As each Sunday morning dawns there are two distinct classifications of individuals. The
first group will go and sing songs of praise to the God of Heaven (Ephesians 5:19), listen to a
lesson from His Word (Mark 16:15), and partake of the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:14-20). The
second group may do other activities that do not involve worship at all. What if I told you that
there was another category of individual besides Christians and non-Christians. The third
treacherous category is those classified as a hypocrite. Those who pretend to be a sincere child of
God while living a life that is a dishonor to our Lord is hypocrisy and sin.
Webster’s dictionary defines a hypocrite as “a person who puts on a false appearance of
virtue or religion” or “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.”
As churches come together for their services, there are those among you fulfilling this definition.
The individual(s) who exist(s) in this very dangerous category are knowingly living a life of sin
that is eternally deadly. Any sin can cause one to fall into this category, ranging from the “little
white lie” to obvious public sins. This individual willingly chooses not to enter a state of
repentance (Romans 2:4). Sin is sin (Romans 6:23) and if “little white lies” were not significant
than we would not need Jesus at all, as Jesus is to save us from sin (Matthew 1:21).
With each moment that passes there are too many souls “stepping out into eternity” in an
unsaved condition and, many times, the hypocrite is part of them who are eternally lost as seen by
example in Matthew 7:22. As mentioned above, sin comes in many forms. For instance, parents
telling their children to obey the speed limit then will exceed the speed limit in their everyday
errands with their own justification(s). Many have heard the saying, “Do as I say, not as I do”
which fits hypocritical behavior perfectly even from the viewpoint of parent to child. Even though
society may attempt to change the Bible, based upon social standards, as Christians we must hold
steadfast to the Word. Paul says in Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we
have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you
have received, let him be accursed.” This passage along with Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever.”, show that the Bible never changes and its teaching is the
same regardless of societal conduct.
Jesus addresses this behavior in Matthew 7:5 and Luke 6:42 when He uses the analogy of
removing the plank from your own eye before helping your neighbor with the speck in theirs.
Re-examining ourselves is a daily chore to do. Christians are sinners! We know that because the
inspired writer tells us “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” as seen in
Romans 3:23. The difference between the Christians and the rest of the world is living in
accordance with 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Hypocritical
behavior is unacceptable in the eyes of God and Jesus makes a strong point of this in Revelation
3:14-22 when He says that being luke-warm will cause a soul to be spewed out, which spiritually
speaking is eternal death. How is your spiritual health? Does it need improvement? Our outward
presence and our inner character must match. Do not allow yourself to fall into the category of
the scribes and Pharisees who were chastised by Jesus in Matthew 23:27, “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.” May
the Lord bless each of us as we strive to live righteously.
Playing the Hypocrite in Church
