to be one thing but in reality is another thing . Uncovering someone ’ s hypocrisy is disconcerting , whether the person is a believer or not . But hypocrisy in the life of a Christian carries potentially devastating consequences .
Throughout the Sermon on the Mount , Jesus talked about the authentic articles of our faith . He began His hillside talk with the Beatitudes , laying out the essential qualities of Christian character . He went on to explain that when we put this character into practice , we can influence our culture as light penetrates darkness and salt penetrates meat . He then helped us understand authentic righteousness by correcting misinterpretations about the Old Testament regarding our actions and our attitudes . Next , in Matthew 6:1 – 18 , Jesus tackled the sin of hypocrisy by correcting misconceptions about how we are to practice our righteousness at church and during religious activities .
Beware of Hypocrisy far from God . I remember my mom used to say , “ The one thing people will never forgive you for is being able to see through them .” That ’ s true . Jesus could see right through those Pharisees . That ’ s why He repeatedly pronounced “ woe ”— an exclamation of divine judgment — on the scribes and Pharisees , calling them “ hypocrites ” ( 23:13 – 39 ).
Hypocrisy isn ’ t something to play around with . In fact , Jesus told us to “ beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them ” ( 6:1 )— that is , to be thought of by others as superspiritual .
The Dangers of Hypocrisy
The word hypocrite comes from the Greek hypokrites and basically means “ to wear a mask .” It refers to Greek actors who would put on a mask in order to pretend to be somebody they actually weren ’ t . Hypocrites are two-faced ; they say one thing but live in a completely different way .
Few things churned Jesus ’ s stomach more than people strutting their spirituality in public . Perhaps that ’ s why He reserved His harshest criticism for those who liked to show off their piousness for the sole purpose of impressing others . He denounced the religious leaders of His day , saying , “ This people honors Me with their lips , but their heart is far away from Me ” ( Matt . 15:8 ).
Hypocrites come in two varieties : those who knowingly act a part and deceive others , and those who unknowingly act a part and deceive only themselves . In either case , Jesus warned us that hypocrisy is a hideous spiritual disease . Just as cancer wreaks havoc in our bodies , so hypocrisy , if it metastasizes and isn ’ t cut out , wreaks havoc in the body of Christ — the church . It works like this :
Jesus saw what was in the hearts of these religious leaders . Sure , they had a veneer of religiosity about them , but their hearts were
• First , hypocrisy distorts the truth . Like standing in front of a fun-house mirror , where you sort of recognize yourself but everything is
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