The Pharisaical Mindset in Modern Christianity: Remembering the Mission of Jesus

By Brandon Anchant, Intern

In today’s Christian community, there exists a pervasive atmosphere of a pharisaical mindset. This mindset is characterized by self-righteous piety and a judgmental attitude that has been inadvertently pushing people away from the faith. This very attitude provoked the righteous anger of our Lord, as illustrated in Matthew 23:27, where He declares to the Pharisees, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of bones of the dead and everything unclean.” In this blog, I aim to emphasize how this mindset directly contradicts the true essence of what Christianity is meant to embody.

In the New Testament, the Pharisees were depicted as strict adherents to the law and outwardly displayed their piety in how they treated others in comparison to their own perceived righteousness and upholding of the law. They lorded themselves pridefully above their fellow Jews, and their actions revealed that their hearts were further from the Lord than they realized. Jesus noted this in Matthew 23:23 when he points out their obsession with the specifics of the law, all the while neglecting the weightier matters; “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former”. Jesus was not saying to neglect the law, but rather to prioritize justice, mercy, and faithfulness instead of legalistic requirements.

Jesus created bridges. The Pharisees created barriers. They made it impossible for people to come to the Lord because they placed burdens on the Jewish people that were unnecessary and impossible to bear. From outward appearances, they had it all together. From the robes they wore, to the lengthy public prayers they would make, to the tithing of everything they had all the way down to their herbs and spices. But Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6 when He said, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

Unfortunately, this mindset has found its way into modern Christianity, where some believers prioritize moral superiority over genuine humility and grace. I’m sure you can think of many Christians who have left a negative impression on you by acting in the same manner. And it’s heartbreaking the amount of spiritual abuse that happens because of it, from relationships in the church to parent/child relationships.

One of the most profound teachings of Jesus is encapsulated in his declaration: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). This statement is a poignant reminder that the gospel’s primary audience is not those who consider themselves morally upright but those who recognize their brokenness and need for a Savior. Jesus’ ministry was marked by his interactions with society’s outcasts—tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners. He offered them hope, healing, and acceptance, not condemnation.

In contrast, when Christians adopt a pharisaical attitude, they risk alienating those who need the message of Christ the most. By focusing on external behaviors, they can create an environment that makes God out to be more of a moral tyrant than a merciful Father. This undermines the very foundation of the Christian faith, which is built on the premise of grace and redemption.

To address this issue, the Christian community must return to the heart of Jesus’ teachings. This involves embracing humility, recognizing our own need for grace, and extending that same grace to others. We must heed the words of Christ in Matthew 7:5, “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” We must prioritize love and compassion over judgment and exclusion. By doing so, we can put on display the immeasurable riches of God’s grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

In our pursuit to defend the faith, sometimes we can forget that we’re talking with real human beings. People with real struggles, real heartache, and real doubt, often times masking a deeper pain. Let us refrain from steamrolling the skeptic and treating them like a hill to conquer rather than a soul to win. When we couple a heart of empathy with genuine pastoral care, then our apologetic becomes winsome and powerful. So again, let us take the log out of our eye, and then use that log to graciously build a bridge for the skeptic to cross the chasm from death to life.

In conclusion, the pharisaical mindset within modern Christianity poses a significant challenge to the impact our witness can have on a world desperately seeking an answer to the problem of sin. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ; we are to represent Him, speaking the truth in love, gentleness, and respect. By forgetting that Jesus came to save sinners, not the self-righteous, we stray from the core message of the Gospel. Christians should seek to embody God’s core attributes, as our actions towards others might serve as their initial encounter with Christ’s love.

How can we, as modern Christians, ensure that our actions and attitudes align with Jesus’ mission of saving sinners rather than pushing them away?

By Brandon Anchant, Intern

Brandon is a Rock Climber, General Manager of Reading Rocks Climbing & Fitness, and an aspiring Apologist/Evangelist. He has been an intern of Dr. Mark Farnham with Apologetics for the Church since 2024. He is a public speaker, podcaster, and musician, and currently serves in his Adult Bible Fellowship at Calvary Church Lancaster.