Unmasking the Hypocrite
As we just heard the definition of the word hypocrite we are to distinguish one from another. The first definition has a religious definition and the second one has a more general sense to it.
I want us to start from the second and go to the first definition of the word hypocrite.
“ A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings”.
This definition of the word hypocrite speaks of the core of the problem and that is actions rather than words spoken by men or women.
Many times we hear people contradict their words and yet we still let them get away with their actions without paying attention to the basic principals of their motivations, which do not agree with their words or expressed thoughts and feelings.
Hypocrisy is a dangerous enemy that can enter unnoticed in our lives, if we do not watch. This snare comes when people deny to deal with the truth head on.
Hypocrisy is the fruit of the denial to deal with truth for an extended period of time. It is not the lack of knowing the truth, in opposite it is to reject the truth after its exposure. This evil starts in the heart when a deep resistance is allowed in men to receive the love of the truth. Paul in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 10 explains it in this way. “ Because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.”
You see even it is God who gives them over to this state of mind after the rejection of the revealed truth. In Romans chapter 1 verse 28 to 32 also Paul speaks of the deception of those who do not like to retain God in their knowledge, they are the ones who are given to these kind of mindsets. It is interesting that the scripture says they do not like to retain God in their knowledge.
The Bible says God is love and His word is God and His word is His love letter to us and, when we do not retain His love or His word of love in our knowledge (or our heart) then we are given over to the debased mind. Men do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, they become full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil mindedness, they become whisperers, backbiters, haters of God. This not being enough men become violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedience to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. These men Paul says knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them, and by doing them they become the worst kind of hypocrites ever.
Many of us are constantly battling with these kinds of sensual and demonic influences in our lives that want to still God’s love from us and if we are not carful in allowing compromises in our walk with God and men we can finally be overcome by them. I have seen all different kind of hypocrisies and the worst kind is when we start compromising the truth of God with an outward appearance of piety. The danger of this perversion of the truth is always found with people who in their pride resisted the truth in exchange for a lie. The Bible is full of such men and women. Jesus our Lord has warned His disciples many times from the yeast or leaven of such malice. He always mentioned the Pharisees who had an outside appearance of religiosity, but had by their lives denied the power of it.
What is the power of religion?
Is it not anything but the love of God that gives us strength to embrace it’s truth, and avoid all appearance of hypocrisy?
The Arrival of Hypocrisy in the world is from the inception of the fall and it’s greatest victims have been those who have hated to deal with the truth.
Hypocrisy is a spirit.
Hypocrisy is one of the spirits working undercover in these last days to destroy men’s lives and it had found its place in the Church of God from long ago. The absence of the true love gives its place to religion and religion itself being man made rules to reach God on our own terms and efforts becomes the essence of Religious Babylon or the strong hold of all hypocrisy. Instead of hearts motivated out of love people are gathering in assemblies in fear and intimidation of men. These are the generation of the hypocritical men and women who have denied the very basic principal of their faith. By this now we have even covered the first meaning of the word hypocrite.
The worst form of rejection of the truth is the rejection of the truth of the word of God. This is the religious hypocrisy and this can transform itself in forms of false brethren and deceitful workers in the church who are deceived and are deceiving many by their false and pretentious masquerade. The lord exposes them in many scripture readings and in many places warns His own disciples from the pitfalls of its deep dissention. The Most startling of them all is in Matthew 7:13-23. Here one of the most shocking words of our Lord is uttered in regards to these hypocrites in the ministry.
Another place where Jesus our Lord speaks of such a deep deception of the saints is in Matthew the 24thchapter.
The verses 45 to 51 have startled me years ago, when confronted by the Lord. I thank God for His faithfulness to warn us by such scriptures, and it is still very serious to me.
Although since the Old Covenant times the compromise of the deceitful workers had its place with those like the prophets of Baal who were being feed at Jezebels table, yet there were also men like Elijah and seven thousand others who had not bow knees to compromise in worshiping false Gods and so it is today.
Having been a minister in these final days of this age I too see the prevalence of this spiritual hosts of wickedness following us all, and if we are not carful we could be head on with a very serious problem around us. As true spiritually discerning people have become a rare commodity just like Elijah’s times we need to be very cautious of first our own walk and then of those around us. We need to take heed to the warnings of the scriptures about a great falling away of the last days, while we are praying for a great end time harvest through a great spiritual awakening also.
In preparing the Elisha generation we still need to emphasize the importance of giving heed to our own spirit and conduct. As Paul before his departure from the Ephesians Church warned the elders of that Church, we need to give heed to those words of caution in Acts the 20th chapter verses 26th to 32nd, which were to serve us as warnings to our end time Church crisis. The spiritual attack from the unseen enemy through invasion of the spirit of hypocrisy is a very sure front to be fought today. Many false brethren who are savaged wolves are among us and we need to be cautioned in crying out to the Lord for spiritual wisdom and discernment.
As we read in the book of Jude the characteristics of such men are exposed by the word, and it is our duty to cry out for sustenance and discernment.
I believe that Apostle John also speaks of this stronghold in Rev. 2:18-26
The warnings in Rev. chapter 2 to the Church of Thyatira includes a very intensive search in exposing the works of darkness in all the Church age, yet even more in these final days.
This scripture exposes the working of the Spirit of Jezebel in the Church and the necessity of the Church to be aware of the depth of Satan in his ability to seduce and deceive the sleeping Church. Therefore we need to be awakened from our slumber and combat from many fronts putting the full armor of God to stand in the day of evil.
We can no longer take a neutral stand Church.
We are challenged from many fronts and we need to truly stand with the armor of God fully on us.
We are to love the truth and fight to remain in the race by His grace in a willing co-operation with the Holy Spirit.
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