There are many misconceptions regarding the nature of hypocrisy, especially in Christian circles. This word is often described as a person who is merely "acting out" their faith, mainly going through the motions without being sincere. In other words, it has to do with faith-filled actions and a lack of honorable feelings, but that would be a gross misunderstanding. Here are some dictionary definitions surrounding the word:
Hyp·o·crite: a person who indulges in hypocrisy.
Hy ·poc·ri·sy is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform.
The Greek word for hypocrisy, used in the New Testament, means "acting on stage." It's basically someone pretending to be someone they're not. Here are some biblical truths that illustrate this:
"If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves." - Galatians 6:3
"Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness." - Romans 10:3
"They claim to know God, but by their actions, they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good." - Titus 1:16
While we want our faith to be genuine, many Christians fear that they are becoming hypocrites when they try to live by faith but do not necessarily "feel it." That's not exactly the case. Jesus calls out hypocritical behavior several times throughout Scripture, and it most certainly has something to do with the nature of our hearts. Yet, the real Biblical meaning goes beyond that, claiming it has more to do with our public vs. our private character. In other words, hypocrisy is all about intention and why we are motivated to "act" in a certain way – in public.
A Christian who struggles with sin, wards off temptation, and puts one foot in front of the other to do what is right in God's eye should be considered courageous and maybe even sincere, especially if their heart is reaching out for God's rich mercy and grace. This should raise the question, "Do we really know the nature of someone's heart?" Or is that a God thing? I say it's that latter.
However, the person who is living two lives, one in the wide open and one in the closet, so to speak, is to be called a hypocrite. They are fooling their friends as they live one way in public, posting pictures on social media, volunteering at shelters, or wearing flashy clothes at church while raising their hands in worship only to have a secret, hidden life of immorality, entertaining sin in private. This behavior is not only concerning but alarming at best. As we dig into the Scriptures, specifically the gospel of Matthew, and discover how Jesus reacted and rebuked the hypocrites of His day, it may also be wise to truly understand what that looked like back then and how we can avoid "acting" like one in today's culture.
Woe Unto to You, Hypocrites
Jesus called out hypocrites several times, especially religious hypocrisy, which goes to show that this was a pretty common issue.
In Matthew 23, Jesus meets with a crowd in Jerusalem outside the synagogue to reprimand the religious leaders, namely scribes and Pharisees, pronouncing seven "woe" statements as an exclamation of grief, anguish, and sorrow for their faulty failings with their God-given abilities to lead the people. He shared that their motives were not sincere and done with the wrong motives.
The first "woe" Jesus calls the leaders out for not opening the door of God's kingdom to all people (Matthew 23:13). Showing that they were making religion legalistic.
The second "woe" was jarred toward the ancient Israel leaders, claiming they parade around acting high and mighty, trying to convince just one to join their religion only so they can become as hypocritical as they are (Matthew 23:15).
The third "woe" claimed the religious leaders were creating loopholes in God's message to benefit themselves (Matthew 23:16-22), While the fourth "woe" Jesus points out the legalism, with little room for mercy or grace (Matthew 23: 23-24).
The fifth "woe" called out their mockery of tending to outward appearances only to gain approval while not cleansing and purifying their inner selves (Matthew 23:25-26). The sixth "woe" expands on that, comparing them to a whitewashed tomb, looking so nice on the outside but with rotten flesh inside (Matthew 23:27-28). Ouch!
The seventh and final "woe" claimed that the leaders didn't honor the prophets of history as they claimed but instead were just as guilty as those who killed and slaughtered massagers of God. Whoa!
Jesus certainly was not shy when calling out sinful and unrighteous behavior. Could you imagine being in that crowd and hearing this message? Talk about being left with a heavy heart. He is sharing how hypocrisy can ruin a city, which should also be a warning to us!
Yes, Christians Can Be Hypocrites, Too
So, what does this all mean for us? It means that we must heed this valuable lesson from our Lord and realize that we can fall into hypocrisy if we are not mindful of our behaviors. Just as the Pharisees stood outside the synagogues in their flashy garments and lavishly adorning tassels, praying loudly for all to see and hear, we too can fall into the pattern of seeking to appear a certain way and "look good" to others, craving attention and approval from man, only to be far from God.
Matthew 6:1 warns us about practicing righteousness before others. Matthew 7:5 shares that we mustn't point out the log (sin) in a fellow brother's eye, failing to see the 2 x 4 in our own. Then, there is the notion that talk is cheap when we live an alternate life of sin (Matthew 15:7-8).
In other words, Jesus is commanding us to be intentional about our motives and check the state of our hearts as we live and walk by truth while stumbling into God's great mercy and grace (2 Corinthians 5:7, Matthew 5:16).
Most, if not all, of us, have unfortunately demonstrated hypocrisy at some point. What might that look like? Here are a few signs or telltale indicators of hypocritical Christian behavior:
- Not practicing what they preach.
- Doing lots of good works in "public" and oversharing.
- Unwilling to extend grace.
- Pointing out the sins in others yet expecting attention and honor for their own self-righteous choices.
- Quick to cast blame or judgments.
How to Avoid Acting Like One
Let's face it: None of us wants to be called a hypocrite, much less become one. So, we must safeguard our hearts now and heed the warnings Jesus offers us in Scripture. We must also fight our flesh's inner turmoil and sinful ways.
We must remember that we can always turn from our ways, choosing not to conform while seeking redemption (Romans 12:2). Here are a few ways to stand against hypocrisy.
- Do good in secret. My husband tells our daughters to "do good" when nobody is watching. When we have a humble heart and seek to please only God, we won't need to fix our eyes on others to win over the hearts of man, but rather set our eyes on Jesus to win His heart alone (Matthew 6:1-4).
- Ask for God's help. The beauty of our God is that He invites us to come to Him in prayer with anything. We can go to Him with our hearts full of temptations and seek His love and grace (Matthew 7:7-11).
- Stay away from the "social" traps. While there are benefits to social media, there are also so many places to get tangled up with imposter influencers. The tantalizing posts on how to be a "good" Christian can really lure us in, so tread lightly here and pray before you post or comment (Philippians 4:7, Colossians 3:15).
- Speak in love. When we encounter someone struggling with a sin, we approach it in love rather than condemnation. We may not know what personal struggles they are wading through, so when we extend truth gently and lovingly, we accept that we are all sinners seeking God's mercy and grace (Romans 12:9).
- Work on your own heart. We mustn't focus on outer appearances but on the condition of our hearts. Dig deep in your heart and come clean with God about transgressions that need to be brought to light and areas in your life that you need to change (Matthew 23:26).
Closing Prayer
Father God, we come before You, seeking Your mercy and grace. Please forgive us for succumbing to hypocrisy, entertaining our need for worldly validation and acceptance. Help our need to be seen and justified come from You alone. Please sanctify our hearts and help us walk humbly and in a manner that honors You. Amen.
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