How did Paul describe his former life as a Pharisee?
Quick Answer
Paul says he lived according to the strictest sect of his religion.
Key Scriptures
Detailed Biblical Study
Paul says he lived according to the strictest sect of his religion. In the Teaching “Heretic – Guilty as Charged,” these passages are examined in connection with the question. Read the cited passages in context and distinguish the speaker’s application from the explicit scriptural statement.
Related Teaching
Heretic – Guilty as Charged
This Teaching asks whether being called a ‘heretic’ for questioning a denomination is the same as rejecting the truth of Scripture. The speaker examines the Greek term hairesis, the biblical use of sects and factions, the warning about destructive heresies, and the difference between dissent from institutional interpretations and turning away from Yehovah. He recounts his own experience with church discipline, argues that the written Word should be tested above human hierarchy, and encourages careful examination of inherited doctrine. The concluding fellowship discussion includes participants’ experiences of leaving churches, their concerns about institutional authority, and pastoral counsel to respond with patience and love.