IN this next woe pronounced against the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law, Jesus dips even deeper into the profession and living of the Pharisees. Jesus exposes the hollowness of their profession as servants of God.

It is, in fact, relatively easy to appear righteous before other human beings and before society. This can be done by observing and fulfilling all the outward expectations of society with regard to being good and godly. It is a fact that whatever society there is, the people who are outside the church have a very distinct view of what a Christian should be and how they should behave. If a person in ministry is careful to meet and fulfill all these expectations, then that person is judged to be a real Christian and a really good person. However such outward good behaviour can hide corruption within, which is an abomination to God, and causes this person's real spiritual ministry to lack blessing.

Jesus exposes this sort of ministry which was characteristic of the lives of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. The Pharisees were meticulous in carrying out all the rules for ceremonial cleanness. They did this very well. However they took little regard for the condition of their inner being, which we can refer to as their heart. Jesus, with his divine omniscience, could look into their hearts and minds, and something of what he saw is described here. Looking into their hearts Jesus saw greed and self-indulgence.

Again we see in this syndrome that the Pharisees were more concerned what other people thought of them, than what God thought about them. As long as they gained acceptance from the people, they treated very lightly natural greediness and self-indulgence. As long as they kept all the outward rules of their religion, they felt they could seek wealth and comfort for themselves, and care little for the needs of others. As long as this attitude was hidden away it did not matter. It was treated as a quite legitimate way of life.

The fact is that the condition of our heart has a profound effect on our outward living and relationships. The character and aspirations of a man can't help but have an effect on his outward behaviour. If we are greedy, and spend our time working out how we can become ever more rich, whether in money, goods or popularity, then this will effect our outward way of life, and though we may present ourself in society as good and generous, this inner greediness will rear its ugly head in all sorts of little ways.

Jesus makes a very profound statement in verse 26. Jesus tells us that the state of our heart does effect and govern the way we live, work and relate to other people. Jesus says if our heart, i.e. our thinking and planning, is good then this will show itself in our work. We will not work for ourselves, but rather seek to serve the one who employs us. If we are unselfish at heart, we will show this by living for the good of others.

The fact is that if our heart is good, then out of the good treasure which is in our hearts will come good thoughts, kind actions and faithful service for our employer. If our heart is good we will shun evil practices and seek to give our best to our employer.

This shows the need for new birth of the soul which is the only possible way we can enter God's kingdom.

Jesus taught that unless we are born again we can not enter the kingdom of God. By this statement Jesus is telling us something very important about human nature, which is denied totally in secular society, and even in the church is hardly considered. By telling us we must be born again, Jesus is telling us that human nature by natural birth is flawed and corrupt. Jesus is telling us that natural human life is totally unfit to have fellowship with God or enter the realm of God.

This seems to most people, even religious people, unacceptable. After all, they argue, are we not created in the image of God? Yes, we are by God's original creation, but that state has been lost. When we ask how it has been lost, the Bible gives the answer that it was due to Adam's sin. The sentence of death was pronounced on humanity by God after Adam's sin, and humanity was then cast out of the presence of God, and has been ever since. The result has been a corruption of nature which has brought all the mayhem we see all down history up to the present day. Under the theory of evolution this evil tendency in humanity is unexplainable, and even contradicts the very premise of evolution, that life is improving all the time.

The only way the heart can become clean is by being born again spiritually. This new creation is the only way we can be clean at heart, and begin to show this cleanness in our living. The only means of new birth is by faith in Christ who answers the problem of our sin and uncleanness. This means that cleanness in human nature is impossible outside of Christ. When religious leaders are like the Pharisees it really means that only outward cleanness is really possible. Inner cleanness stops at the the level where the image of God is retained, which differs with different people, but never heals the corruption within. So the natural man will always be at enmity with God and the ways of God, and can never bring about real good. This could easily be illustrated in history, but this is not the place for it