A NEWSLETTER FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE GREENWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

VOLUME 3 NO. 12                                             May 14, 2006

“HYPOCRISY”

BY STEVE NIEMEIER

Jesus teaches in Matthew 23:1-36 that the scribes and Pharisees were teaching and binding things on others that they themselves did not do.  He taught how they did things just so they would look good in the eyes of man.  He went as far as to tell them that outside they appear righteous but inwardly they were full of hypocrisy (verse 28).  Jesus has no use for hypocrisy in His church and despises those that practice it.  In fact in Revelation 3:15-16 He states that He will spew those who are lukewarm out of His mouth.  The lukewarm are described in verse 17 of Revelation 3 as those who were hypocritical by stating they needed nothing when they were poor, wretched, miserable, blind and naked.

Today we find those who “talk” as if they are wiser than Solomon.  Pray as if they are more humble than the tax collector of Luke 18.  Yet, their actions are of those spoken about in Matthew 25:41-45 and their record of attending the assembling of the saints would be cause for the warning found in Hebrews 10:25.  Their attitude would resemble one found in III John 9.  When they do worship it would be with their lips and not with their hearts as we find in Matthew 15:8.  Clearly they would be practicing what Jesus calls hypocrisy.

Today instead of wanting to “hurt someone's feelings” who practice such things, and trying to save a soul from death (James 5:19-20) we just pacify them and let them continue to walk in their disorderly and hypocritical ways.  We know they are doing it and we talk about it with others but we do not address it with them.  Wonder what Jesus would say we were doing by talking about them but not addressing the issue with them?  I know --- HYPOCRISY!