Jesus had much to say concerning hypocrites, and never shied away from speaking directly to them; his observations of them could singe the hair off your head.
A complete study can be found in these verses:
Mat 6:2, 6:5, 6:16, 15:7, 16:3, 22:18, 23:14-15, 23:25, 23:27, 23:29, 24:51, Mar 7:6, Lu 11:44, Lu 12:56
These are only a few examples:
Mat 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
Mat 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Mat 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
When we read these texts, we run up against a problem; we find we are seeing ourselves in some of them.
When I read the bible, not only am I reading it; it is reading me. (Which is why so many people who call themselves Christian do not read it, go to church without it, and the world hates it)
Now, over the years as a Christian and a minister; I’ve observed that there are different kinds of hypocrites:
1. There are differing degrees of hypocrisy, that become evident by conduct, and personal character.
In God’s eyes, there is no one who is perfect and without sin; But God alone.
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
2. There are those who repent, and find the grace, forgiveness, and restoration that Christ can give if we ask Him for it; and there are those who choose to remain in their blindness. We are always given free choice.
People will sin, I do. But if you desire to walk with God, you will not have a pattern of sin. When the Lord convicts you that you are doing something that‘s not right; you will desire to agree with Him, and repent. But those who are living in the world, who deny God any access to them, and live for this world’s pleasures will not allow the word of God to correct them. We are seeing the evidence of a world growing increasingly hostile to any of God’s laws or standards of right and wrong; and seeing the consequences of it in every facet of life. Paul’s description in Romans fits our world today:
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
3. There are some who seem to be hypocrites, who are labeled as such, but by those who do not know all the facts about a person, and are being falsely accused.
One of the greatest grievances I have in the realm of ministry today is the humongous amount of gossip and slander that goes on within it’s ranks. It is rampant in ministry today; and the higher you go, the worse it is. The mega-ministries are some of the greatest culprits.
For anyone living in a community; this is the same, which is why I refuse to listen to any local “we need to pray for so and so”. I go directly to them if it is any concern to me personally, or I just lift them once up to God and pray earnestly for them one time; and then leave them in the hands of the Lord. He is well able to undertake for any situation that person is in.
There is a vast difference between the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and mans condemnation.
When I am doing a study in scripture, and the verses are revealing to me a sin I’ve allowed to creep in to my life, I know it is for my own good. God wants only the best for us, and cares for us deeply.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
As the days grow darker in this world, to those who love God; allow the word of God guide you, allow it to “read” you. In the end, it will mold you and make you into someone Paul describes in Timothy:
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Lorna Couillard
A complete study can be found in these verses:
Mat 6:2, 6:5, 6:16, 15:7, 16:3, 22:18, 23:14-15, 23:25, 23:27, 23:29, 24:51, Mar 7:6, Lu 11:44, Lu 12:56
These are only a few examples:
Mat 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
Mat 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Mat 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
When we read these texts, we run up against a problem; we find we are seeing ourselves in some of them.
When I read the bible, not only am I reading it; it is reading me. (Which is why so many people who call themselves Christian do not read it, go to church without it, and the world hates it)
Now, over the years as a Christian and a minister; I’ve observed that there are different kinds of hypocrites:
1. There are differing degrees of hypocrisy, that become evident by conduct, and personal character.
In God’s eyes, there is no one who is perfect and without sin; But God alone.
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
2. There are those who repent, and find the grace, forgiveness, and restoration that Christ can give if we ask Him for it; and there are those who choose to remain in their blindness. We are always given free choice.
People will sin, I do. But if you desire to walk with God, you will not have a pattern of sin. When the Lord convicts you that you are doing something that‘s not right; you will desire to agree with Him, and repent. But those who are living in the world, who deny God any access to them, and live for this world’s pleasures will not allow the word of God to correct them. We are seeing the evidence of a world growing increasingly hostile to any of God’s laws or standards of right and wrong; and seeing the consequences of it in every facet of life. Paul’s description in Romans fits our world today:
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
3. There are some who seem to be hypocrites, who are labeled as such, but by those who do not know all the facts about a person, and are being falsely accused.
One of the greatest grievances I have in the realm of ministry today is the humongous amount of gossip and slander that goes on within it’s ranks. It is rampant in ministry today; and the higher you go, the worse it is. The mega-ministries are some of the greatest culprits.
For anyone living in a community; this is the same, which is why I refuse to listen to any local “we need to pray for so and so”. I go directly to them if it is any concern to me personally, or I just lift them once up to God and pray earnestly for them one time; and then leave them in the hands of the Lord. He is well able to undertake for any situation that person is in.
There is a vast difference between the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and mans condemnation.
When I am doing a study in scripture, and the verses are revealing to me a sin I’ve allowed to creep in to my life, I know it is for my own good. God wants only the best for us, and cares for us deeply.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
As the days grow darker in this world, to those who love God; allow the word of God guide you, allow it to “read” you. In the end, it will mold you and make you into someone Paul describes in Timothy:
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Lorna Couillard
