HYPOCRISY OBVIOUSLY DISTORTS OUR HEARTS
We need an operational conscience that works. If we live under a mask to deceive others, it will eventually confuse our own conscience, weakening one's ability for self evaluation. This is a mortal wound to a believer.
2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? --unless indeed you are disqualified." (NKJV)
God's number one objective is to alter our hearts so that we can learn to love God, love His ways, love His Laws, BE MORE LIKE HIM and appreciate that our human nature needs repentance from dead works. We need deep honesty about ourselves to grow and hypocrisy is the exact opposite way of thinking.
Hebrews 6:1, "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,"
When we wear a mask to impress others we are deceiving ourselves also, which is one of the worst things we can do if we desire a more Godly heart. God is concerned with our living a double life, and pretending to be so righteous. All of us normally wish to look good to others but we need not take this normal desire to the extreme. Others should be able to observe that we are trying to live a more Godly life but that it's a struggle. We are not claiming to be inherently righteous.
Luke 18:9, "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector."'"
Note the level of self deception among the Pharisee in this parable, it is appalling.
Verse 12, "'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
God will not reward those who primarily do religious acts as a public relations activity to increase their popularity rather than to serve God. This was one of the major reasons why Christ reserved his greatest condemnations for the religious leaders in Israel.
Matthew 6:1, "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."
God's blessing will come to those who serve him out of a pure heart. Our prime motivation should be love of God and fellow men and not love of self only. Pure religion is based on serving God, not our public image. Note I Corinthians, chapter 13.
James 1:26, "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."
BEING A FALSE FRIEND IS A FORM OF HYPOCRISY
We all wish to be faithful brethren and friends to those in our life. If we are not faithful to others it is unlikely we will be faithful to God. Judas was pretending to be loyal and loving to Jesus in front of the others even while deep into his plot to betray him. Judas had a confused heart as witnessed by his suicide-repentance. Hypocrisy is based on arrogant attitudes and not a pure heart. God clearly demands the pure, honest, humble heart. Judas was hypercritical of Jesus. Note that with Judas' famous kiss of death, he also pretended his innocence.
Mark 14:44,"Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, 'Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.'"
Matthew 26:25, "Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, 'Rabbi, is it I?' He said to him, 'You have said it.'"
False brethren also betrayed David and Jesus.
Psalm 55:21, "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords."
Psalm 12:2, "They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things,"
The Devil is a hypocrite and he is influencing as many as possible to betray others and act hypercritically. Looking at this society we have to say he is having a lot of success. Note that one of Paul's many perils were false brethren.
2 Corinthians 11:26, "...in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;"
A number of dangers face those of us who are called first, yet God will help us to succeed. One of his most helpful sets of teachings regards not being hypocrites like the leaders Jesus faced. Christ gave them the brunt of his criticism as a warning to us. We need to strive for humility and honesty with a non- judgmental approach. Strive to keep our hearts as pure as possible.
ISSUES
MUCH OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENCOURAGES A JUDGMENTAL HYPOCRISY? WHY?
