DON’T BE A HYPOCRITE 

MATTHEW 15:1-8

          Here the scribes and Pharisee’s came to Jesus complaining because His disciples were not upholding a manmade tradition and Jesus responds why are you bothering me about man made laws when you refuse to obey the laws of God.  He calls them hypocrites saying “you talk a good game, but your heart is not right.”  Webster says that a hypocrite is a person who pretends to be what he is not; one who pretends to be better than he really is, or who pretends to be pious and virtuous when he really is not.  This is not the only time that Jesus speaks of hypocrites.

MATTHEW 6:5-8

          Here when teaching his disciples on prayer he instructs them not to be like the hypocrites.  These hypocrites had the wrong motive.  They were not praying to have conversation with or to be in fellowship with God.  They were praying to get the attention of men.  They were pretending to seek relationship with God when really what they wanted was to feel important in the eyes of man.

MATTHEW 23:13

          In this verse and in several other places within this chapter Jesus again calls the religious leaders hypocrites.  But here in this verse we see one of the problems associated with dealing with hypocrites.  Jesus basically says here that they turn those who might have gotten into heaven away.  In other words they were a hindrance to those who might otherwise submit to and carry out the will of God.  I want you to ask yourself today, “Would Jesus Be Pointing to Me?”  This question is very important to me because one of the most used excuses by the unsaved for why they will not get saved is “there are too many hypocrites in the church.”  Now I know that using that or any other excuse is not going to win them any brownie points with God and it is not going to open heavens doors to them, but I must admit that I can not deny their claim.  When I look at the earthly church I too see too many people who are pretending to be what they are not.  However, I recognize that everyone who is s member of the earthly church is not necessarily a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, the church that He will one-day return to get.  But the unsaved person may not realize this.  His confusion is further compounded by the masses of people who say they are Christians simply because they live in America, but make no attempt at living up to the standard set by Christ.  What makes matters even worse are those who profess to have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, but their actions are no different from those of the sinner.  It is confusing.  How is the sinner to know and understand what God expects of Him, if those who profess to know God behave just as he does? 

I am not talking about participating in sin here because as Christians we know that we are not to sin.  I want you to think about “grey areas”; actions where we don’t have a command not to do, but that still may be a hindrance to others if we do participate in them. 

I CORINTHIANS 8:9-13

          There was nothing wrong with eating meat, even the meat that had been offered to idols.  The strong Christian recognized that the idol was not a god but only a lifeless, powerless statue.  However, the baby Christian having come fresh out of the world and pagan religion, still did not quite understand this.  What Paul is saying here is “though there is no commandment not to go, listen to me and don’t attend such feast to idols even though you know that the idol is nothing.  This freedom of yours might cause another to stumble who still believes that idols are very real gods.  He does not have your knowledge and thus may be drawn to sin by worshiping the idol.  As Christians Paul put the responsibility on us to check our actions to ensure that we are not causing others to stumble and miss out on heaven.  Now this particular scripture relates to a weaker brother or sister in the Lord, but look at I Corinthians 10:31-33.

I CORINTHIANS 10:31-33

          Verse 32 says give no offense to the Jews or to the Gentiles or to the Church of God.  The Jews here represent the religious people, church goers who do not have a relationship with God and attend church because it is the right thing to do on Sunday morning.  They know what the Bible teaches but have no intention of obeying the Word of God beyond that which is comfortable.  In other words they will do the part that they want to do and the part they don’t like they just ignore.  The Gentiles represent the unrighteous.  They have no relationship with God and are making no attempt to even pretend that they are trying to establish one.  The Church of God represents those who are committed to living out the will of God.   So what Paul is saying here is don’t do things that will hinder those who are trying to do right or things that will lend an excuse to those who seek to do wrong.  He encourages these Christians to do as he does; not consider what he wants to do or what will profit him, but rather consider what would be best for others.  If you are a Christian you have the responsibility to act in a way that does not offend or cause to stumble not only other Christians but also the unsaved as well.

          Some who are claiming to be Christians are acting in ways that are not Christ-like.  The sinner is confused because those who are claiming to be Christians are going to the same places, doing the same things and behaving in the same manner as the unsaved.

I CORINTHIANS 6:14-18

          The command here is to separate ourselves.  This does not mean in distance but rather in actions and behaviors.  Jesus walked among the people ministering to them and meeting their needs, but He did not act like the people.  He did not take on their bad habits or character.  He separated himself in actions, words and deeds and thus because of his difference, people were drawn to him.  Sinners are not being drawn to Christ today because there is very little separation in some who call themselves Christians and those who know themselves to be sinners.  God is not pleased.  It is as it was with the Pharisees; the door to heaven is being blocked by the hypocrisy of those who claim to have the key.

GALATIANS 6:7-8

          For those who are calling yourselves Christians and living everything but a Christian lifestyle, don’t be deceived.  You may be able to deceive others into thinking that you are something that you are not, but God is not deceived. And don’t even think to whisper within yourself “Well God knows my heart”, because you are right.  But what God knows about your heart is “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man (Mark 7:21-23).  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).  For as a man  thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).  Yes God knows the heart of a man, but what he sees in the heart, He does not like.  Don’t be deceived, God is not fooled by flattering words, half-hearted prayers, fake repentance or phony actions.  God is not fooled.  He knows those who are truly His and He promises punishment to those who follow after the desires of their flesh rather than the leading of the Spirit of God.

I CORINTHIANS 6:9-12

          Don’t be deceived.  Continued participation in these actions will hinder one from entering heaven.  (Effeminate – a male who submits his body to unnatural lewdness; having the qualities generally attributed to a woman; soft and unmanly) (Abusers … -one guilty of unnatural sexual offenses; sodomites, homosexuals and sex perverts).  Now just in case you can’t find yourself in this list remember the verse starts with saying the unrighteous.  If you are not living righteously or at least making an honest fully committed effort to do so, then you will not be going to heaven.

EPHESIANS 5:5-7

          Again the exhortation here is to not be deceived.  No unrighteous person (not conforming to the will of God) will get into heaven.  But if you believe yourself to be righteous Paul also says don’t share in unrighteous actions with the unrighteous.  In other words, don’t do as they do.  If you are not sure what the will of God is in a particular situation, ask Him.  Verse 17 in that same chapter says don’t be unwise, but rather seek to get understanding on the will of God.  Ignorance of God’s will is no excuse.

ROMANS 12:2

          Christians don’t be deceived.  We are commanded not to conform to the world’s standard.  It does not matter who says it is alright for Christians to do this or that.  You had better be sure of what God says Christians can do, both corporately as the Church of God and individually as a child of God.  You see righteousness is not according to my standard or yours, nor is it according to the world’s standard.  The standard for righteousness is set by God alone.  Don’t be deceived, God is not fooled by the pretender.

MATTHEW 7:21-23

          These professed to know Christ, even served in His name, yet He claims no knowledge of them.  They were imposters, hypocrites, pretending to be what they in fact were not and because of this they were told to depart into everlasting punishment.

          If Jesus was separating the true Christians from the hypocrites consider honestly where He would place you?  This is a serious matter because hypocrisy hinders the work of God in the lives of others.  So ask yourself, would Jesus be pointing at me and saying “you hypocrite, you shut up the doors of heaven and hinder others from entering in.  Depart from me you worker of iniquity”.  My word of encouragement today to you is, Don’t Be a Hypocrite.