Want to become a Pharisee in record time? There are, of course, rules to be on the fast track to executive Pharisee. 

Here’s how:

Make up a lot of rules outside of those in Scripture.

Push yourself very hard to keep the rules you made up.

Ridicule yourself when you don’t keep your rules.

Become proud when you do keep your rules.

Impose the rules you have invented on others – do this often.

Shame and manipulate others into keeping your rules.

Make fun of those who fail to keep your rules.

Develop the right method of serving God.

Rebuke others who do not use your method of serving God.

Appoint yourself judge over other people in every area of their lives.

Use your judgeship to pronounce sentence on others for failure to keep your rules or use your methods.

Get angry with people who have different rules than yours.

Exclude people with different rules from being part of your posse (or serving in your ministry or church).

Make the rule breakers feel guilty every chance you get.

Pat yourself on the back for policing and enforcing the rules.

And finally:

Fool yourself into believing you are doing all of the above ‘for the sake of the purity of the church’.

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17