This week I wanted to reflect on a word which, I in my personal life have dealt with for the past sixteen years, and which I have come to know well. A word that is so repulsive to God that he hates those who perpetrate it. This single word is tied to a large degree to my past reflections, and possesses one of the biggest obstacles to the agape love of God. This message is directly from Jesus Christ as he spoke on this topic many times and had left no doubt to how he felt about it. In reading the bible extensively this week I also wanted to mention that the references to this word are so numerous and posses such a grave threat to your heart, and belief in God that it is Satan’s favorite weapon, which he uses very often.
According to the Bible one cannot be a “hypocrite” by simply practicing the principles of double standards. Instead a “hypocrite” is a million times worse, but to live your life filled with double standards is the first step to becoming a “hypocrite”. Because I have made this distinction I want to illustrate how this translates in the real world.
The online Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the phrase, “Double Standards”, as: a set of principles that applies differently and usually more rigorously to one group of people or circumstances than to another; especially: a code of morals that applies more severe standards of sexual behavior to women than to men.
Another example of this can be found in the very act of slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln, which freed the slaved in theory, but if you where “Black” you still did not have in principal the same rights as “Whites”. The single act by itself is not hypocrisy, only until this principle becomes practiced on a daily basis, and corrupts the hearts of men then does it fully become hypocrisy. Everyone knew slavery was wrong, but perpetrated it anyway, day after day, year after year. This was only corrected in the mid-nineteen sixties well over a hundred years later, and one could argue that this issue still is lingering in today’s society.
The online Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word, “Hypocrisy”, as: a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion.
Mathew 15:7-9; 7Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 “These people draw near to me with their mouth. And honor me with their lips, but their hearts is far from me. 9And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
Jesus was talking directly to the Pharisees, but he was also addressing everyone else who was not a religious leader but also lived within the grips of this sin.
So how does one become a hypocrite in the first place? Well Jesus Christ laid out his definition as being someone who purposefully deceives others by acting one way in both your words and actions, but in your heart you believe the exact opposite. In public you say one thing, but in private you say another.
Paul defines this by stating, “They profess to know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”(Titus 1:16).
People just do not wake up one day and become hypocrites, but rather is a gradual process, which slowly erodes all notions of right and wrong, and as time passes one finds they have sunk deeper and deeper into a web of lies, and false hoods, which without warning they find that they have maligned even their own core belief systems. They in fact have become something other than who they thought or where in the beginning. Deceiving others and leading everyone around them into a bottomless pit of “abominable”, and “disobedient” acts, which they know themselves in private to be wrong. This takes time to become, and takes vast amounts of time to perpetrate.
Those who engage in this play-acting, exhibit the following personality traits: manipulation, willful justification, they see nothing wrong with lying if it gets them what they want, distorting of known facts to suite their own purpose, actively practice keeping secrets that will later be used to bring harm or falsehood against their perceived enemies for the purpose of confusing the issues, enlisting others to do their dirty work, always being surrounding by those who willing buy into the deceptions, they show off what they have or have done and thus is boastful, spend lots of money to purchase others affections, they skew reality and warp it until it is no longer recognizable, and among the chief character flaws these people avoid the truth, avoid the word of God like the plague and they become angry when confronted with the truth when stated as known facts. Paul said this “disqualifies” them from every good work, and shows them to be untrustworthy.
The saddest end result of living this sinful way of being a hypocrite is that what one begins to see is all the weakness, and sins of others and do not, or cannot look at their own sins, and discretion’s that which they have committed against others.
Q20; 20Why do you notice the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and not the wooden plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take out the sawdust from your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Remove the plank from your own eye first; then you will see clearly enough to remove the sawdust from your brother’s eye.
Jesus also stated this grave warning for all those hypocrites which willfully seek to mislead his people by saying;
Q76; 76Obstacles to faith are sure to arise, but beware to the one who creates them. It would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around the neck than for that person to mislead one of my followers.
Hypocrites and those who propagate hypocrisy will not see heaven, unless they repent. It is tantamount to blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as it attacks the whole person, and takes such strong efforts on a persons behalf to commit, that it can be considered as planned actions to support lies, and malicious deeds that it stains a person emortal soul. It is such a grave sin because it willingly seeks to plot, and plan, to deceive others as if a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Life is too short to indulge in such acts against thy brother or sister, mother or father, husband or wife, and or children nor grandchildren. Jesus talked extensively about it, and God hates it! This will most certainly place a huge road block in your personal walk with Christ, and keep you from having a wondrous relationship with God.
Jesus offered this final thought on those who openly practice hypocrisy, and blasphemy.
Q38: 38Anyone who is not with me is against me. Whoever does not help me gather scatter.
Mathew 12:31; 31“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.”
Amen.
May peace be with you all the days of your life? If you have been moved by this blog I invite you to become a follower, and learn to Listen Faithfully to our Lord Jesus Christ.
I agreed the Bible tells exactly right. With my opinion hypocrites are those lost. What I mean lost? someone who spiritually blind, who claimed that he can see but in reality he is blind. How can I say that? By means of the conditions of his heart. Jesus is preaching to the people not because he wants to impress people of his wisdom and knowledge but I totally believed Jesus speaks to the people who is willing to listen carefully on His teaching. Jesus is pleased to those who have humble and contrite heart, someone who has obedient heart to His words, who is willing to be transformed by Him.
Thank you very much Beth. I agree with you and thank you for reading. I look forward to hearing back from you soon. God Bless,Brian