阅读经文 

律法师和法利赛人是犹太人中的领袖人物。他们知道神的律法，还可以告诉人们如何应用律法。但他们是假冒为善的人。他们在神的律法之上加上自己的律法，以为这样可以“保护”神的律法不被违背。但这样做，正正违反了律法的精义，就是爱。

如果基督徒在神的律法上加上自己的社会标准，他们所行也会和法利赛人一样。“基督徒当然不会听那种音乐，或穿那种衣服，或者跳舞，或者……” 我们可能会认为，我们添加这样的限制是对神的律法特别热心。但神渴望的是爱，而不是对祂的律法添油加醋。

遵循人的标准而忽视神对爱的呼召，会导致可怕的结果。是它导致了种族主义。“我们只是遵循种族隔离制度的规则！”是它导致了性别歧视：“她应该知道最好不要穿这样的衣服。”是它导致了民族主义：“我们只是听领导的命令。”

这种假冒为善，会在审判日受罚。不以爱众人为目标的律法不是神的律法。掌管天地的治理者不会被歪曲的规章制度所操纵。

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were the leading citizens among the Jews. They knew what God’s law said, and they could tell people how to apply it. But they were hypocrites. They added their own laws on top of God’s laws, thinking that would “protect” the law of God from being disobeyed. But in doing so, they violated the spirit of the law, which is love.

Christians can do the same as the Pharisees if they add their own social standards to God’s law. “Surely a Christian would never listen to that kind of music, or wear those clothes, or dance, or …” We might think we are being especially zealous for the law of God by adding such restrictions. But God desires love, not legalistic additions to his law.

Following human standards while ignoring God’s call to love can lead to terrible results. It has led to racism: “We just followed the rules of apartheid!” It has led to sexism: “She should have known better than to wear that.” It has lead to nationalism: “We were just following our leaders’ orders.”

Such hypocrisy will condemn us on the day of judgment. Laws that do not aim at love for all people are not God’s laws. The Ruler of heaven and earth is not fooled by distorted rule-following.