Porch Swing Conversations Vlog: Are We The Pharisee?

2:22 PM



Hola readers!

Today I'm having a little Bible study on a piece of scripture that has spoke to my heart recently through the form of an Australian pastor visiting my grandparent's church. He spoke on the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector and I really began thinking about the Pharisee...am I just like him? Do I so easily look at myself as better?
I'm enclosing the chapter on this post so you can read along with me. Please excuse my note reading, the fact that I read my verses too fast or if I didn't explain. I'm not used to talking like this, and writing is more my way of communicating, but I really wanted to share my heart with you this weekend.



He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14



And if you Star Wars people didn't realize, I wore my Star War's t-shirt for Star Wars day. I couldn't help but throw a little of that in this year. May the 4th of God be with you, readers. Have a blessed weekend.


Let's chat! How have you seen the by-works in the Christian walk? Do you feel the church put's more on outward appearance than by inward?

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4 of your thoughts

  1. Great vlog! I recently posted about faith and works and it’s so easy to fall into the ‘salvation by works’ mindset. We want to be at church on time. Serve in many ministries. Be the one to have a lot of scripture memorized or know all the answers. But what’s our motivation behind that? There’s nothing wrong with serving in the church or knowing scripture- on the contrary, it’s great! But when we do it so that WE look good we’ve missed the point and it amounts little to nothing.
    When we read that passage of scripture, like you said, we see the Pharisee as the bad guy and the tax collector as the good guy. Yet how often do we act like the former? How often do we judge modern day “tax collectors” in the church?
    Thanks for this reminder, Kara!

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    1. Thanks so much for your thoughts Sarah! It's true, we so soften judge the modern day tax collectors in the church today. I do. We all do. As Jesus said, we humans tend to look on the outside.
      Striving to go for the heart is so much harder but so much more lasting. XOXO

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  2. No. The Pharisee never called themselves Christian. Neither did they claim to follow Him.

    They believed themselves to be true to the old covenant and correctly practicing Mosaic law. However, while they knew the Word they did not know its meaning ... or its purpose. Christ revealed that meaning and in doing so ended "the law" as it had been practiced. So the words "Let he among you who is without sin cast the first stone" and "Judge not lest ye be judged". John speaks of this. As does Paul ... and Matthew saying surely "the Laws and the Prophets" would not pass until the last prophesy had been fulfilled. That prophesy was the death and resurrection of the Christ. With His death, His Word, his "diatheke" (will and testament), as expressed and witnessed by His disciples, becomes the new Law.

    So it's much worse than simply imagining oneself to be above others. It's a deliberate and purposeful ignorance of the Word. KJV is a twice difficult source. It is both a faulty and a dated translation. But there are so many ways to learn (the Biblegateway for one) that there is little excuse for this. Do not use or allow others to use the Word of God for vain purpose. They will invariably abridge and distort the Word.

    I know many love CS Lewis, but I say beware any man who becomes popular by the scriptures. The path of Christ is a difficult one. It doesn't inspire immediate affection in the masses because it goes against Man's natural inclinations.

    Oh. Thank you for the VLOG. It's always a pleasure to see you.

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    1. Thank you Ray - your comment (as always) leaves a little food for thought!

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