Is their a similarity between born again christians and the Pharisees in the Bible?

Question

I say the Pharisees where rebuked for their ignorance about God and their belief that since they followed the "Law" as they saw it, that they were better than others. Pride.

Their focus was on themselves and not God. They cared more about their actions than they did Who God was.

I hate it when people let their sensitivity to necessary qualifiers get in the way of answering questions...

Answer 1

I am not sure whether I am getting your question corectly, but it sounds like you asking your question using stereotypes of two categories of people who appear similar because of what is commonly called "legalism" ---strict (sometimes petty) attention to laws and rules.

Not all born again Christians are this way, although some are.

The Pharisees get a "bad rap" in Scripture for some of their legalism, but there is so much more to the Pharasiam besides the legalistic behavior. Here's a little snippet of information on them:

One belief central to the Pharisees was shared by all Jews of the time: monotheism. This is evident in the practice of reciting the Shema, select verses from the Torah, at the Temple and in synagogues. The Shema begins with the verses, "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God; the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might." According to the Mishna, these passages were recited in the Temple along with the twice-daily Tamid offering; Jews in the diaspora, who did not have access to the Temple, recited these passages in their houses of assembly (in Hebrew: "batei knesset"). According to the Mishnah and Talmud, the Men of the Great Assembly instituted that Jews both in Judea and in the diaspora were required to pray three times a day (morning, afternoon and evening), and include in their prayers a recitation of these passages in the morning ("Shacharit") and evening ("Ma'ariv") prayers.

According to Josephus, whereas the Sadducees believed that people have total free will and the Essenes believed that all of a person's life is predestined, the Pharisees believed that people have free will but that God also has foreknowledge of human destiny. According to Josephus, Pharisees were further distinguished from the Sadducees in that Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead.

I would say that there are many kinds of born again Christians as well many different ways of being a Pharisee...sometimes annoying, but not everything about them is bad!

Answer 2

You can find the Pharisees in almost any church you go in to. The holier than thou, the better than you. They are all there. The real question is are they really Christians??? I would submit by their actions that answer would be no.

See when one claims to believe then they are suppose to learn what Jesus did, what he taught and how he lived. That is suppose to be the model, putting others before yourself. Treating others the way you would like to be treated yourself. Having compassion, concerned passion, concerned love for others. Becoming selfless instead of selfish, that is the model and that is how a Christian is suppose to live. Not easy I fall short all the time but still I try.

The real difference in the end is ones actions, how they live, what they do. Those are the things that will tell you if someone is truly a Christian. Many will claim it but few will actually live it. Judge peoples actions, there you will know.

Answer 3

there is a similarly to all people and the Pharissees... the things the Pharisees struggled with are pretty common to mankind and religous folk in particular to some degree or other... they were just the fall guys for what Jesus was teaching

people are ofen self justifying and self decieved and do their own thing instead of God;s thing... and the pharisees had no monopoly on that problem... you would see all over the place in all kinds of people to various degrees... its a lesson in human nature and how much we need redemption

born again Christians? I would say that's too much of an overgeneralization. Im sure it fits some and not others.

Answer 4

In the Bible the pharisees did not belive that Jesus was the promised Messiah. They were scoffers and were judgmental because Jesus did not follow the law when He healed on the Sabbath. The born again Christians in the Bible were those who belived that Jesus was the Messiah and the Savior promised to mankind. A Pharisee could become a born again Christian.

Answer 5

Christ told Nicodemas that one must be "born again" to enter the kingdom of heaven. With this scripture in mind, we must realize that there are no Christians who have not been born again. Many claim to be Christians, but using Christ's own definition, we must admit that many who claim to be Christian are not. God said that "many who cry Lord, Lord will not enter the kingdom, but only those who do the will of the Father". It also says that "the will of the Father is that all should be saved". I would say that the Pharisees were more in line with the so-called Christians who have not been born again.

Answer 6

Their attitudes are often similar. But you must remember that the Pharisees condemned behavior and conservative Christians condemn belief.

I condemn wrong behavior because it is an indicator of incorrect belief.

Answer 7

There are legalistic, judgmental people in all walks of life, not necessarily all born again christians. I've seen more judging and insults done right here by atheists than any other group I've ever encountered.

Answer 8

This is a sweeping statement. You are judging all of them, on the behaviour of some - maybe.

Answer 9

Satan has his children - Psalm 58:3, John 8:37-47, 1 John.3:8-10, 12, 1 Matthew 13:38, Revelation 2:9 below.


Ps.58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

1 Jn.3:8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1 Jn.3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 Jn.3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

1 Jn.3:12Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one (Jn.8:44 above), and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

Matt.13:38The field is the world; the good seed are the CHILDREN of the kingdom; but the tares are the CHILDREN of the wicked one (1 Jn.3:12, Jn.8:44 above);

Re.2:9I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan (Jn.8:37-47 below).


Speaking to the Pharisees – Jn.8:37-47

Jn.8:37I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me (Jn.8:40 below), because my word hath no place in you.

Jn.8:38I SPEAK that which I have seen with my Father: and ye DO that which ye have seen with your father (Jn.8:44, Matt.13:38 below).

Jn.8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Jn.8:40 But now ye seek to kill me (Jn.8:37 above), a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God (Jn.8:38 above): this did not Abraham.

Jn.8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father (Jn.8:44, Matt.13:38 below). Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God.

Jn.8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father (Matt.13:38 below), ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Jn.8:43Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word.

Jn.8:44Ye are of [your] father the devil (Jn.8:41 above, Matt.13:38 below), and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Jn.8:45 And because I tell [you] the truth, ye believe me not.

Jn.8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

Jn.8:47He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear [them] not, because ye are not of God (Jn.8:44, Matt.13:38 above).


Pat (ndbpsa ©)

Answer 10

some maybe....but its hard to stereotype a billion people don't ya think?