YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE! (And that is not a compliment)
JESUS VS THE HYPOCRITES Matthew 21:12-17 Christ found some of the courts of the temple turned into a market for cattle and things used in the sacrifices, and partly occupied by the money-changers. Our Lord drove them from the place, as he had done at his entering upon his ministry. John 2:13-17. His works testified of him more than the hosannas; and his healing in the temple was the fulfilling the promise, that the glory of the latter house should be greater than the glory of the former. If Christ came now into many parts of his visible church, how many secret evils he would discover and cleanse! And how many things daily practiced under the cloak of religion, would he show to be more suitable to a den of thieves than to a house of prayer!1 The concept of the word hypocrite comes from the Greeks. This was a word used to give actors a compliment for doing well. Being called a hypocrite was a compliment given to an actor. The use of the word as related to other applications especially those of religion is not meant as a compliment. When one is called a hypocrite is a reference to the fact that they are NOT what they are claiming. Like the Greek root of the word, those called a hypocrite are being referenced as acting the part as opposed to being genuine. Hypocrites are generally easy to spot. As a general rule hypocrites are steeped in self-righteousness and go around condemning others. Adam Clarke commented this way about hypocrites, “properly a stage-player, who acts under a mask, personating a character different from his own; a counterfeit, a dissembler; one who would be thought to be different from what he really is. A person who wishes to be taken for a follower of God, but who has nothing of religion except the outside.�2 1 2
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Matthew. Chapter 21. Adam Clarke. Commentary on Matthew. Chapter 6. Verse 5. Pg. 131.
It is evident that the hypocrite differed little from the way that Jesus saw the Pharisees, "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.”Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.…” “Our Lord plainly foresaw that, in process of time, a spiritual domination would arise in his Church; and, to prevent its evil influence, he leaves the strong warnings against it which are contained in the former part of this chapter. As the religion of Christ is completely spiritual, and the influence by which it is produced and maintained must come from heaven; therefore, there could be no master or head but himself: for as the Church (the assemblage of true believers) is his body, all its intelligence, light, and life, must proceed from him alone.”3 I have to admit, I have had enough of those who are FULL OF RELIGION. Jesus found a collection of such people when he visited the temple. He responded to the long list of abuses that were the common practice of the religious people of His day, by giving His last address to the Pharisees concerning their hypocrisy. Jesus gives them a laundry list of their offenses: “1. Their unwillingness to let the common people enjoy the pure word of God, or its right explanation: Ye shut up the kingdom, etc., Matthew 23:13. [Today this is no less reflected in the pursuit of religious systems, denominations, and a plethora of other works of men that have replaced the pure unadulterated Word of God. The modern hypocrite uses their religious systems to keep others ‘shut out’ of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ by insisting that men (and women) must first join their religious order, church or organization] 2. Their rapacity, and pretended sanctity in order to secure their secular ends: Ye devour widows houses, etc., Matthew 23:14. [Today those who claim to be ‘men of God’ use their position, pulpit, titles and more to gain every conceivable advantage over 3
Adam Clarke. Commentary on Matthew. Pg. 437.
the people of God turning the people of God into possessions, bartering chips and merchandise. This prompted one gifted writer to compare modern day pastors to pimps prostituting the Gospel of Jesus Christ for personal gain.] 3. Their pretended zeal to spread the kingdom of God by making proselytes, when they had no other end in view than forming instruments for the purposes of their oppression and cruelty: Ye compass sea and land, etc., Matthew 23:15. [Today’s hypocrite is focused on building their personal kingdoms whether or not the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is advanced. They will use any and nearly all means to bring people to their religious empires, religious country clubs or other fronts while pretending to be the continuation of the New Testament Church.] 4. Their bad doctrine and false interpretations of the Scriptures, and their dispensing with the most solemn oaths and vows at pleasure: Ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing, etc., Matthew 23:16-22. [The hypocrite loves to ‘pick and choose their religious dogma’. They will tell women that they are ‘going to hell’ for wearing pants which they claim is men’s apparel (a gross misuse and misapplication of Deuteronomy 22:5 which is condemning the worship of other gods) and then ignore the rest of the book of Deuteronomy or dismiss it as “Old Testament”. When confronted by Scripture to refute their hypocrisy they use a legalistic tactic by claiming that these religious dogma’s they hold are “personal convictions”. First, they are lying. They teach these dogmas in their churches and tell their people that those who do not adhere to their opinions are “going to hell”. Second, personal convictions are NOT in the Bible.
PERSONAL CONVICTIONS “Personal convictions are beliefs held by a person for some reason or another. In our parts in the early 1900 it was said to be a sin to drink coffee. This was preached from pulpits. Was it a sin? If a person works hard enough on it they could make a case for it being a sin and that is what they did. But we could do that with a lot of things in life. As late as 1979 the boys were made to swim in pants and a shirt at the pool (and it was NOT co-ed) lest someone look upon their nakedness. It may seem funny, but I was swimming in a pool at a youth camp fully dressed as if that pleased the Lord. I could just have easily made a case for it tempting God to nearly drown some boys.”4 4
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A. Paul said, "I will eat no flesh while the world standeth." (vs. 13) "I will not do anything that will cause my weaker brethren to stumble." I will not offend my brother. The growth and attitude of his brother was important to him. 1. Paul had a conviction here against causing a weaker brother problems. He was willing to give up something for that conviction. 2. True convictions are not just worth fighting for; they are also worth sacrificing for. Yet, we go too far when we condemn those who do not hold these personal convictions... 3. Our convictions must be personal as opposed to corporate. Many people have convictions about what others should do and be. These are improper convictions.”5 No one needs to be concerned with someone else’s personal convictions. If you really have a personal conviction keep it that way – PERSONAL. If God really convicted you then by all means DON”T DO IT! If you vowed a vow, then you are bound to your vow! But other than that, BE QUIET! Others don’t need to be subjected to crude attempt to enslave them to your personal convictions! Apostle Paul addressed this problem in the Galatian Church: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 The real deal is that personal convictions are code words for religious Pharisees who see you as inferior to them because they hold to these personal convictions that you don’t see as necessary. Thus, they are being saved through their works and you are inferior. They totally ignore the Word of God. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.6
5. Their superstition in scrupulously attending to little things, and things not commanded, and omitting matters of great importance, the practice of which God had especially enjoined: “How terrible it will be for you legal experts and Pharisees! Hypocrites! You give to God a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, but you forget about the more important matters of the Law: justice, peace, and faith. You 5
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-kind-of-conviction-we-need-howard-parnell-sermon-on-faith50690.asp 6 Ephesians 2:8-9. NIV.
ought to give a tenth but without forgetting about those more important matters. Matthew 23:23, 24. [Pharisees (hypocrites) are far more concerned about their ‘personal convictions’ and other religious dogma (offered by religious country club) than they are the Word of God. They ignore justice in pursuit of personal gain, trade peace for religious inclusion and trade faith for religion.] 6. Their hypocrisy, pretended saint ship, and endeavoring to maintain decency in their outward conduct, while they had no other object in view than to deceive the people, and make them acquiesce in their oppressive measures: Ye make clean the outside of the cup, Matthew 23:25, 26. [The religious systems contrived by these modern hypocrites are oppressive. Like the Galatian Church, those born in the Spirit are now convinced they will perfect themselves in the flesh. Many religious hypocrites adhere to a strict dress code (not found in the bible but written in the manual of their religious organization) which they prefer to the Word of God.] 7. The depth of their inward depravity and abomination, having nothing good, fair, or supportable, but the mere outside. Most hypocrites and wicked men have some good: but these were radically and totally evil: Ye are like unto whited sepulchers within full of all uncleanness, Matthew 23:27, 28. [The modern version of these Pharisees and hypocrites is NO different. These hypocrites have converted vast amounts of people to their heresies all the while claiming to be working for God. Jesus mentioned these people specifically: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 2On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’] 8. Their pretend concern for the holiness of the people, which proceeds no farther than to keep them free from such pollutions as they might accidentally and innocently contract, by casually stepping on the place where a person had been buried: and for their affected regret that their fathers had killed the prophets, while themselves possessed and cultivated the same murderous inclinations: Ye-garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, If we had been, etc., Matthew 23:29, 30. [As previously noted the religious hypocrites are VERY organized and have written their own books (manuals) where they list the many things that they claim one must do to be 'saved’. Notable among those hypocrites (who are
focused on the long list of things they say is important) is the blatant worldliness, open sin, to an extent worse than those who do not even claim to know Christ.]
IT IS MY TURN If Jesus Christ had come into the world as a mighty and opulent man, clothed with earthly glories and honors, he would have had a multitude of partisans, and most of them hypocrites – Adam Clarke First of all, I am NOT Jesus! However, I have to say that I share His frustration with the hypocrites who are using His Church for their own purposes. I was taught by some of the best hypocrites in the world. They taught me to be a hypocrite. I am not proud of it, but I admit the transgression. Like the Pharisees, these hypocrites taught me to be worried about external things while they ignored the sin in their ranks. They taught me that how one dressed or looked was more important than what was in their heart! They would rail about subjects that they claimed were Scriptural (but are NOT) like women wearing pants, the length of a woman’s dress, hair or sleeves (they love to preach against women) etc. These things they taught me and I am ashamed to say that I naively repeated. For the past 40 years I have often seen religious hypocrites use the Bible as a striker on those who don’t conform to their religious system. While they rail against women wearing pants their ministers are seeking the services of prostitutes, extorting others for profit, and sleeping with other men’s wives! I read recently where one modern day Pharisees (hypocrite) wrote a whole article concerned about women showing their knees. I say to him, sir, you should concern yourself with the rampant sexual sin in your audience. Tell your friends to REPENT, and find a prayer closet for yourself. Like the fruitless tree of Matthew Chapter 11: 1. They make a profession of the true religion. 2. They consider themselves the peculiar people of God, and despise and call all others reprobate. 3. They are only hypocrites, having nothing of religion but the profession (leaves or outward look) and no fruit.
I am sure when this article is posted to my Facebook account some of my ‘friends’ there will unfriend me, but I am ok with that. They may feel like I am using a cat–of-nine-tails on them (like Jesus did in the Temple). I confess, that is my intent. Like Jesus, I have grown weary of those who make merchandise of the house of God and use the people of God for their own means. I am not concerned about the feelings, sensitivities or the like of hypocrites who continue to prey on the unsuspecting, the unconverted, the weak and the poor in a continued effort to ingratiate themselves. It is WAY past time for the people of God to stand up to this effort to bully and intimidate those who are part of the body of Christ. To all of these hypocrites I say, REPENT of your error. Go to the 15th Chapter of Acts and read it, apply it to your life and let’s get on with the business of making disciples for JESUS CHRIST (not disciples of men)
IT IS YOUR TURN True religion imports an entire change of the heart, and it must be founded in the inward conviction of the mind, or it is impossible it should be, what yet it must be, a reasonable service. Let it only be considered what violence and persecution can do towards producing such an inward conviction. A man might as reasonably expect to bind an immaterial spirit with a cord, or to beat down a wall with an argument, as to convince the understanding by threats and tortures. Persecution is much more likely to make men hypocrites than sincere converts. They may perhaps, if they have not a firm and heroic courage, change their profession while they retain their sentiments; and, supposing them before to be unwarily in the wrong, they may learn to add falsehood and villainy to error. – Adam Clarke You may have heard the story of a slave whose name was SPARTICUS. Spartacus was a slave to his Roman masters. One day Spartacus became part of an effort to throw off the tyranny of his captors. His first goal was his own freedom. However, after getting himself free, he was not satisfied with just getting his freedom but he set out to set free all the slaves in the Roman Empire. Those who joined the effort thought of themselves as part of the vision of Spartacus to set all of the slaves of the Roman Empire free. In the end, those who had joined his effort would say, “I AM SPARTICUS”.
It is time for you to take a stand. Be heroic! Quit being bullied by religious hypocrites who drive away those who would come to Jesus. No doubt some of your friends and family have been driven away from Jesus Christ by hypocrites who offer only the dead works of religion in place of a living and resurrected Christ who came to set the captives free. Don’t let religious phonies hurt you or your friends and family anymore! Get away from them! Don’t listen to them; they only seek to enslave you! Stand fast in LIBERTY, Jesus Christ has set you free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1