Hate Speech or Truthful Preaching

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in” (Matt. 23:13). 

Addressing his primary antagonists, the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus built their unflattering profile at the beginning of Matthew 23 and then hammered them eight different times repetitively calling them hypocrites (vv. 13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 28, 29), blind (vv. 16, 17, 19, 24. 26), fools (vs. 17), lawless (vs. 28), and ending with this grand finale: 

“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?” (Matt. 23:33). 

Pretty strong words from Jesus, don’t you think?

Three noteworthy observations from Jesus:

1.  Jesus addresses the “religious elite.” 

    He calls them “Scribes and Pharisees.” Think of the Scribes and Pharisees as the “priests and bishops” in the Catholic church at a time when they did not allow people to read the Bible.   At a time when they formulated all sorts of extra-biblical traditions and laws, such as “indulgences,” “veneration of Mary,” “purgatory,” “prayer beads,” and the “infallibility of the pope.”  

They tried to turn the people into religious fanatics like themselves, bringing them into bondage by doing such things, while assuring them that if they believe and practice these things, they would go to heaven.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ strongest messages were always directed to the “religious elite” who did more harm to the sinner by what they did and said than any one particular group or cause.

2.   “You shut off the kingdom of heaven from people.”  “Nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

Jesus said that the religious legalistic haters of His day, by their very speech and their manner of living (hypocritically), were keeping people from entering heaven. The very things they were preaching about were not helping people to enter into a heaven relationship with God, but were actually driving them in the opposite direction – away from God. You say, “How can this be?” It is because they “do not enter in themselves.”

In other words, these religious bigots could not lead others to a saving knowledge of God because they themselves possessed no such thing. You cannot point people to heaven if you yourself don’t know the way.

3.   Jesus calls the religious elite, “hypocrites, serpents, brood of vipers, blind, and fools.”

You see, not only were others deceived by their talk and walk, but they also deceived themselves. They loved to hear themselves preach messages of hate and condemnation on others because it made them feel and sound good in their own ears.

Jesus, knowing the condition of their heart, says, these people are hypocrites (two face), serpents and brood of vipers (they will inject you with their unholy venom), blind (if they do not see the right from the wrong, how can they be a guide to others?), and fools (professing themselves to be wise, they are nothing more in God’s eyes than bona fide fools – cf. Rom. 1:22). 

Pastor Steven Anderson of the Faith Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona is a modern day Pharisee and therefore a blind fool.

Now listen carefully, no one is right with God with hated for others simmering in his heart. If you believe this is possible, then you too are a fool.

“The one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:11).

“Yeah, but Pastor Rich, I don’t hate my brother or fellow Christian, I simply hate homos who are not part of God’s family.”

Then listen to what Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for them, even those who give you trouble, in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:45).

Hey, there is no getting around this. You can hate others and convince others and yourself you are doing the will of God. But sooner or later, if not in this life, then in the next life, reality will kick in and you will see that hatred of others and the manner in which you expressed your hate was never a spiritual association or connection with God.

“If not from God, where does hate come from?”  Hate comes from the devil (1 John 3:15).  Whoever hates others is a murderer in his heart, and no murderer with hatred in his heart has eternal life abiding in him.

Moreover, this is what God told Jeremiah. The prophet, Jeremiah had to deal with preachers of his day that were busy preaching about God but giving the wrong message.

God talks to the prophet and tells him:  “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you. . .for they prophesy (or preach) a LIE to you. . for I have NOT sent them, but they prophesy FALSELY in My name. . .in order that you may PERISH” (Jer. 27:14-15). 

The saddest ones are those in Anderson’s church who think they are hearing a correct explanation of the heart and mind of God.

One last thing – and listen carefully:  If God wants all homos to be put to death for their sin, then He would also have to put to death the rest of us for our sins, because it was ours sins who put His son to death on the cross. Jesus died for the sin of homosexuality just as He died for sins of adultery, fornication, and yes, even the sin of hatred. Jesus died so that others may live.  This is the gospel or good news. This is Christmas!  Believe it, accept it, hang on to it, and trust in Jesus as God’s perfect sacrifice for your sins today!