SPIRITUAL HEALTH

'...we ought to specialize far more on spiritual cardiology than spiritual dermatology. We should not be content with right answers without right hearts. We should examine our motives as much as we seek to have proper outward behavior.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness: Seeing ourselves in the Pharisees, p.208.

SEPARATISM

'Though separatism from sinning Christians is supported in the Scriptures, separatism from sinning nonbelievers is not.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness: Seeing ourselves in the Pharisees, p.176.

CHURCH

'Perhaps we as a church may need less church programming and more equipping and encouragement to be in the business of building redemptive relationships outside the confines of the church.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness: Seeing ourselves in the Pharisees, p.167.

FENCES

'Of all the people in the world, perhaps we religious folk are the most fond of fences. They make us feel secure, they define for us what is and what is not acceptable, they motivate and protect us, and they help us keep score for ourselves and on others. However, sheep are not best tended with fences but by a relationship with a good shepherd. One of the marks of Christian maturity is the ability to find freedom in Christ and live a life of love.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness: Seeing ourselves in the pharisees, p.155.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

'...in our day Jesus might have framed the story as the parable of the good homosexual New Ager.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness, p.57.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

'Warning Light #1: A Contemptuous View of Others.
Warning Light # 2: A Shallow Sense of Forgiveness.
Warning Light # 3: A Wrong Sense of Grace and Fairness.
Warning Light #4: An Unhealthy View of Failure.'
Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness, p.50-53.

PHARISEES

'The Pharisees are spiritual mirrors divinely given to us to reflect the condition of our hearts. What would we look like physically if we had no mirrors? We would be oblivious to our disheveled appearance. Eventually we would become convinced, simply out of ignorance of reality, that we looked good, when, in fact, we do not. We need to look at the spiritual mirror of the Pharisees and see ourselves.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness, p.45.

PARENTING

'To me the finest text of Scripture on parenting is the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). Here a father, whose sons are both wayward, demonstates wise parenting. We are prone to identify only the younger sons as "prodigal." We are quick to see blatant rebellion and label it as sin. But if our children don't break the rules and maintain an active presence in the church, we are satisfied. We think we have done our job. The parable reminds us that there is a more sinister sin of the heart than active rebellion, passive rebellion.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness, p.43.

GOODNESS

'The simple truth is that people can be good and be wrong. Early in my religious life I acquired the notion that those who believed Christ's truth were good and those who ignored or rejected it were bad. But life is not that simple. Sometimes those who hold to truth are scoundrels and those who affirm error are saintly. One can hold steadfastly to a system of half-truths and subtle distortions and still live a moral life. There is not a necessary connection between truth and apparent morality.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness, p.37.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

'I almost could have mouthed the words of the apostle Paul (Philippians 3:4-6): "If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I have far more: circumcised the eighth day [churched from birth], of the nation of Israel [born in a Christian home in 'Christian America'], of the tribe of Benjamin [conservative, evangelical, fundamental], a Hebrew of Hebrews [a Christian's Christian]." As Paul was a Pharisee, I was also learned, disciplined, and devout. Like Paul I was zealous, having volunteered for Christian service at home and abroad. Paul wrote, "As for the righteousness which is in the Law, [I am] found blamless"; as far as people could see, I too lived an exemplary life.'

Tom Hovestol, Extreme Righteousness, p.12.