Some of Jesus' strongest words were against hypocrites. Curiously, one of the biggest reasons given by those who resist Christ and His church is "all the hypocrites" in the church. Sometimes Christians resist obedience in certain matters, citing hypocrisy as their rationale: "I wouldn't want to be hypocritical." Obviously, confusion exists about who is and who isn't a hypocrite, what does and what does not constitute hypocrisy. To be sure, some are labeled "hypocrites" deservedly. But, just as surely, many are mis-diagnosed.
Jesus was, indeed, incensed by hypocrisy. The hypocrisy that bothered Jesus, however, was not what many people are put off by in our day. Several times in Scripture Jesus is quoted saying "Woe", and not once was he speaking to a horse. Without exception, He was speaking to or about people whose actions were especially repulsive to God for one reason or another. "Woe" was an expression of profound grief. On several of the occasions that He thus addressed people, he called them "hypocrites." The word literally means "an actor", one who is merely playing a part.
The operative word is "merely". The actor is just playing a role. The hypocrite that offends God is the person who is just playing a role but possesses none of the reality implicit to the role. Consider Robin Williams playing the role of Dr. Patch Adams. He was an excellent doctor in the movie, but one would be a fool to seek medical advice from Robin Williams, and an even greater fool to ask him to remove a gallbladder. This is because Williams is merely acting. He is not really a doctor.
You and I are not hypocrites because we are imperfect or immature. Those who would cite our imperfections and immaturity as an excuse for their resistance to God are more likely to hear his "woe" than are we. I am a real Christian, though sometimes I do not act like Christ or have a Christlike attitude. That is not hypocrisy; that is the process of growing up in Christ.
Acting actually has a legitimate part in our Christian life. There are places where God wants us to act more kind and caring than we really are or feel like being. If the motive of my heart for acting in this manner is to please God and/or do the right thing, I am no hypocrite in God's eyes. And if you see me on some day when I make the wrong choice, acting on my own feelings rather than on God's will, I am still no hypocrite. I am a work in progress. Thankfully, God is not finished with me yet!
I can be hypocritical and sometimes am. Like any sin, it should be confessed and repented of in earnest. To deal with this sin effectively, we must discern the difference between what is truly hypocrisy and what may only be a function of the maturation process in Christ.
Learning routinely involves acting in a way that is not natural to us. So, growth in Christ involves practicing something that is "not me" in the hope that it will, by that practice, become me. The litmus test for hypocrisy involves the aim of our action. If our act is designed to please God, it is not hypocrisy. If the intent of our act is merely to please or impress people, it is. Let's rid ourselves of hypocrisy, crave pure spiritual nutrition, and grow up in our salvation (1Pet 2:1,2) .
Dane Tyner is founder and director of Home Improvement Ministry, a Christian family counseling service in Tulsa, OK.The ministry website is http://www.forhim.org.
Dane, good to hear from you! This is a wonderful article. I do hope many who use this phrase to easily, will read and reconsider their thinking. I have taught this to my children and others in Bible study. And have used it as an example for myself. Constantly asking what is my motive? Thanks for the clarity on the meaning. Lord bless you and your family! Teresa
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