learners and hypocrites
--a comment I heard recently about a church..."just a bunch of hypocrites doing what hypocrites do..." spoken by a guy who goes faithfully every Sunday to a church he clearly doesn't love, but brought a friend to because...well... Why?? ...because that's what you do?? So then, ... are you a hypocrite too? Or, in making that comment, are you saying you’re not a hypocrite? Why bring someone along to play a game you don't believe in and don't enjoy?
It makes me ask so many questions. Like, exactly what is a hypocrite? How do we decide who is, and who is not a hypocrite? Clearly this man thought everyone in the church was a hypocrite. But was he right?
Dictionary.com defines it this way: one who puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not; to play a part, pretend n : a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he does not hold
Truth be told, aren’t we all hypocrites? Christians and non-Christians alike? Don’t we all put on masks, pretend, play the part to some degree? I believe there has only ever been one who was not a hypocrite, who was true in everything he did.
Another question. When is a hypocrite acting like a hypocrite? Am I acting like a hypocrite when I say “I am a child of God,” or, when I am verbally lacerating someone behind their back, or, both? Can a teen-age girl (or a new believer, or, an old believer) say “I’m a born again Christian” and “I’m sleeping with my boyfriend”?
Another question. Is there an allowance for a learning curve in the word hypocrite? Is there grace in that word? It’s all so confusing to me. Can I change my name to toomanyquestions??
It makes me ask so many questions. Like, exactly what is a hypocrite? How do we decide who is, and who is not a hypocrite? Clearly this man thought everyone in the church was a hypocrite. But was he right?
Dictionary.com defines it this way: one who puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not; to play a part, pretend n : a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he does not hold
Truth be told, aren’t we all hypocrites? Christians and non-Christians alike? Don’t we all put on masks, pretend, play the part to some degree? I believe there has only ever been one who was not a hypocrite, who was true in everything he did.
Another question. When is a hypocrite acting like a hypocrite? Am I acting like a hypocrite when I say “I am a child of God,” or, when I am verbally lacerating someone behind their back, or, both? Can a teen-age girl (or a new believer, or, an old believer) say “I’m a born again Christian” and “I’m sleeping with my boyfriend”?
Another question. Is there an allowance for a learning curve in the word hypocrite? Is there grace in that word? It’s all so confusing to me. Can I change my name to toomanyquestions??
posted by toomanywhatifs at
11:41 AM
4 Comments:
Does it matter whether we are hypocrites or not? Do we have to decide? Or can we just accept at face value the fact that we are free to love God and love people whether we have it all together or not? If we experience true freedom that 2Cor. 3 talks about we won't be deliberately choosing to sleep with the boyfriend or walking consistently in the flesh.
Just some thoughts.....
By
Anonymous, at 2:02 PM
P.S. to the above.....
do we sometimes get so hung up on the "sin" that we do not see the miracle and see God?
John 9
.... just a few more thoughts....
By
Anonymous, at 3:04 PM
There must be grace in the word "hypocrite", because grace is everywhere down here.
I find the definition thought-provoking. It implies that the person KNOWS they are wearing a mask, who realizes they are professing opinions they don't hold.
That makes it a deliberate sin. Like yesterday at the IGA, the teller asked me how my day was and I said, knowing full well it was a lie..."Great!" I just didn't want to get into it. It really made me feel bad, cuz I don't usually give the standard answer...if I'm having a crappy day and they ask, I tell them. But not yesterday. So yesterday, I was a hypocrite, and then I repented, so now at this moment I'm not a hypocrite.
That is how it works, right?
But what about the people who are so used to wearing the mask that they don't feel that stab of guilt, don't recognize the Spirit saying "you just lied to her"? That is a scary thought...there IS grace there, but they won't even realize they need it.
Perhaps that's why Jesus blasted the Pharisees so vehemently. He could see that they had a veneer over their hearts that needed cracking.
By
Paula, at 7:23 AM
hi Ingrid
By
Anonymous, at 5:05 PM
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