Matthew 23 is another chapter that makes me squirm . . . and I’d like to tell you why.
Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 23:27b-28
So yep, we’re taking a closer look at hypocrisy today.
You might be a hypocrite if you…
- Say one thing and do another. (Matthew 15:7–9)
- Preach peace and tolerance but judge those who don’t agree with you. (Ezekiel 13:10)
- Judge others for their sins and excuse your own. (Matthew 7:1–5)
- Say, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer. (1 John 4:29)
- Fail to forgive as you have been forgiven. (Matthew 6:12)
- Are human!
Because the truth is . . . there’s a little bit of hypocrisy in all of us. We all sin and we all want others to think we don’t. It’s that simple.
But here’s the thing…
HYPOCRISY RUINS OUR WITNESS!
Even though we sin differently—we all sin!
Christians and non-Christians alike fall short of perfect living. So, before you and I take delight in pointing out the hypocrisy we see in others, this might be the perfect time for us to ask God to help us do a better job of glorifying Him by loving like Jesus, the only truly non-hypocrite who has ever lived.
5 Ways to Cure the Hypocrisy You See in Your Life
1. ADMIT YOU CAN BE A HYPOCRITE AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU.
2. ASK GOD TO FREE YOU OF HYPOCRISY AND CHANGE YOUR HEART.
3. COMMIT TO BEING LOVING (KIND, CARING, AND COMPASSIONATE).
4. ASK GOD TO HELP YOU TO BE AN EXAMPLE OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE.
5. SHOW GOD’S LOVE MORE THAN YOU PREACH HIS RULES!
Scripture tells us God is good because:
- He is perfect and righteous – it is who He is.
- He is kind – it is what He does.
He perfectly balances what is right with what is kind. He sees hearts. He knows motives. He understands the beginning and the end. He knows what’s best!
You don’t. I don’t. That’s why it’s our job to simply tell people about all that God has done for us. Tell them about His healing and transforming power and how He is able to give us peace, hope, joy, and so much more.
Will you please pray with me?
Father, please forgive me for ranking sins by judging others and excusing myself. We ALL have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. (Romans 3:23) I need Your love and forgiveness every single day.
Please help me. I want to consistently follow your commands. I want to love and forgive as You have loved and forgiven me. I want to focus on You and obey Your will for me more without pointing a finger at others.
I want people to see in me the blessings of trusting and following You. I want to point them to Your love and Your Word and allow Your Spirit to convict and transform them. I want to love like Jesus.
Jesus, please cure me of hypocrisy and help me shine the light of your love for Your glory. Amen.
Friend, we’re all guilty of occasional hypocrisy.
But my hypocritical life is covered by God’s grace and mercy. And so is yours.
With God’s help, we can kick our inner hypocrite to the curb. We can reject self-righteousness and open our hearts to God’s goodness (His righteousness and His kindness) and allow Him to fill us until it overflows to the people He puts around us.
On today’s note write:
Jesus is the cure for hypocrisy!
God bless you today as you live forgiven and loved!
Thank you so much for joining me today.
And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.
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