Ron's Insights 2013

Crucified with Christ Part #1: The Pharisees
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 by Ron Susek

Crucified with Christ
by Ron Susek
©Golden Quill Publications
 
I have been crucified with Christ
Galatians 2:20


Part #1: The Pharisees

      If you can boldly speak truth in love as religious connivers twist, spin and plot your demise, yet respectfully give them due honor, unworthy and abusive as they may be, then you are crucified with Christ. In time, your accusers will become faceless, nameless and rewardless, perhaps even rejects of the kingdom.
      Who were these Pharisees in Jesus' life? They were the product of two great sins committed shortly after Moses gave the Ten Commandments to Israel.
      The first sin was to ignore the point of the law. The Ten Commandments were improperly viewed as ten laws that, if kept, could elevate one from sinner to saint without the need of mercy, grace or forgiveness. 
      The second sin was the attempt to outdo God by adding man-made laws on top of God's laws. Somewhere, someplace, someone added one more law, then another, then . . . . One such addition forbade spitting on the Sabbath lest the spittle germinate a seed, thereby constituting work on the Sabbath.
      After fourteen hundred years of Pharisaic additions, Jesus, who honored God's laws, not man's, was accused as a liar, a blasphemer and the prince of devils. "Crucify him!" they demanded.
      Pharisees exist today. They are called moralists and have found their way into our churches. Like the Pharisees of old, they are fortressed by rules. Fail to measure up to their opinions and they will seek your demise, just like they did to Jesus.
      Jesus looked such people dead in the eye, spoke the truth, then remained silent as they plotted his crucifixion. Then, on the cross He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).
      Can we do that? Can we speak truth, then remain silent as the Pharisees misrepresent us, distorting the truth beyond recognition? Can we ask God to forgive them as they cuddle in smug satisfaction, feeling certain that they have done God a service? If so, then we have advanced in our understanding of what it means to be crucified with Christ.                  
      And resurrection life will be ours.

Immanuel: God is with you!
Your friend,
Ron


Previous Posts

Creation and Christmas
Ron Susek

12/30/2013

Silent Night, Holy War
Ron Susek

12/23/2013

The Seasons are Changing
Ron Susek

12/17/2013

Big Rocks First
Ron Susek

12/10/2013

Thanksgiving: A Key to Fulfillment
Ron Susek

12/2/2013

Who Said Faith is Easy?
Ron Susek

11/26/2013

Guard Your Heart (Part #5)
Ron Susek

11/18/2013

Guard Your Heart (part #4)
R

11/12/2013

Guard Your Heart Part #3
Ron Susek

11/5/2013

Guard Your Heart (Part #2 A Pick and a Path
Ron Susek

10/30/2013

Guard your Heart (part1)
Ron Susek

10/22/2013

The Trampler
Ron Susek

10/15/2013

The Secret to Great Achievement by Ron Susek Gold
Ron Susek

10/7/2013

FaithWalk: Responding to God
Ron Susek

9/30/2013

Faithwalk: Knowing God
Ron Susek

9/23/2013

FaithWalk: Learning About God
Ron Susek

9/17/2013

Why Satan Wants You Back
Ron Susek

9/10/2013

Simple Faith
Ron Susek

9/3/2013

God's Footprints
Ron Susek

8/26/2013

Don't Blame Jesus for War
Ron Susek

8/19/2013

Questions of a Fool
Ron Susek

8/13/2013

Right Place, Riht Time
Ron Susek

8/6/2013

Slay Familiarity Now
Ron Susek

7/31/2013

The Wise Use of Freedom
Ron Susek

7/24/2013

The Peril of Impatience
Ron Susek

7/15/2013

America's Flag: Flying Belos Half Staff
Ron Susek

7/9/2013

Defeating this Snarly World
Ron Susek

7/2/2013

Jesus Confronts Dale Carnegie
Ron Susek

6/26/2013

The Measure of Commitment
Ron Susek

6/18/2013

The One Who Binds the Storm
Ron Susek

6/10/2013

Praying with an Angry Heart
Ron Susek

5/28/2013

I'm Here, I'm Free Now!
Ron Susek

5/21/2013

God's Answer to Worry
Ron Susek

5/6/2013

Crucified with Christ Part #3: Judas
Ron Susek

4/23/2013

Crucified with Christ part #2: Peter
Ron Susek

4/23/2013

Crucified with Christ Part #1: The Pharisees
Ron Susek

4/23/2013