Hypocrisy - is expecting from others what I am unwilling, or unable to do, or to give, myself.
To expect sinless perfection expressed outwardly in the flesh from others when I myself fail to meet it is hypocrisy. The Pharisees were called hypocrites by Jesus because they bound burdens to hard to bear on the backs of the people and were unwilling to remove them or help with them. They boldly declared the law to others while failing to keep it themselves and refused to acknowledge such.
If I offend in even the smallest part of the law I am guilty of breaking the whole of it. One lie can constitute the equivelent of being a murderer, and a God hater under the law. No one keeps the Law perfectly. It does wonderfully at convicting men as sinners because we have never kept it.
This is what makes justification through faith and grace through Jesus Christ of absolute importance. Without them we have no hope!
Having a standard that one can't even keep 100% themselves and then treating others badly for not keeping it is not so strange to the church. Performance Christianity is hypocrisy at work and even the world turns it's nose up at it.
Acts 15:9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” (NLT)
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
