Ramblings from Retirement: Hypocrisy can run silent and deep!

Ramblings from Retirement: Hypocrisy can run silent and deep!
By Lee Hemen (Retired Pastor)
November 14, 2020

I learned in High School that in ancient Roman religion and myth Janus was the god of beginnings and endings, gates, transitions, time, duality, and often his image was found in doorways, passages, or the frames of houses. He was often depicted with two faces, one facing forward and one backward. In theaters we often see two face masks: One depicted by a frown and the other by a smile. The word hypocrisy comes from the Greek word meaning taking on an assumed character which is not truly your own; being two-faced. When one is called “two-faced” it comes from the idea of being a hypocrite.

Christians are often called hypocrites by those who do not understand what it means to be “Christian.” Christians are made perfect in the eyes of God through their faith and trust in Christ, but they are not perfect in their humanity. Does this mean Christians should not strive to be what they are called to be? The answer of course is “Absolutely not!” Christians are to present or give themselves over to living their lives as holy sacrifices as Paul would encourage in the Book of Romans. And believers are called to be holy but does that mean they are to be perfect? No because in a Christian’s humanity they see now in a mirror dimly but when they are face to face with Jesus they will see clearly.

However there are those who claim Christ who think they live lives a whole lot holier than others but their hypocrisy is evident. They can be like a cadet I knew who appeared to be a perfect sailor in how he wore his uniform, how he kept his foot locker, and in his daily drills and bookwork but his personal attitude and actions did not measure up. There are those who proclaim their faith, know the Scriptures, and can quote it verbatim but their words concerning others, their actions when alone, or their discipleship of prayer, worship, or giving is lacking. You cannot claim Christ and speak evil of fellow believers, the church, or your spiritual leadership. I am not talking about confronting a fellow believer for their personal sin to encourage them back into fellowship but those who can cut another brother or sister in Christ up with the sharpness of their tongues all the while using Scriptures to justify their slash and kill method. Sin can be a silent killer.

Sadly I have experienced this firsthand both directed at me and others. I love what Jesus said concerning this: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:1-5 NIV)”

It is tough to remove those planks but believers must be willing to do so before they begin to think they know better than their brother or sister in Jesus. And there it is: As believers we all can have hypocritical moments in our faith; it is normal for us humans but as believers we are called to live a better life, a holy life, but not a perfect life. God knew better and that is why He came to earth as a man and died as a sacrifice for our sins. Hypocrisy can run silent and deep unless we as Christians are willing to expose and perhaps depth charge it in ourselves first.
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This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.