Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:15
How did they do this?
They had a great desire to seek out
The “right kind” of Gentiles, the “God-fearing” ones
And encourage them the take on
The full burden, the full yoke of the Law.
Get circumcised.
Follow the rules.
Live in strict obedience.
That was the way.
But it was the wrong way.
An empty way.
Even an idolatrous way.
And the proselytes were even further off track.
Jesus offers
Rest
An easy yoke
A light burden
A relationship.
Do we convert people to a system rather than point them to the Savior?
Do we burden people with rules
Rather than show them the liberty that comes in Christ?
Do we prefer self-righteousness to the righteousness of Jesus?
There is no other way to approach God except through Jesus Christ.
Not through our good works. Not through rule-keeping.
Are we telling people the truth of the Gospel and letting the Holy Spirit work
Or are we spending all our energy making the wrong kind of proselytes?