The solution to financial troubles is very simple. You must increase the money coming in, or you must decrease your expenses. It’s a simple equation but terribly hard to implement. Hypocrisy is similar. Either stop the sin or stop pretending. Again, it is easy to say, but very hard to accomplish.
Stop Pretending
If you’re struggling with hypocrisy, the easiest thing to do is to stop pretending you are something you are not. People do it all the time. The reasoning goes something like this; I’m not good enough to be a Christian, so I’m going to stop. That way, I at least will not be harming the body of Christ. This is not necessarily a bad idea. Hypocrisy hurts the body of Christ. It makes it harder for faithful Christians to show God’s power when there’s a cloud over other brethren.
The idea that we should cease waving the banner of Christ because we’re not good enough is a mistake. Here’s a little secret: none of us are good enough! The psalmist says no one is righteous and Paul echoes his words (Psalm 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Romans 3:10). John even says that those people who are walking in the light still sin (1 John 1:7). So, the idea that we are sinless in this life is false. Whatever righteousness we have comes only through Christ and is never of our own doing. [bctt tweet=”The idea that we should cease waving the banner of Christ because we’re not good enough is a mistake.” username=”Preachers_Study”]
As we said above, hypocrisy is bad. It must stop. But any withdrawal from the public square must be temporary and must be marked with a desire to return to service.
Stop the Sin
Here’s the hard part. Whatever sin is dragging you down must be eliminated. There simply are no options. Hypocrisy is not just about others; it is about you. Sin in your life is doing more harm to you than it is to the people around you. It’s much like secondhand smoke, the smoker is the one with the greater risk, but those around him are affected too. [bctt tweet=”Hypocrisy is not just about others; it is about you.” username=”Preachers_Study”]
So many people say: I’ll come back to the Lord as soon as I get my life straight. That’s upside down. You will never make your life right by yourself. There is no right life without Christ. There are three essential components for removing sin in your life. [bctt tweet=”You will never make your life right by yourself. There is no right life without Christ.” username=”Preachers_Study”]
- Get in the word – slow, deliberate, reading of God’s word is essential for spiritual growth. Just as it is important to eat healthy when you are physically sick, it is vital to consume spiritual food when your soul is ill.
- Kneel in prayer – to commune with God is one of the greatest blessings ever bestowed on anyone. The idea of kneeling in prayer suggests humility before the Creator. Sometimes, the words just won’t come, but silence before God is rich in blessings too.
- Lean on your brothers and sisters – there’s a reason Jesus gave us the church. There is no way we can defeat Satan alone. Often, God will work on you through other Christians. Don’t resist their offers for help.
It is truly wonderful that you have identified hypocrisy in your life and are trying to purge it. But there is no need for self-sacrifice in your battle with hypocrisy. You can defeat the monster and rise to walk with Christ again.
