A L M A C I A S

THE PROBLEM OF HYPOCRISY

We live in a world that is contrary to the ways of God in many different areas. One of these areas is in the honesty that is lacking in so many places. People are not as honest as they once were. It used to be that some could secure loans from lending institutions, even on a hand shake, while today it is difficult to get a loan without a lot of collateral to back it up. Christians should be the most honest people around, but sometimes we are far lacking in this very important quality. The Lord reprimanded the Pharisees time and time again for their hypocrisy. We read in Matthew 15:7-9, "Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

What are some lessons we can all learn from this encounter that the Lord had with these scribes and Pharisees? We can all learn that the Lord has never been pleased with any who are guilty of hypocrisy. This group of men who came to Jesus were pretending to be what they really were not. They were pretending to be very religious by telling the Lord to admonish the disciples for not having washed their hands before eating. But that is all this group of men were trying to do ­ pretending to be religious ­ when, in fact, they were not religious in the least. This is why the Lord told them that their religion was in vain, because they worshipped with their mouths only, while their hearts were far from the Lord. How many times might we be guilty of the same when we only pretend to be Christians by doing or saying things when we know people are watching us; but as soon as those people are gone, we begin to say and do things that are completely opposite. We have the case of the apostle Peter, who, while in Antioch, had eaten with the Gentiles of that area; but when some came from Jerusalem, he would not eat with the Gentiles for fear of those Jews who had come. When the apostle Paul found out about this, he withstood Peter face-to-face for being such a hypocrite. (Gal. 2:11-13) What had Peter done that was so bad in the eyes of Paul? Peter had played the hypocrite in the way he had despised the Gentiles after those who came from Jerusalem intimidated him. Let us not be guilty of this terrible sin, the sin of hypocrisy.