For our family the key was the liberating gospel (or Good News) according to Paul (and others).
Isaiah 61:1:
"The spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me [Jesus], for the reason that Jehovah has anointed me [Jesus] to tell [the] good news to the meek ones [sheep or wheat]. He has sent me [Jesus] to bind up the brokenhearted [spiritually deprived and unregenerated], to proclaim [spiritual] liberty to those taken [spiritually] captive [by religion/ists] and the wide opening [of the spiritual eyes] even to the [spiritual] prisoners [of religion/ists]".
Seeing the Pharisees ("elders") deep contempt, hatred and fear of the unabridged gospel of grace was the final clincher.