It has been said that the best response to a person who justifies not attending church due to the hypocrisy is, “Yes, and there is always room for one more!” Truth be told hypocrisy is a systemic condition of the human race. One of the best definitions for hypocrisy can be found in the Greek use of the term to describe one who “wore a mask,” an actor. But if we are honest, treating this chronic condition should be a priority of every follower of Jesus.
Jesus reminds His followers of the seriousness of neglecting this, “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me,…” Now, he is speaking to the religious leader who attacked the disciples for not washing their hands.
Jesus’ issue was their propensity to elevate man-made rules while neglecting more significant Biblical regulations. The heart issue, as I understand it, is they were manipulating Biblical truth for their convenience, using God as the excuse for why they were not honoring their parents!
The issue for us is portraying that we are godly while living for ourselves. Now, I am speaking specifically to those who belong to Christ through salvation by grace through faith alone. Even for the genuine believer it is a struggle to be consistent in the practice of our lives and what we portray to those around us. We know the “rules,” what to say, how to act, how to dress, the words to prayer, so that our faith can become a mask that we put on when we are around other believers. The Apostle John illustrates this, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”(1 John 4:20).
Our challenge is practicing genuine faith, living for Jesus. We see this same admonition throughout the whole Bible. Moses, reviewing God’s commandments with the nation says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” (Deuteronomy 6:6). His instruction was to integrate God’s truth into their daily lives. The same admonition is at the heart of Paul’s emphasis to follow Jesus’ example; “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3). The point is for each of us to strive to be more and more consistent in our spiritual development and the real world practice of our faith in our relationships with others. (Philippians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12).
It is easy for us to identify the faults in others while missing the glaring issues in our own life. This is one of the greatest benefits of reading and applying God’s work in our lives. It is God’s mirror reflecting our real spiritual condition. Let me recommend Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount as a great starting place. (Matthew 5:1-7:28).
Yes, the church is full of hypocrites, but through the grace of Jesus Christ there is always room for one more who is growing in Christ! “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6).
-Pastor Joe Parkinson