But the Pharisees thought holiness was the answer to the problem. They thought that they were holy, and of course sinners were not. Jesus' approach was to love sinners. He hated self-righteousness. Self-righteousness produces pride, not love.
Pride is the root of contention, division, and separation.
They had no mercy inside. I believe strongly in the unity of the Body of Christ. Without it, evangelism is diminished, and our testimony to the world is at best a flickering candle. In Jesus, they see something unique, but in the Church they see something all too familiar. This article can be copied in its entirety for non-commercial uses only without the prior permission of the publisher.