Wow. Every time I read this passage it just puts me in a very somber mood. I guess because the religious leaders and Pharisees Jesus is talking to in this chapter are my ancient counterparts; Men who taught others how to live, according to God's Word.
But they seem to have gone a little overboard. Jesus does tell the disciples and others to "listen to them and do what they say" but also not to live like them because their speech and their lives didn't say the same thing.
I wonder if my life and speech speak the same thing to others. I don't want to make Real Life in Christ any more or less difficult than the Bible says it is. Where the Bible speaks to a subject I want to speak as the Bible does and when the Bible is silent about a subject then I need to shut-up about it. But I know too many who are quick to throw in extra stuff. Too many churches that create more hoops to jump through. The Bible says in order for someone to have real life in Christ they must believe, repent, confess the Name of Jesus and be baptized. Nothing more, nothing less. It doesn't matter what clothes you wear. Where you're from. How you talk. Or what your parents did.
Coming to Christ is easy - there's a reason for that. I don't want to add anything to it. God help me NEVER to be like those whitewashed tombs. May my conduct and speech sing in unison.
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