CONNECTING POINT: The Fruit of Hypocrisy

Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous said, “A hypocrite is one who sets good examples only when he has an audience.” This statement mirrored many of Jesus’ warnings centuries ago. He didn’t mince words; He was a truth teller confronting the lies of legalism, which subtly crept into the lives of religious leaders of His day.

He taught His disciples to be on guard for hypocrisy. “Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known.  What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.’” (Luke 12:1-5).

First, God sees through any mask of hypocrisy. Vocabulary.com defines hypocrisy as “insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you don’t really have.” The Pharisees and Sadducees heavily influenced the Jewish culture of the first century, and their popularity was mainstream. Bible scholar David Guzik writes, “The temptation to hypocrisy is often strongest to those who enjoy some measure of outward success.” Humans have historically attributed success to superficial, even spiritual matters. God sees things much differently. Religious leaders widely rejected Jesus’s teachings because of their spiritual deception. The more Jesus spoke, the larger the crowds grew, and everyday Jewish people were spiritually awakened; the light shone brightly in the darkness.

Second, God doesn’t forget the faithful Christian. Along with warning the Pharisees about their hypocrisy, Jesus brought comforting words to His followers. He was preparing them for the persecution of the coming days. In doing so, he said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7). The truth is those persecuted throughout history for Christ may have lost their lives,e but in return, they gained an eternal reward. God never forgets His own! Suffering may be part of the Christian journey, so remain faithful.

Third, a faithful Christian doesn’t disown God. “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8-9). Of course, this pre-shadows Peter’s great denial and seemingly Peter's failure, but after Christ’s resurrection, Peter became emboldened. Oftentimes, failure is a great teacher; Peter’s example for any of us demonstrates there is hope for a hypocrite.

Spiritual hypocrisy may seem sweet for a season, all the notoriety or even outward success, but in the end, it’s only bitterness for the soul. If we are to follow Jesus, then our priorities are polar opposites. The Holy Spirit works on us from the inside out. Jesus chose regular men and women to come alongside Him and be disciplined; their hearts were like fertile soil. Most of the “religious crowd” had hard hearts due to the legalism that enshrined their spiritual pride.

I leave you with another valuable principle: Faithfulness is the highest mark to aim for but often overlooked. God is more concerned about our character development than attaining hollow spiritual platitudes of man’s design. Let’s embrace fruits that last (Galatians 5); they are life-giving and sweet for the soul.