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The Laodicean Message - E.H. “Jack” Sequeira

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tendency to look at the Pharisees as being bad<br />

people. But actually the Pharisees were zealous<br />

about keeping the law. If you read Philippians 3:4-<br />

6, where Paul describes himself as a Pharisee, he<br />

was zealous regarding the righteousness of the law,<br />

he was blameless:<br />

...Though I myself have reasons for such<br />

confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to<br />

put confidence in the flesh, I have more:<br />

circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of<br />

Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of<br />

Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for<br />

zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic<br />

righteousness, faultless.<br />

A Pharisee is someone who is really trying to<br />

do right. But how is he doing it, in whose power?<br />

His own power. Keep this in mind, because that is<br />

the problem when Jesus is talking to Nicodemus.<br />

In John 3:6, Jesus makes a statement to<br />

Nicodemus, he says to him:<br />

75

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