Hypocrisy and the Gospel

Jesus spoke severely against hypocrisy.  I think there is one reason -- we cannot be committed to creating a false impression of our goodness with others and simultaneously admit we are sinners before God.  The Gospel destroys hypocrisy and frees us from the burden of being phony.

Jesus said we cannot have it both ways -- if we live to win the respect and good opinion of others, then we have our reward -- but God will pay us no heed.  We cannot serve two masters.  Whose approval do I seek?  Whom do I wish to impress?

It is not uncommon for a pastor to hear confessions from people.  The usual pattern is that people fight against sin privately for a long time until they become desperate for help -- then they come to a pastor.  I have often asked people, Why didn't you come earlier? and the answer is always something about we thought we could handle this on our own and we did not want to bother you. 

That never rings too true for me. One day someone shot straight, I did not want to tell you because I have to look at you every Sunday and when I do I will know that you know my ugly sin. That made sense.  I knew people who went to a counselor outside the church for just that reason!

That, my friends, is hypocrisy.  It shows a greater fear of man than of God.  It is more concerned with image than with true godliness.  As long as I love the praise of men more than the praise of God, I will not believe the Gospel.

Like it or not, the reason I do not want to "bother" others with my problems is that I do not want them to think accurately of me.  I like their undeserved favor towards me.  Such a love of the praise of man erases God from my universe.

My own righteousness, woven in the eyes of man, will not stand before the eyes of God in the day of judgment.  And I must continually war against hypocrisy.  Hypocrisy is rooted in my heart drifting to a false Gospel.  If I am afraid to let others see the reality of sin in my life, my marriage, my children -- it is because I am a slave to the god of "the esteem of man" and that god is a cruel tyrant.  I have watched sin gain strength in my life and in the lives of others because they were too committed to their good image.  Marriage conflicts became roots of bitterness -- resistant children became hard hearted rebels -- occasional lust became "addiction" to pornography -- all because they are more committed to their image than to the truth about their sin in the presence of the Savior and his people.

I have seen another variety of this sin.  It is when people create alternative Saviors to Jesus -- we want some solution to the deeply rooted power of sin in us other than the cross and the Spirit and daily mortification.  And there is a market for such short-cuts.  It is when Christians profess to have found the "key" to some aspect of the Christian life.  The "key" is not the achievement of the Savior -- the "key" is a particular experience or a particular theology or a particular way of living out marriage or church or raising kids.  I have heard people "sell" their "key" by promising great fruit.  People invest their faith in such solutions. I have seen people spend a fortune on learning some new technique of Christian growth or attending classes because it would be more effective against sin than the cross. 

Here is how hypocrisy ties into this.  I have seen pastors cover over the sins of their people because it will destroy the fruit of their "key" to the church.  I have seen parents cover up the sins of their children -- or married couples cover up the sins of their relationship -- etc etc etc -- all because they had placed their faith in some "key" that would guarantee fruit and the fruit did not happen as promised.  They went public with their boast in their "key."  They have told others "We are going to do this the right way."  Now they are embarassed by the persistent power of sin and do not want others to know. 

To build your faith -- the people who surround you in your local church -- your friends and pastors -- are the most likely means of grace for your sanctification.  Being known by a few for the real temptations you face and the sins you commit -- and looking them in the eye day after day -- is a powerful grace to you because it means you are killing your hypocrisy and seeking only the favor and grace of God in the Gospel. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.  You and I do not need an 'expert" -- we simply need the cross-centered care of a brother or sister whose primary qualification is that they are not us and therefore see us clearly.

Comments

[Christian]

I know this is an old post but i just read it after seeing comments over at eucatastrophe.

I was wondering what this looks like really. I am a pastor of a young church in Tampa and like what your saying but see the strength and pressure of the reality life hands us.

What would it look like for me to be open to my congregation about my sin and struggle with it. Wouldn't we all get fired if we really practiced what your suggesting?

[Sam Shin]

Thanks Mark for a great word on hypocrisy. It's hard to see this type of freedom in the Gospel in myself as well of others!

[Aaron Calles]

Thanks Mark! Very insightful and helpful to have a glimpse into the darkness of our own hearts and the God-glorifying remedy!

Thanks for your Gospel-centered blog!

Aaron