Pod Prep : 8-11-17
Why Does God Hate Hypocrisy? Part One
HYPOCRISY IS ONE THE DEVIL'S MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS
God clearly wants sons that will be different than Satan. A characteristic, bad or good, is developed over time. Hypocrisy is pretending to be someone that you are not. The Bible states that Satan wants to be worshiped like God and wants to be thought of as righteous, even though he is evil incarnate. This is where the hypocrisy comes in. He is also known as Lucifer, the light bringer. Satan is determined to undermine mankind and lead us into self destruction.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light.
15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.(ASV)
Historically, many of the most evil leaders claimed to be serving 'the little people' or 'the children' as they oppressed and killed millions. Some did evil in the name of a man-made religion like Communism or various nature directed pagan religions. Some these evil men even used their political power to force people to worship them. This is an unbelievable level of hypocrisy,wow!
THE MEANING OF THE WORD 'HYPOCRISY'
HYPOCRISY REFERS TO THE ACT OF CLAIMING TO BELIEVE SOMETHING BUT ACTING IN A DIFFERENT MANNER, THE ACT OF WEARING A MASK. The word is derived from the Greek term for “actor”. It means one who is wearing a mask. They used lots of masks in ancient Greek theater which enabled actors to pretend they were something or someone that they were not.
You are deceiving yourself when you judge others without realizing that your problems are so much greater than their problems. People can mask themselves from the truth when they think they are so much better than others. The Pharisees for instance, by God's evaluation, which is what counts, were so much worse than most.
Mt 7:3 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4 "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?
5 "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
(NKJV)
Mt 23:3 "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
4 "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5 "But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
The key indictment of Jesus is the accusation that it is all done to be “seen of men”. They wear a mask of righteousness but their true motivation is not service and worship of God but the image they project.
GOD IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH OUR HEARTS
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. 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.
Heb 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,
(NKJV)
Heb 8:9 "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD.
10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
When we wear a mask to impress others we are deceiving ourselves which is one of the worst things we can do if we are wanting to achieve 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 in a religious sense. Others should be able to observe that we are trying to live a more Godly but that it's a struggle. We are not inherently righteous. Note that with Judas' famous kiss of death, he also pretended his innocence.
Mt 26:25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Judas was pretending to be loyal and loving to Jesus in front of the others 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.
Lu 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.
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 public image and not to serve God. This was one of the major reasons why Christ reserved his greatest condemnations for the religious leaders in Israel.
Mt 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 purer heart. Our prime motivation should be love of God and not love of self. Pure religion is based on serving God not our public image.
Jas 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.
FALSE FRIENDS ARE 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 hypercritical of Jesus. False brethren betrayed the Apostle Paul.
Ps 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.
Ps 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,
4 Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us?"
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.
2Co 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 called first. 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.
