But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Matthew 3:7-10

It is far too common in certain strands of conservative Christianity to hear preachers saying things such as, “We are under attack today. Society is trying to steal our spiritual heritage. They have taken down the Ten Commandments, they have removed our crosses from the public eye, they have challenged our religious speech. They want to take away our Christian culture and disconnect us from our Christian roots.”

You have probably heard something of the sort so I do not have to give further examples. But such speaking and preaching has always struck me as problematic, somewhat resembling the Pharisees who prided themselves for their spiritual heritage. “We are sons of Abraham!” the Pharisees might declare, “how dare you insinuate that we need to repent!” The Pharisees waved the flag of religious heritage but did little to carry out the commands of God. John the Baptist declared that if God were only interested in children of Abraham, he could make some out of rocks. But God cares about our hearts, not about our heritage.

Too many Christians today are waving the Christian flag and defending their Christian heritage while displaying far too little concern for fruit in keeping with repentance. We can be far too quick to go to the next political rally but slow to volunteer at the homeless shelter. And even on hot political issues such as abortion, we will scream at pro-choice advocates while doing little to minister to and help the woman considering an abortion.

So we see 21st century Pharisees in the midst of conservative Christianity. Passionate about heritage and roots but far too negligent when it comes to doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.

It is not important that we plaster the Ten Commandments across our courthouses. It is not important that we paint “One Nation Under God” across the wall of the U. S. Capitol. It is not important that we be allowed to display crosses. God has commanded none of these things. It is, however, important that we serve others in humility, speaking hard words when necessary but not because our pride has been offended.

Rather than living like 21st century Pharisees, ready to pick a fight with anyone who challenges our heritage, may we have the concern of God in Micah 6:8:

He has told you, I man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?