Blind guides - Matthew 23:13-32 the REMEDY - read by Dr Tim Jennings.

Excerpt from 2016 Q2 Lesson 11: Last Day Events: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tx18eMCObY&index=3&list=PLgl7ryoHplae3nxWv1t7nrwA_DMCG-_gL

the REMEDY, Matthew 23:13 "MISERY IS YOURS, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! Your false teachings obstruct people from being healed and entering God's kingdom of love. You certainly are not healed and do not enter into salvation, but worse still, you actively work to prevent others, who want to be saved, from being healed.

14 MISERY IS YOURS, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You con widows from their homes, yet you make public displays of praying long prayers. Unhealed you choose to remain! Your suffering will be most severe.

15 "MISERY IS YOURS, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You go around the world trying to convert one person, and when you do, you indoctrinate them so deeply into your false penal system that they become twice as much the child of lies and selfishness as you are.

16 "MISERY IS YOURS, you irrational and unthinking teachers! Unbelievably, you say: 'If anyone swears by the temple, it doesn't count; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, then they are bound by the oath.'17 You make no sense at all! Think about it: Which is truly most important–the gold, or the temple that makes the gold holy?18 Another of your sayings is: 'If anyone swears by the altar, it doesn't count; but if anyone swears by the gift on the altar then they are bound by the oath.'19 You don't understand the simplest truths! Think about it: Which is truly most important–the gift, or the altar that makes the gift holy?20 Don't you get it? The one who swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it.21 And whoever swears by the temple, swears by it and by the One whose dwelling place it is.22And oaths sworn before heaven are promises made before God’s throne; and the One who sits on it knows the true intent of the heart.

23 "MISERY IS YOURS, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You keep rules, such as proudly paying a pre-tax tithe and even giving a tenth of the herbs in your garden, but you fail to do what actually matters–to live in harmony with God’s Law, which is his design for life. You fail to ‘do what is right because it is right.’ You are not merciful but judgmental and critical, and you cannot be trusted to protect those struggling with sin. You should have lived lives of love for others, without neglecting the simple instructions of God.24 You are truly irrational and unthinking teachers! You are so focused on keeping the rules — such as dietary laws — that you fail to understand that their purpose is to promote health. You're so confused that you actually think it would be a virtue to die of starvation rather than eat something not on the 'approved' list.

25 "MISERY IS YOURS, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You work so hard to make yourselves look good on the outside, but the inside–the heart–is full of selfishness, arrogance, and greed.26 You truly don't understand anything about God's kingdom! The mind, the character, the heart — they all must be cleansed first, and then the outside will also be clean.

27 "MISERY IS YOURS, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You are like highly polished burial vaults: they look beautiful on the outside, but inside are nothing but the bones of the dead, and everything that defiles.28 You are just like that. On the outside you appear to people as good and righteous, but on the inside you are full of lies, selfishness, and evil. You are great counterfeits!

29 "MISERY IS YOURS, you who teach a legal religion, you penal theologians, you counterfeits! You go to great lengths to give praise and honor to God's spokespersons and church leaders of the past. 30 You say, 'If we would have lived back then, we would never have rejected God’s spokespersons or joined those who killed them.' 31 By such claims you condemn yourselves, because you acknowledge such actions are wrong, yet by your actions today you reveal you are the true descendants of those who murdered God’s spokespersons. You're just like them 32 and your sins pile on top of the sins of your forefathers! 33 …" Matthew 23:13-32 the REMEDY.

Archive studies in Matthew: http://comeandreason.com/index.php/en/bible-study-class/2016/2nd-quarter