“You're a Pharisee” has become a popular insult.
Typically, it's used to discredit someone who appropriately addresses unpopular biblical commands or someone who points out scriptural errors in popular false teachings or in popular “Christian” books and entertainment.
So let's talk about what it means to be like a Pharisee and let's do something Pharisees wouldn't do—let's find our answer in God's Word.
In Matthew 23:13-32, Christ explained the bad character of the Pharisees by pronouncing seven woes against them. He said they rejected Him as Messiah and were busy turning others away from Him.
They loved earthly and material things and were willing to twist God's commands to fit their purposes (Matthew 15:1-9).
Jesus said they'd “strain out the gnat and swallow the camel,” neglecting important things like “justice, mercy and faithfulness” while obsessing about things like tithing laws and rituals. See Straining Gnats.
They had an outward form of godliness, seeking the praise of men, not the approval of God (Matthew 23:5-7; 2 Timothy 3:1-5). And despite their wickedness, they were quick to accuse others.
They didn't care about scriptural errors. They cared about their man-made laws and traditions (Mark 7:8-9).
So if someone calls you a Pharisee because you point out scriptural errors in something man-written or man-produced, they are actually the ones behaving like Pharisees.
But I don't advise that you call them Pharisees. Name-calling is something Pharisees do, not mature believers (Matthew 9:34;10:25).
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False Teachers Always Climb Over the Wall
What We Can Learn from Gnat-Strainers
I also encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word.
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