In this clip, Ligon Duncan describes a common misconception we have of the Pharisees and how Jesus interacted with them.

The following is an edited transcript:

Dever: So what is the work that EP Sanders has done in the first century context useful for?

Duncan: I think if there is one thing that we could get out of this for evangelicals, it would be to reorient ourselves to the Pharisees.  I think for a long time evangelicals have viewed Pharisees as people who care too much about the law; they’re nitpickers; they love minutiae; they’re harsh; they’re mean, etc.  So I think if you could get anything out of these guys, one thing you’re going to get is a reorientation to the Pharisees.

Jesus never accuses these men of caring too much about God’s law. He always tells them, your problem is you act like you care about God’s law, and you trash it.  So what he ends up doing is holding the law up in front of them and showing them the law is much greater than they ever thought it was, and that they have never ever done it service.

Even in stories like the rich young ruler. Remember the question, “What must I do?”  And the answer is, “Keep the law.”  That’s an interesting answer from a gospel preacher. . . . And then the retort, “I’ve done that since I was a child.”  But Jesus’ response, “Okay, sell everything you have.”  He holds up the first commandment before the man, thus showing that he has not kept the law.  It’s a very interesting interaction — not accusing him of caring too much about the law, but of not appreciating the demands of the law.

We paint a picture of the Pharisee that would not look anything like us, when the fact of the matter is, we look a whole lot more like the Pharisees than we would like to admit. . . .

We don’t think of them as a dedicated, evangelizing, lay movement, which it was.

The full interview, “Justification & the New Perspective”, is available at 9marks.org.

There are millions of different sin patterns that will land you in hell, but so many people don’t realize this very simple one:  Just coast on and do nothing; don’t fight the sin.

Grab some popcorn.  You will not regret watching this.

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If you want to download it, it’s available at www.tenindictments.com.

The following are some of the theses that were contained in that document:

33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope’s pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him.

37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.

43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons.

45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.

53. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others.

54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.

55. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.

94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell.

95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.

In honor of Reformation Day, I leave you with one of my favorite clips concerning justification.

Thank you, God, for giving us Luther and Piper, and for being pleased to reveal the truth of your word and the glory of your gospel through them.

Praise God for what he’s doing around the country.  Things like this make me think all that talk about a modern-day Great Awakening may be true.

From: illbehonest.com

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source: http://adriandespres.com/videos/messagevid.htm