Welcome to the Paul Tripp podcast, where pastor and bestselling author Dr. Paul David Tripp

connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

Why was Jesus so hard on the Pharisees?

In today's episode, as we listen to the final sermon from this series on Life in the Kingdom,

Paul reveals the most stinging criticism that Christ makes against the religious leaders

and warns us that we're more like the Pharisees than unlike them.

Here's Paul.

He was a dear friend, sat next to me in most of my seminary courses. He happened to be very gifted academically, became a brilliant theologian, a master of biblical languages.

It didn't take long for him to rise to the top of the Christian academic world,

soon himself a seminary professor, not long to be before he was the head of his department.

And then shockingly, he forsook the faith.

It seemed impossible to take in.

How could it be that this man would know so much,

spend so much of his time and labor in the things of the Lord and walk away?

Not only did he forsake the faith,

but he became philosophically anti-Christian.

Seems impossible to take in.

But that's exactly what our passage speaks about this evening.

If you would turn there again to Matthew 7, beginning with verse 15.

Now we are at the end of a short series of messages from the sermon of the mount called the kingdom of God and the city.

And think of that as I'm reading these words to you. Beware of the false prophets who come to you in

seep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by

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