Since I’m involved in ministry daily through providing counseling nationwide by phone/Skype and through teaching God’s anointed Word, the subject of hypocrisy raises it’s ugly head often. People can be deeply wounded by someone who claims to be a believer in God and then abuses or offends others. Hypocrisy is ‘the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.’
Some people say, “Where you find all the hypocrites is in the church so I want nothing to do with God or the church.” In some ways, I agree with this statement. The only place we find hypocrisy is where we find absolute truth. There cannot be a hypocrite unless there is a genuine. In my lifetime, most hypocrites I have met are in the church.
I worked in the secular world for ten years when I was a young woman as an administrative secretary in a school district. My co-workers were of various beliefs or non-beliefs and were honest about it. None were hypocritical. We need all believers to live up to the moral standards and beliefs that are in the Word of God. When people who attend church do not live according to God’s values and morals, it brings shame to the whole body of Christ and hurts the heart of God. Being Christian is not about attending church only; it’s about being Christ-like in every area of life.
Colossians 1: 9 &10 NLT – “We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.” This verse tells us to live our lives to honor and please the Lord and to produce every kind of good fruit.
When we study Galatians the 5th chapter listing the works of the flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit, we find out what will keep us out of the kingdom of God. We also have defined for us what the Fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We must become Holy Ghost controlled.
Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” We cannot allow the works of the flesh to control us: all sexual sins including addiction to pornography, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfishness, envy, murder, drunkenness, etc. If we claim to be Christian and, yet, allow the works of the flesh to manifest themselves in our lives, we are hypocrites. Vs. 16 states, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Being Christ-like is developing an intimate relationship with God through His Word and prayer. I call it being Holy Ghost controlled – filtering everything we do through God. Romans 12:1-2 Amplified Bible, “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”
Hypocrisy should not be named among believers. My lifelong commitment is to live my life to give God glory in everything that I do. Every part of my life needs to reflect God’s glory. This is our daily spiritual worship unto the Lord. God looks on the heart – man looks on the outward. Our outward words and actions daily must give glory unto the Lord as a witness of His love and mercy toward us.
So when someone complains about the hypocrites, remind them there cannot be a false unless there is an absolute truth. God is love. God wants us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth throughout our daily lives. When we love God with all our whole heart, soul, mind and strength, there is no room for hypocrisy. The Lord will return soon for a Bride without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
“Behold the Bridegroom, I hear the midnight cry. We will all go up if we all hold out to meet Him in the sky! So watch and pray, my brother, lest someone take your crown. Because the lukewarm and the backslider won’t wear the wedding gown.” Make a commitment to be a genuine child of God. Don’t allow hypocrisy to steal your eternal crown!
Carol Clemans is an anointed Bible teacher for churches/conferences, Certified Pastoral Counselor, Christian Life Coach. She provides a nationwide counseling ministry by phone/Skype (636) 488-0121. Carol has teaching CD’s, DVD’s, book: “God’s Design for Marriage” available through www.carolclemans.org. Revs. Harold & Carol Clemans’ pastor is Jerry Dillon, Madison, MS.