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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : A Thin Line Between Pharisees and Sadducees: Acts 23:6-8

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isaacskeete
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Joined: 2010/1/3
Posts: 3
Halifax, Nova Scotia

 A Thin Line Between Pharisees and Sadducees: Acts 23:6-8

“But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, 'Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisee; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!' As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all” (Acts 23:6-8)

The Pharisees knew the Word, they just didn't know the Living Word. As Jesus described, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, it is these that testify about Me and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life” (John 5:39-40). The Pharisees, perhaps more so than others, knew all the right doctrines and therefore Jesus could say, “all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them” (Matthew 23:3) The Sadducees on the other hand did not hold to the truths. As mentioned above, they did not believe in resurrections, angels or spirits.

The temptation for Christians today is to be pulled in one of these directions; to hold to all the right doctrines but be void of the love of God which illuminates those truths or to lose their grasp on truth altogether. Its not that we will fall completely to one side or the other but we definitely begin to drift.

As a new believer full of zeal and passion for Christ and truth, I found myself right from the beginning being placed in circles of believers not holding to the whole truth. A couple months after being saved, I attended an Alpha course and was so excited because the pastor of the church offered to drive me home. I thought, “this is great, I can get a chance to talk to this 'great' man of God!” On our drives home, I would pop a question, “I wonder why it took Israel so long to enter the promise land?” The conversation would quickly be diverted to the price of gas or some other insignificant chit chat. I started to wonder if the people in the Alpha class, even the leaders, were truly born again. In fact, I wasn't quite sure who was born again.

With that said, I found myself, defending the truth right for the beginning. Our small group discussion in Alpha would drift from the truth of scripture to superstition and watered down interpretations. I remember searching franticly through the Word I was still unfamiliar with, trying to help these poor people see the truth.

As time went on, I always desired to meet someone who could mentor me. Some older christian in the faith who would expound on the scriptures or help me claim my riches in Christ. I found that the times in which I truly felt, “this is it”, it turned out to be another experience like I had at Alpha.

I was part of a great church, still newish, with a BIG heart for the rougher area; the same area I spent much time as a youth. I knew this was the right place to be. After a few months of being born again, I felt God directed me to be part of this church and to reach the lost. I immediately got involved with the small group and with helping out in any was possible.

I remember one Sunday, there was an announcement about a new church evangelism and discipleship endeavour. I was so excited, “I gotta join this!” I wanted to “hit the streets” and tell people about Jesus. This new endeavour turned out to be a series of meetings conducted by an church assimilation specialist from out of province. We sat in dry meetings looking at charts on the whiteboard and chatted about moving people from stage to stage within the church in order to secure there place in the church. At different times I literally stopped in the middle of the meeting and thought, “Is Jesus here?” I truly couldn't picture Jesus strategizing the way we were, it seemed SO wrong; but I was a new believer.

I truly tried hard to go with the flow; to trust leadership and continue my commitment to the team but things just got weirder. We soon were handing out gift cards to newcomers for Blockbuster and TimHortans; immediately I felt; “this is bribery.” If the guest came back a second time, they'd get another prize and maybe a verbatim letter from the pastor that had the appearance of personalization. This all started to be too much. I started to voice my concern and remember receiving harsh remarks, “If you think we are bribing people, then we should just close down the church.” In the meetings, I seemed to be the only one who had opposing views and the others would quote to me from a church growth book we were reading as a way to justify our church direction.

I felt like God called me into ministry through a vivid dream and the church was very supportive in providing opportunities for me to grow through hosting services to preaching. But at one point, I had to step back from hosting Sunday services because I was introducing newcomers, asking them to fill out cards with their personal information so that we could “assimilate” them through gifts and letters into our church. Although, I didn't agree ever, I now knew that I couldn't be part of this process.

There were many other times when opportunities presented its self to describe what I felt was a more biblical view. It seems that now I was becoming more of a nuisance, a young know it all, who was causing “dissension”. Although, even with my very strong views, I tried hard to not to influence others outside of church meetings and to love and respect leadership.

I just wanted to leave, and find a church that loved Jesus and his Word but I felt like It was not the time. God was teaching me how to disagree and still love and submit. It seemed like it got harder and harder to stay. Once I was asked to preach a series of sermons based on a book our church was going to be reading through. I was excited to do it, then... I read the book. I couldn't, well I couldn't do it unless I could deviate from the book and just preach from the Word. I checked out the first topic, and then the second and the third and realized I'd feel like I was disobeying God if I went ahead with this. After discussing this with the pastor, I didn't preach.

I found myself now, so focused on leadership seeing the truth. In prayer, in conversations, emails, I pleaded, hoping and desiring that the Holy Spirit would come, open eyes and restore truth. Although in this, I think I may have started drifting towards the Pharisee's side of the pendulum. I was so focused on others seeing what I saw, that truth begun to take the centre stage away from love.

Finally, It was time for me to leave the church. God, it seems, opened the door and although it was not my choice, I was happy to accept it feeling that God had something better in store. Although now I was faced with a HUGE decision. I was suddenly aware of the fact that because I am now free to meet in the way that I felt was a more New Testament fashion, I no longer needed to be so concerned with defending the truth but living in the truth.

Thank God, I was able to make the transition. The first Word that was on my heart to share with our 2 or 3 was about forgiveness, loving those who we felt hurt us despite our differences. We could have went on and applauded ourselves while bashing those we left but we were able to see the big picture and to desire good for those we were misunderstood by. Although I still feel they are off track, my calling is more about loving Jesus, growing in his likeness, encouraging others and reaching the lost.

It is my thought that many churches focused on growth are moving in the direction of the Sadducees, watering down truths, accepting compromise, and flirting with the world, but in addressing the Sadducees we run the risk of becoming Pharisees, lacking a truth that is illuminated with the love of Christ.

Isaac Skeete
www.basicchurch.ca


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Isaac

 2013/11/8 21:07Profile
Sidewalk
Member



Joined: 2011/11/11
Posts: 719
San Diego

 Re: A Thin Line Between Pharisees and Sadducees: Acts 23:6-8

Awesome story, been through a bunch of that! I went Pharisee full tilt, couldn't see it until He let me know that while I was believing myself to be like the disciples I was so much more like the Pharisees!

An excellent lesson in truth with your testimony woven in! Thank you!


_________________
Tom Cameron

 2013/11/9 23:06Profile





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