The New Pharisees -- Saved Unto Privilege?

I was reading Romans 2 today, and was struck by how much Pauls description of the religious folks fits so many of us today. Just change a couple of words to change the context and you tell me if it rings true:

Romans 2:17-26 (The Message with liberties)

If you're brought up Christian, going to church, don't assume that you can lean back in the arms of your religion and take it easy, feeling smug because you're an insider to God's revelation, a connoisseur of the best things of God, informed on the latest doctrines! I have a special word of caution for you who are sure that you have it all together yourselves and, because you know God's revealed Word inside and out, feel qualified to guide others through their blind alleys and dark nights and confused emotions to God. While you are guiding others, who is going to guide you? I'm quite serious. While preaching "Don't steal!" are you going to rob people blind? Who would suspect you? The same with adultery. The same with idolatry. You can get by with almost anything if you front it with eloquent talk about God and his law. The line from Scripture, "It's because of you Christians that the outsiders are down on God," shows it's an old problem that isn't going to go away. Going to chuch, and having a fish on your car is great if you live in accord with God's law. But if you don't, it's worse than if no body knew about it.

It sounds so familiar, it rings so true, and I so want to yell, "hey, look!" "Look at what you are doing, stop it." And I do yell it, but I need to yell it at myself too.

But, the main point is that I think I know the reason. I think I know the reason why the Old Pharisees and the "New Pharisees" acted this way. They both think they were saved unto privelege and not responsibility. They both think that the reason they were picked, pulled out of death, brought into God's plan, was for them, was for their benefit, for their privilege.

"Let's all wait until Messiah comes to kill all our enemies and rule as king." "Until then, we will hate all outsiders, unless they become like us."

And God weeps as their light becomes dimmer.

"Let's all wait until Jesus comes back to kill all the evil people and take me out of this world." "Until then, we will hate all outsiders, unless they become like us."

And Jesus weeps as their light becomes dimmer, as his words become a distant ecco, fading into the mist "Go out and trian everybody you meet, far and near in this (kingdom) way of life that I have demonstrated to you, marking them by baptism . . . and instructing them in all of the practices I have commanded you."

And, maybe he might add, "I have saved you unto great responsibility, through and with the amazing privilege of partering with me in my rule and reign, forever."