2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Exodus 19:16-21:21 ESV, Matthew 23:13-39 ESV, Psalm 28:1-9 ESV, Proverbs 7:1-5 ESV
Daily Verse: “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” (Matthew 23:13 ESV)
HUPOKRITES (5273): “One who answers,”; then “a stage-actor;” It was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to speak in large masks with mechanical devices for augmenting the force of the voice; hence the word became use metaphorically of a dissemble, a hypocrite.” It is found only in the Synoptists, and always used by the Lord.”[i]
God sees behind the mask.
One common complaint I hear about Christ-follower’s, “They’re hypocrites. They act one way on Saturday and another way on Sunday.” Yep, we sin on Saturday and show up to worship the Lord on Sunday, including me. No matter how hard I try, I will always falter. As human beings, God knows we will sin. We can’t help ourselves.
Eight times in Matthew 23, Jesus tells of the woes that befall hypocrites. Sin separates us from God, dividing the mind and causing a broken relationship with God. The peace that surpasses all understanding leaves us when we knowingly go against God’s will.
Accept your imperfections.
Instead of hiding your sinful nature, accept it as part of life. Since I began writing devotionals, I spend more time in God’s word than ever. Yet I still sin. Errant thoughts will run through my head so fast; I don’t know where they originate. Yet they do.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 ESV)
Confession conquers hypocrisy. Overcoming our sinful nature requires honesty, not hiding. Becoming vulnerable about our struggles draws us closer to God and others. As I grow closer to God, He makes me more sensitive to my sin. The quicker I acknowledge and confess my sinful ways, the better my relationship with God. Right living requires daily surrender to God.
Confess your sins daily. Acknowledge God in all your ways. Experience life to the fullest by accepting your humanity, allowing God to work through your weaknesses. In Him, we find perfection.
[i] Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Word Study) (p. 99). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.
