. Maybe what has been called young, restless and reformed. However, I don't really like labels.
a. How would someone from outside your tribe learn about those things if he or she wanted to fit in? By being drawn to our church and attending it and then they would not even know about young, restless and reformed. 
b. Would the Jesus of the New Testament be inside or outside of those boundaries? Inside it, but He is inside other boundaries also. DO NOT SHUT UP THE KINGDOM, as Christ warned the scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites in the Matthew 23:13 passage I quoted before these questions.

4. As we saw, there are some things that are worth fighting for. Which specific issues do you believe should be on that list? Authority of Scripture (Solo Scriptura). What filter do you use to decide when an issue is worth fighting for and when it's best to "agree to disagree"? The filter I use is Scripture, careful exegesis of that Scripture, and reflection on what is essential and what is nonessential. I also consult with my pastors. I can have fellowship with a believer who doesn't celebrate Christmas--we can joyfully agree to disagree as long as we can both maintain unity. This falls under the diet wars and Sabbath wars of Romans--both are right and both can have love for one another and unity. Christ prayed in John 17:21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 

5. On a scale from 0 (we are slopes) to 10 (we are shockingly different), how would you rate the diversity (not just racial diversity) of your congregation? How would you rate the Christian diversity of your personal relationships, circles of friends, and colleagues? Just going to skip this numerical analysis. It seems a judgmental question to me. Over my lifetime I have Christian friends and relatives in other congregations.

6. Looking back over the chapters in part 6, what one thing most jumps out at you as a new insight or an important principle? There is more than one thing. Osborne quotes Luke 9:49-50 and Philippians 1:15-18--like those passages. Why? It is not biblical to have those boundary markers. How do you plan to respond to it? To answer these questions, in part, I will end with quotes from this part of the book.

Our biblical unity is rooted solely in our relationship with Jesus. It's not dependent on shared religious practices, patterns, or preferences. It's not contingent on agreeing on every point of theology. It existed even if we wish it didn't. p. 140 

When the quest for uniformity replaces the maintenance of biblical unity, the first thing we tend to do is to establish boundary markers. Boundary markers are the telling behaviors, symbols, and viewpoints that identify us with one group or another. p. 141-142 

Instead of our answers and theology flowing out of the Bible, we end up with answers and theological systems superimposed upon the Bible and read back into it. Eventually the Bible becomes nothing more than a proof text for what our tribe already believes. p. 146 

Osborne recounts a church debate and writes:
There was a long list of crystal-clear commands in my Bible telling me to live in harmony, to be diligent to maintain the unity of theSpirit, to be humble, long-suffering, loving, and forgiving, to bear with my brothers and sisters, and to submit to people in spiritual authority over me. It made no sense to me to disobey this long list of clear commands in order to wage a fierce battle over a handful of verses that were admittedly hard to decipher. p. 152 

By definition, bearing with one another is an act of selfless obedience. It means dying to self and overlooking things I'd rather not overlook. It means working out real and deep differences and disagreements. It means offering to others the same grace, mercy, and patience when they are dead wrong as Jesus offers to me when I'm dead wrong. p. 155 

Osborne quotes 1 John 2:9-11 and then ends this part with these words:
We can cause people to say, "My how they love one another," or we can cause them to say, "What kind of God has a family like that?" p. 156

Lord, help us unite about nonessentials

 and love one another. 

Accidental Pharisees: Part Five IDOLIZING THE PAST

   Husaby Church in Sweden

My fascination for Sweden is almost an idolization of the past. I love reading about my Swedish ancestors. Unfortunately, it is my understanding (really hearsay) that the second and third cousins in Sweden do not exhibit much Christian faith. Maybe that is why my Scandinavian grandparents came to this country.

The subtitle for Part 5 on Idolizing the Past is WHEN IDEALISM DISTORTS REALITY. Here are some of my favorite quotes from part 5:

• I'm not sure why this is true, but passionate faith is often coupled with a zealous idealism and a romanticized view of the past. p. 114
• Their endless pursuit of the perfect marriage, the flawless family the ideal career, or the perfect church leaves them perpetually unsatisfied. . . . Cynicism is idealism on steroids  It has an eagle's eye for what is wrong and a bat's blindness for what's praiseworthy. The religious leaders of Jesus' day were classic cynics. . . . Today's spiritual elite are no different.  . . . they're masters at finding fault, especially with their three favorite whipping boys--the church, its leaders, and current culture. p. 115
• The good old days weren't always so great. [In Chapter 14 Osborne has documented this with New Testament, Calvin, etc. ] The sins and failings of today's church and disciples, though significant, are nothing new. They won't keep Jesus from continuing to build his church just as he promised. p. 131
• The longer I live, the more I recognize the importance of a proper attitude and motivation when confronting the sins and failings of others. p. 131 

The discussion questions from part 5 pages 135-136 in red and my answers are in black.

1. Do you ever find yourself guilty of idolizing the past? Yes.
a. If so, what are some of the "good old days" you find yourself longing for? The culture of the denomination I was in until 2000. And why? It was fun to be involved in the annual meetings, the decisions made and to know the leaders. Then I married my current husband and joined a wonderful RPCGA congregation that made me grow in faith in new ways.
b. What are some of the ways that looking at the past through "rose-colored glasses" might warp our perspective? Looking at a denomination keeps me from other growth in the faith.  Be as specific as possible. I try not to look back or to keep overly involved in the past. I have enough going on as a dementia caregiver and writing the seminary counseling dissertation on caregiving.

2. Part 5 discussed the three "whipping boys" that people love to disparage when comparing today to an idealized and idolized past--the church, church leaders, and culture. Which of these three are you most prone to criticize? The culture.  Why? I think that Ed Setzer said it best HERE when he discussed the Grammys. He made three points. 1. Culture has changed and is changing. 2. Christians will be increasingly uncomfortable in this world and will struggle to express that with grace. 3. There is great opportunity to show the difference Christ makes. 

3. After reading the chapters in this part, can you think of any great spiritual leaders from the past that you might be putting on a pedestal? Yes.  If so, who and how so? The Divines of the Westminster Assembly, the Puritans, Billy Graham who has had such a fine reputation in our country, and Francis Schaeffer, who has started warning the church fifty years ago with such books and films as How Then Shall We live.  Schaeffer's thoughts have been in my mind for a long time as I had the privilege of hearing Schaeffer in chapel when I was a student at Westmont College in Santa Barbara.

4. Why do we tend to remember only the good in our heroes? Maybe we think we can be like them by idolizing them.
a. How might this be dangerous to our spiritual walk? We need to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col. 3:16).  Be as specific as possible. We need to let Scripture transform us, not just memorizing a secondary source about Scripture such as the Westminster Confession or studying the lives of the saints.
b. If someone asked you, "How can we learn from the past without idolizing the past?" what would you tell them? Hmm, have to work on an answer to that. Maybe I would be judging inappropriately.

5. Part 5 ends by summarizing the three great dangers that flow out of an inaccurate and unrealistic idolizing of the past.

• Thinking that the sins and failing of today are unique and rare.
• Lashing out in anger and disgust as if the sins of today are worse than the sins of yesterday.
• Attempting to help Jesus by yanking out the weeds we see growing up among the wheat in the church.

Which, if any, of these three are you most susceptible to? The first one. Why? I have been thinking about a prisoner who is getting a sex change operation. Albert Mohler featured this on his podcast on Jan. 24, 2014 and on his blog I found the link to the case HERE.  This individual originally a man is in jail for life for killing the wife. But this individual has rights, you know, so this transgender individual is in the process of becoming a "she" in a male jail. It just seems that we keep getting away from being sensible as a society and moving towards our "rights" that the tax payers have to pay for!!  It really all goes back to original sin that came into our world as recorded in Genesis 3.

I need joy in the present. Instead of the past, I want to look to the future. Randy Alcorn writes HERE:

When you live with eternity in mind, it infuses you

with a joy that sustains you in your daily life.

Accidental Pharisees: Part Four LEGALISM

Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,

And give attention to know understanding;

For I give you good doctrine . . . 

Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;

Love her, and she will keep you.

Proverbs 4:1, 6

We need Scripture and we need Scriptural doctrine. Legalism is going beyond Scripture, or maybe just concentrating on one issue to the exclusion of other Scripture.   Yet all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for corrections, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Tim. 3:16)

I get accused of legalism.  I think that some others are practicing legalism. Yet it is Pharisaical of me to accuse anyone of legalism!  Mature Christians I have told about my blogging answers to this book tend to say that there is Pharisaicalism in all of us. So how is that different than devotion to our LORD? The answer to this question will be in part seven. Can't wait for you to read the last post in this series.

Meanwhile, I have been a Christian for over 60 years and I remember some practices that were legalistic in my background, what author Larry Osborne calls "litmus test Christianity" and he says it is never a good thing. I grew up with some of this old school legalism.

• I was not allowed by my parents to dance. It took my late husband, a Presbyterian minister, to teach me to dance at age 40, although I surely had the rhythm before then! 
• Alcohol. My parents did not drink and I still cringe when I read about Reformed folk drinking. I am very cautious about Alcohol especially because on a part-time basis I teach classes for decent folk who have gotten their first DUI. I like the legalism of watching alcohol consumption and Pharisaically tell my classes that the main alcohol I drink all year is in the weekly small communion cup at church. I wonder what they think, but such decent folk get DUIs. You have to be careful. Knowing how the DUI has hurt the drivers and their victims over the years really makes me cautious. 
• Movies. And they were so gentle then. Ben Hur was my first movie and I went to it with the youth pastor! Now Osborne says in the "new legalism" movies are "a source of culturally relevant sermons illustrations" (p. 91).
• Not dating a divorced Christian (as if divorce is an unforgivable sin). I used to believe this and then married two wonderful divorced Christians, the first of which died. 

I guess I would have to say that legalism is anything that is added to Scripture, supposedly implied by Scripture.  Perhaps when you have an intellectual and theological basis for your faith and and that is all you emphasize,  you are a legalist.  You are not balancing the doctrine in your Christian faith with  love, justice, mercy and grace. You care about being right only and that is the problem.  "Be dogmatically true, obstinately holy, immovably honest, desperately kind and fixed upright," writes Charles H. Spurgeon. Got this quote from a young social media friend. 

The book questions from 109-110 are in red and my answers are in black.

1. "Litnus test Christianity" is a dangerous type of legalism that can cause us to write off other genuine Christians as bogus Christians. It's an easy trap to fall into.

a. Do you find yourself naturally drawn toward the clarifying lines of "litmus test Christianity" or repelled by them? Both. If so, why do you think that is? I think it is important to contend (Jude 3) for the faith, but then I do not want to be contentious (Gal. 5:20). Gulp! The Galatians passage lists being contentious as a work of the flesh that includes adultery, outbursts of wrath, dissensions, heresies, murders "and the like".  In contrast, the fruit of the spirit includes gentleness and self-control. I like articulate Christians, but am equally repelled by those hot heads who are contentious, as if the whole of Christianity depends upon their defense of it.

b. Which, if any, of the tribes listed in chapter 10 would you fit best in? Here are the tribes: radical Christians who are almost generous to a fault; crazy Christians who suffer; missional Christians who are doing something to fulfill the mission of Christ;  gospel-centered Christians; and finally revolutionary or organic Christians. Are there any other litmus tests that you or you tribe might be prone to use? Yes. If so, list them. Reformed Presbyterian or Reformed Baptist; but I keep learning from evangelical Christians who do not necessarily consider themselves in the Reformed camp. This book is an example of that.

2. In part 4 we looked at both "old-school legalism" and "new-school legalism." Which of the two do you think you or your church are most tempted to fall into? New school legalism. Why? Because doctrine is emphasized quite a bit.  What are some of the dangers that come with it? Excluding others, and not showing grace and mercy. However with my pastors I see a wonderful mix of precise doctrine and generous mercy for those of us who are still learning.

3. The Pharisees of old added to the Scriptures in an attempt to help God out. Looking back over your Christian journey, have you come across examples of people:

a. Adding to Scripture? Probably have.  And if so, how so? Dispensationalists have added to Scripture, but you know, folks, I can have fellowship with them in so many ways, but we just better not discuss eschatology.

b. Turning implications into commands (making the personal application of a passage a universal rule for everyone)? Perhaps. Again, what are some examples? Extreme prideful discipline.  Legalists never see themselves as legalists. They see themselves as obedient. (p. 97) See 1 Tim. 4:7-8 which says exercise yourself toward godliness, for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things.

4. What lessons can we take away from the "diet wars" and the "Sabbath wars" of the New Testament days?  "It's always hard to argue with a legalist" (p. 97).

a. What are some present-day equivalents of the New Testament diet wars and Sabbath wars? Some of those wars might be on this blog, but I am not naming them.

b. How might Paul's instructions to the Romans apply to these modern-day issues? Paul told them that God was good with all of their answers. . . . But there was one thing God wasn't pleased with. It was the disrespect each side showed the other (p. 100-101). I do think that hot headedness can get you in a lot of trouble and show disrespect to other Christians. The hot headed person thinks perhaps that they are the Holy Spirit, responsible for convincing others of the correctness of their view point.

5. Accidental Pharisees often are driven by the fear that showing too much mercy will lead to compromise and half-hearted obedience. But the fact is that we all tend to treat some sins as less deserving of mercy than others. Why do you think that is? We have our pet ideas and habits. Osborne, however, writes, At the end of the day, my own application of the text is just that--my own application. To turn it into anything else undercuts freedom in Christ (p. 102). And which ones do you have the hardest time offering mercy to? Sexual sins such as adultery that hurt the family so intensely. When it is a Christian leader as in HERE and HERE,  it can be very difficult to extend mercy. Anyone can and needs to repent and because Christ has forgive us I need to forgive those others.  God will judge their sincerity and we can look for the fruits worthy of repentance resulting in restored unity and fellowship.

Mercy is what is called for. 

Osborne writes: To people who fail, 

turn away, 

or sit on the fence 

because they are too afraid to jump in 

or are not yet fully convinced, 

Jesus continues to offer his extravagant mercy, 

a helping hand, 

and another chance (p. 107). 

What is your list of things Jesus never said 

or that are added to the Bible?
Where is the grace and balance in your life?! 

Accidental Pharisees, Part Three EXCLUSIVITY

These questions from Part Three I am struggling with more than any other of the questions in this book. Why?

I want everyone to be accepted in the church and the concept of Exclusivity and church discipline is hard for me to accept. I can accept my own need for discipline and repentance, but the thought that confession and repentance isn't there for everyone all the time and that church discipline is necessary is hard for me. I want everyone in the church to love each other as in the Mark Lowry quote above. In fact I want everyone everywhere to love each other.  However,  I do not see peace on earth at Christmas or any other time.

Randy Alcorn in his blog talks about a pastor who would not come clean with his congregation and apologize  HERE. The senior pastor did not want an associate pastor to confess wrong doing to the congregation. Randy had confronted that associate pastor about his falsification of his resume, but that man thought it was no big deal. That pastor wanted to be included PERIOD.

The concept of exclusivity smacks of cliches and other snob appeals. Hopefully we have left the concept of the "IN" group behind in high school and not brought it into the church. As a woman in my church I really care to be friendly and hospitable to everyone. I feel this is also important in my neighborhood.

Oh no! Exclusivity is in my neighborhood big time! When we moved to this neighborhood in 2001, I had the first Christmas party for the neighbors. The following year someone else had one and so forth. Each year someone would volunteer. However in 2013, no one had a Christmas party. Things have changed. The one time of the year that I can show the Gospel to my neighbors has been eclipsed and I need to be a little more creative. I am sad about this, but at least this spirit of exclusivity is not in our local church and one of our neighbors is now attending our church.

So here goes my answers to more reflective questions from this book. These questions in red are from pp. 85-86 of Larry Osborne's Accidental Pharisees and as usual my answers are in black. 

1. As you look at the churches and Christians you personally know, are there any areas where you believe the bar needs to be raised in terms of what it means to follow Jesus? Yes. If so, list them. 

Young vs. old. 

Singles vs. couples. 

Handicapped vs. well people. 

Educated vs. non-educated. 

Home schoolers vs. public schoolers. 

Women who work outside the home vs. women who stay home. 

What makes these things particularly important?

Unity in the church does not mean uniformity. For example, one family may not be able to afford to homeschool and that should not mean that they can't attend a certain church. Homeschooling is recommended by our church, but I do not think it is mandated.  I would have to agree that it is great for families because as a retired public school teacher and current substitute teacher I see first-hand many disadvantages in the public schools. I am not barred from my church because I work in the public school.

2. Have you ever found yourself drawn toward an expression of Christianity that emphasized "thinning the herd" more than "expanding the kingdom"? No.  If so, what are some of the areas and issues you focused on? How would you respond differently today?

a. As we saw, a bias toward (or a delight in) thinning the herd is spiritually dangerous and out of line with Jesus. If you had to confront someone who preferred thinning the heard to expanding the kingdom, what would you say to them? We have had incidents of church discipline in our congregation, and I have felt that it was not my business. I do know that the pastor was eager to maintain church unity and that one individual or even a group are not free to move the church in a certain direction that the Presbytery doesn't approve of.

b. Obviously, there is a time and a place to thin the herd. Jesus did so. Can you think of some areas today where we need to thin the herd? Adultery, stealing of church funds, heresy and lying about ones resume as in the link to Randy Alcorn's blog above.

3. Have you ever experienced or observed the NIMBY effect (Not In My Back Yard) in your own church, small group, or circle of Christian friends? Only in my neighborhood. What happened? Maybe I could say a lot here, but it would be hearsay. A Catholic man let me know that certain neighbors were in effect "trash". He resisted any suggestions I had about keeping the peace. He had the NIMBY attitude. What can you learn from that experience? Probably that Satan is alive and well on planet earth!

4. Would you agree that, at some level, we are all "consumer" Christians?  Why or why not? And is that a good thing, a bad thing, or no big deal? Well I must say that I am a consumer of Reformed theology such as the Housewife Theologian book that I recently went through with 12 posts on this blog. However, I do not think that Accidental Pharisees is "Reformed" per se. It just provides much biblical reflection for me. Hopefully Reformed folks take note of the book's insights with this post.

5. Looking back over the chapters in part 3, what one thing most jumps out at you as something you had never seen before or you need to work on most? Discipleship demands are often a recipe for Phariseeism. Here are great nuggets from the book.

There is something worse than settling for mediocrity. It's exclusivity. It's the temptation to up the ante and to raise the bar of discipleship so high that it disqualifies all but the most committed, and thus thins the herd that Jesus came to expand (p. 69).   

The same holds true in our neighborhoods. After the pioneers have moved in, they almost always band together to keep the future settlers out. Land developers call it MIMBY (Not in My Back Yard). p. 74 

If we want to reach out to sinners like Jesus did, then our list of approved sinners will also have to include the carnal, cultural, and consumer Christians who populate our pews. . . . Our ultimate goal can be nothing less than full obedience to everything Jesus taught. It's the only way we can fulfill the second half of the Great commission (p. 82).  

The truth is that Jesus didn't come to raise the bar. He didn't come to weed out the losers. He came to turn losers, laggards, and enemies into full-on sons and daughters of God (p. 84).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

What makes that particular principle or insight important? There are insights here that I need to keep returning to, including whom to invite to church or faith in Christ for that matter. Expand the bar!

How do you plan to respond to it? This blog post,  prayer and being a light in my neighborhood and broader world sharing the Gospel.

Accidental Pharisee, Part Two PRIDE

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I have been thinking a lot about how I am a hypocrite or a Pharisee. For example, my husband (who has dementia) needs to do certain basic tasks such as take his pills, shower, and shave. HE DOESN'T WANT TO DO THESE THINGS AT TIMES.  I am committed to exercise and housework and do not want to do these even as he doesn't want to shave. I AM IN TOUCH WITH THE HYPOCRITE IN ME. Larry Osborne's book, Accidental Pharisees, is helping me--humbling me. So much meat in this book for my life. In my pride I excuse myself because I work and in my "spare" time I work on the dissertation. But I need to face those obligations, not excuse myself. Lord, what is Your will for me each day?

The thought provoking questions in red for the next chapters of part two are on pp. 63-64 and my answers are in black.

1. As we've seen, our spiritual comparisons can be spiritually dangerous. Take a moment to list all the downsides and dangers you can think of that can come from comparing ourselves with others.
We don't know the heart of others. We think that we should always come out on top. We dare think that our theological knowledge gives us special favor with God. When we compare, we exhibit pure pride.

2. It's hard, if not impossible, to avoid making comparisons They happen naturally and subconsciously.

a. What are some areas of your life where you are most prone to compare yourself with others? I compare myself with 1) people who don't meditate on Scripture or have devotions; 2) people who don't tithe; 3) people who don't honor their parents because they are too busy; 3 )people who are stingy.

b. When you find yourself comparing, are you most likely to focus on areas of your life where you don't match up, or on areas where you tend to come out on top? Why do you think that is? I focus on the areas where I come out on top--my generosity. I have no real basis for comparing myself with thrifty people. I need to be more thrifty myself. Osborne cites the parable of the tax-collector and the pharisee in Luke 18:9-14 and he writes, Looking down on others is also the ultimate reward-killer. It will nullify a boatload of good deeds and righteous living(p. 46).

3. If it's true that we all have a list of people we naturally look down on, what types of people are most likely to end up on your persona, "I'm so glad I'm not like them list"? Thinking about this blog I look down on dispensationalists and emergent folks. Sometimes I look down on people who exhibit certain lifestyle choices that do not jive with my older generation 69 years of living. What do you think Jesus would say to you about your list? He loves them all and is gracious to all of them and I need to be the same. Osborne writes on p. 48: To keep from falling into that trap, I try to regularly ask myself if there is any group of people or Christians for whom I am developing a knee-jerk response of disgust, disdain, or aversion. If the answer is yes, it's an early warning sign that I'm headed downy the path of arrogance. 

4. How would you advise someone who asked you, "What can I do to avoid 'log-eye disease'?" I would laugh and say that I sometimes look at the worst in others and am blind to my own sin.  I am working on this also. What specific steps would you suggest they take? Meditate on verses such as Matthew 7:5 which says Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. I need to often remind myself of this and also Matthew 7:1.

5. Do you think most people are inclined to use the Bible as a mirror, or as a pair of binoculars? Osborne points out that many Christians use the Scripture to point out the faults of others. I can't decide, but probably a lot of people do use Scripture as binoculars for those other people's faults. Which are you most inclined toward, and why? Both. Daily my being in the Word gives me a mirror, but I also see pride in myself when I compare myself to others with my binoculars. Osborne writes on p. 59: We forget that the entrance exam to heaven is a blood test [Christ's blood], not a Scantron. We forget that pride and a lack of love nullifies our knowledge, even if it's a full and complete understanding of all the mysteries in the Bible. Osborne then footnotes 1 Cor. 13:1-4.  Knowledge is not the most important thing. Love is called the greatest thing in 1 Cor. 13:13. Furthermore, 1 Cor. 8:1-2 reads: Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 

Lord, help me grow in love 

and not be proud of knowledge. 

6. If you had to pick just one insight from part 2 that has your name on it, what would it be? Pride that looks down on others. Why? I am deceived and have a plank in my eye. And how do you plan to respond to it? Confession and prayer. I plan to return to the ideas in this book, Scripture such as mentioned above and recognize pride as sinful.

How are you dealing with 

pride in your life?  

Accidental Pharisees, Beginning of a Seven Part Reflection

In 2012 Larry Osborne published Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith. The chapters in this book are divided into seven parts with discussion questions at the end of the seven parts. If you care to, order the book and reflect with me on the discussion questions. Part one is subtitled "The Dark and Dangerous Side of Overzealous Faith."

This morning Teddy Dee, beloved young man in his 20s who influences so many,  posted on Facebook:

It takes a lot of ignorance, pride, and idolatry of self to charge fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with sin, for disobeying your personal convictions. You are not God.
"3Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him." (Romans 14)

I have been accosted by an atheist neighbor with, "Carol, you are such a hypocrite" because of a stand I took here in the neighborhood. Time for reflection with this book. Our church meets in the afternoons on Sundays and I hope to post seven Sunday mornings about this book and maybe some other references to this topic.

Osborne talks about JERKS FOR JESUS who don't know that God never asked him to be a pit bull for right doctrine. Yes, you can be true to Scripture, but not true to ALL of Scripture and while contending for the faith (Jude 3) you are quarrelsome contrary to 2 Timothy 2:24-25. The author nails it when he writes in chapter one, being right will become more important than being kind, gracious, or loving (p. 21).

Here are the first set of questions from pp. 39-40 in red. My answers are in black.

1. When it comes to the dark and dangerous side of overzealous faith, "The problem is not spiritual zeal. . . . The problems is unaligned spiritual passion, a zeal for the Lord that fails to line up with the totality of Scripture."
a. Can you think of a time in your life when you were especially zealous for something only to discover later that your zeal didn't line up with the facts? Yes, when I needed to get my ego need met through my church activities.
b. Can you think of a time in your life when you were especially zealous for something in the spiritual realm only to discover that your zeal didn't line up with Scripture? Many years ago I was influenced by dispensationalism. If so, what happened? My uncle sent me a book when I lived in Dallas, Texas, that made me want to search more. What changed your mind? Reading that book and entering a Reformed church in 2000. Suddenly a whole lot of growth was foisted upon me with questions to wrestle and theology to deal with. What changes did you make as a result? This blog has been an attempt to look at Amil and Postmil eschatology. Yet, I am not done repenting and discovering.
2. The Pharisees of Jesus' day were champions of self-discipline, personal sacrifice, and rigid morality. Imagine you were alive back then. How do you think you would have responded to their spiritual passion? Would you have been inclined to look up to them, be intimidated by them, be repelled by them, or perhaps have some other response? Be repelled by them because if I had an encounter with Jesus Christ and realized His grace I would have been attracted to Him hopefully and recognized His sufficiency.  Why or why not?
3. What, if anything, did you find to be most surprising in Joseph of Arimathea's story (the "secret disciple" nobody wants to be? Joseph was there for Jesus when his disciples were gone.
a. If you were one of the apostles, how did you think you would have viewed Joseph before he boldly stepped forward to claim Jesus' body? Maybe I would had judged him as useless.
b. Does his story change anything about the way you look at other Christians? I need to widen my fellowship. How might it change the way you look at yourself? I have always thought of myself as a learner here on this blog--never a thus says the LORD or a let me check the confessions or creeds disciple. I need to be that growing and glowing disciple, encouraging to others. What does it say to you about the kind of people God uses in his kingdom? He decides whom He uses.
4. If you had to pick just on insight or principle from part 1 to put into practice, what would it be and why? Jesus does not thin out the herd into just His brand of Christians. He is patient with all. Osborne writes at the end of this part: The bruised reed he will not break. The smoldering wick he will not snuff out. To the weary and heavily burdened he offers rest, a light load, and an easy yoke. (p. 27)

Lord, make me Your kind of disciple,

and not an accidental Pharisee.