I Would Never… Really?

We all have certain firm ideas and principles in life that we present proudly in front of others. We would make statements like “this is what I am, so I would never do that or I would never say that” and so on… But most of the time we end up doing those, that we proudly stated we would never do. For example, we swear to our friends “I would never hurt you” and we end up hurting them very often. Even though our principles are with right motives, we sometimes become hypocrites. Hypocrite is a person who acts in contradiction to his / her stated beliefs / feelings.

Let us see what the word of God has to say about such people – Hypocrites.

OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK

In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

Luke 12: 1

The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

Proverbs 11:9

BEWARE / be cautious of hypocrisy is what Jesus taught His disciples. We are normally cautious about things that are dangerous. Hypocrisy falls into such a category. It is likened to a leaven (e.g., yeast) which when added to any dough infects the whole dough and changes its composition. Similarly hypocrisy is considered to be infecting a persons heart and change its initial composition. So hypocrisy is not okay. It infects our heart. A hypocrite is also associated with destruction. They destroy others with their mouth. Destruction is evil and is from devil who only comes to steal, kill and destroy.

Hypocrisy is a matter of the heart. It is destructive in nature. It is infectious and dangerous for our hearts, so BEWARE of hypocrisy…

Jesus during His ministry came across many hypocrites and addressed them.

• People who judge others and point fingers at them.

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Matthew 7: 3-5

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Matthew 23:29-30

We all have flaws in various areas. As our hearts get closer to God, our eyes will be opened to them to undergo correction and resemble Him more. The kind of people who have flaws and not realize it are the people whose hearts are away from God. They are too quick to judge others and find faults with them. Rather than being bothered about their own bigger issues, they are interested in others business irrespective of how insignificant it is. Such people are blind towards their faults and flaws. Their lives and hearts would be more messed up than others, still they ignore it and interferes into others life. So be sure to evaluate your heart and life, be aware of own flaws and mistakes, correct them before judging others, pointing fingers on them and trying to correct them.

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• People whose hearts long for recognition and praises from people.

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. 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.

Matthew 6:1-2

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Matthew 6: 5

There are people who do various charitable deeds and even things concerning God to show-off to others expecting to be noticed and get praises from them. Such people are pretentious and crave for recognition and glory. Even though, they seem very genuine outwardly, their heart’s intent is to get people’s attention and praises. They want others to be talking about them and hence they make sure to do such things with much publicity. Do you crave in your heart to be praised by people, then your deeds will be in alignment to that. So evaluate yourself and check the intention behind your deeds – are you craving praises and recognition?

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• People who neglect and ignore the significant matters of God

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

Matthew 23: 23-24

Drinking tea or coffee with fly in it is possible although it is disgusting. But can you swallow a whole camel? It is impossible!!! Flies are small and insignificant compared to camel. Even though all laws should be obeyed, there are certain laws that are very significant like a camel – justice, mercy and faith are among them. These should be obeyed and followed at any cause. However not giving importance to such laws is like swallowing a camel which is an impossible thing to do. Jesus used this simile to address the kind of people who would follow certain laws and instructions that are easier and comfortable for them to the minutest detail, but neglect the important and significant ones before God. Jesus calls them hypocrites and even blind guides who would strain out a fly but will readily swallow a camel! We should follow all instructions given by God and not ignore them, specially the matters that are of significance before Him.

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• People who neglect the cleanliness of their heart

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Matthew 23: 25-26

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Matthew 23: 27-28

As we already learned in “What does God notice in me?“, God notices our heart when he looks at us. Our hearts are very important to Him. We can fool people by pretending and projecting ourselves as something that we are not. But remember, we cannot fool God. We might look beautiful, gracious and righteous outwardly but our heart’s condition would be bad and in ruins. Our heart shows the “real” us. This is wide and open before God. He knows the “real” us. When we are pretentious this way before people, we are being hypocrites. Hypocrisy is at par with lawlessness. They are both considered unclean. So cleanse the inside – our hearts, from all uncleanness and only then the outside will actually be clean.

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Treasures uncovered

Hypocrisy is a matter of the heart. It is unclean and destroys our heart. Our hearts are wide open before God and He gets to know all our hearts desires and its intents when he scans it. We cannot fool Him by being pretentious. He knows the exact content of our heart and what it is filled with. So cleanse your heart with the blood of Jesus and fill it completely with Him and His love, then nothing else will infiltrate it. As Romans 12:9 says Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Prayer:

Father we thank you for teaching us that hypocrisy is a matter of heart and brings about destruction. Help us not to be pretentious, longing for praises or judgmental but be aware of the matters that are significant before you. Help us to keep a clean heart that is fully pleasing to you. We Love you. In Jesus name, Amen.

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