There is grave danger for us and for the church when we don't heed Jesus' words. Today, the nice word for hypocrite is "religious".
So what does a religious/hypocrite look like?
1 : a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
an actor, a stage player, a pretender
Throughout His ministry, Jesus vigorously exposed and denounced the hypocrisy of many, especially the scribes and Pharisees-the religious leaders of their day. They paraded their charitable deeds, praying and fasting as a theatrical display to win the praise of men. They sought to give the appearance of being godly, but they were actually blind to the truth of God. This is what Jesus WARNS against.
Hypocrisy is professing to be what one is not and is generally applied to religious character. It is forbidden to the Christian
And yet, so many of us engage in the charade. I don't even think we realize that it is a charade. Honestly, most of us think we are 'religious' and that is enough. But as I seek to find the answers to this problem, I am drawn back to the words of Jesus. Don't play the part. Don't be religious. Don't go through the motions of do right things. Don't be involved in liturgy, rote or traditions of man. Don't put on an appearance, dress up and pretend to be fully chasing after me when you are not. Don't parade your good deeds before men, when I see what is true. Don't sing songs you don't mean. Don't do what pleases yourselves in worship, do what please ME.
Isa 29:13 Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from me, and their reverence for me consists of tradition learned {by} rote,
Don't be like the hypocrites....these are Jesus' words to His disciples.
So are we?
ALL FOR YOU
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