Steps of descent of the believer into becoming a Pharisee

[Jim Jam]

The Pharisee is a believer who has lost the love of God and kept only the shell of religion. Nothing is more dangerous than a religion without love. For he who stops loving ends up hating. And he who hates, in God's name, kills. Pharisaism is the corruption of true religion.

 

Step number one, loses faith, so it becomes exhibitionism. Religion becomes an outward show, a theatre of piety. Faith as performance.

Number two, it becomes a habit without soul, a routine, a career.

Three, it becomes a profession, a career, a business, a source of gain.

Four, power, it becomes an instrument of power over others. A means to dominate others.

Five, Power leads to contempt, the aversion towards the truly devoted, the one who truly believes. They feel uncomfortable about being near them. A profound dislike, as if the believer's belief is something personal, aversion to the truly devout.

Six, persecution. They want to put the believer down, hatred towards them. Sacrilege.

Seven, then it leads to the murder of the just, figuratively speaking. Smears. Character assasination. Ultimately, the false believer comes to hate the true believer.

 

The Pharisee lives in all of us. He is the worm of the religious soul. We can so easily succumb to the very temptation of power, vanity and self-importance.

Edited October 16 by Jwanon

[Babseinstein]

Is this the same Pharisee we know?

[Jim Jam]

On 10/16/2025 at 11:41 PM, Babseinstein said:

Is this the same Pharisee we know?

 

It's a figure of speech 

[Leonard Match Valid]

I am sorry, brother, if something like this is happening in our brotherhood, something that should never happen.

But look at the text of 2 Timothy 3:1 to 9
APPLY THIS TO CONGREGATIONS AROUND THE WORLD!

For men will love only themselves, they will love money, they will be conceited, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, disloyal, unnatural, unable to make agreements, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love for what is good, traitors, stubborn, full of pride, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, and will maintain an appearance of devotion to God, but will reject the power of that devotion. Avoid such people.  Among them are men who slyly worm their way into families and captivate weak women, burdened with sins, led astray by various desires, who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth. These men have completely corrupt minds and are disapproved in regard to the faith. 9 However, they will not go very far, for their folly* will be clear to all, as in the case of those two men.

Note that Paul also applied this to the congregation because he mentioned two people who were members of Israel and were with Moses.

There is a Watchtower from 1988, 15/8 pp. 28-30, with the theme “How to Maintain Our Christian Unity,” which addresses two sides of living with brothers:

 

Social Contacts. “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) “Keep your foot from your neighbor’s house, lest he be weary of you.” — Proverbs 25:17.

In other words, be loving
But keep your distance!


The reality is that we are approaching the Great Tribulation, and it will happen!