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Radical Christian Living  /  How Obedience Can Become Pharisaism  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 2
In the opening, Bercot says people often accuse obedient Christians of “legalism” as a cover for disobedience, yet he also warns obedience can alienate us from Christ if it becomes Phariseeism; what distinguishes Christ-pleasing obedience from the kind of obedience that actually produces distance from Jesus?
Another way to ask: How can obedience please Christ, but also turn into Phariseeism that pushes you away from Jesus? What is the difference between the two?

Direct Answer The transcript suggests Christ-pleasing obedience keeps Jesus’ commandments while staying centered on love for God and neighbor, whereas Pharisaic “obedience” turns into self-righteous rule-keeping that prioritizes minutiae, externals, and man-made traditions in ways that can cancel God’s heart and even His commands.

Support from Transcript:

  • Bercot affirms obedience is not legalism: “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14–15), and “if we truly love Jesus, we are going to keep and honor His commandments.”
  • Yet he warns the irony: trying to be obedient we can “end up…becom[ing] Pharisees,” which “alienates us…from Christ.”
  • Jesus’ condemnation included chasm #2 issues: focusing on “minutiae…rather than…love and mercy,” and being “more concerned about the externals…than…inner person.”
  • Another distinction: Pharisees treated “rules and…traditions…as though they were actually commandments of God.”
  • Even worse, traditions can “negate God’s commandments,” like in Matthew 15.
Discussion Follow-ups How can a church keep strong obedience without confusing its applications with God’s commands?

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