Swimming With Sharks : The Hypocritical Christian

This article addresses the actions of hypocritical Christians.

Swimming With Sharks : The Hypocritical Christian

Enduring the actions and attitudes of a hypocrite reminds me of swimming with sharks. The shark thinks nothing of taking a bite out of someone. In the same respect, the Christian hypocrite thinks nothing of taking bites out of their fellow man.

Have you ever met a Christian whose judgmental actions and attitudes make you cringe?

They're ready to let you know what you've done wrong, yet their own unchristian like ways they are oblivious to.

Luke 6:41

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Instead of being consumed and harping on their fellow man's sins, they should throw all of that energy into taking care of their own sinfulness and shortcomings. But these people NEVER do that. They are much too busy sticking their noses into the business of everyone around them. Jesus called these people hypocrites.

Luke 6:42

Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

Being Hypo-Critical

critical

marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws; "a critical attitude"

Why do they do it?

I believe that hypocrites suffer from

"Misplaced Introspection"

*I made this name up myself and it describes those who have practiced inspecting everyone else's lives to the neglect of their own*

Introspection means :A looking inward; specifically, the act or process of self-examination

Weighing and judging other people's actions is their way of avoidance. What are they trying to avoid?

The mirror

They would rather avoid taking a good healthy look at the actions and motives of their own heart. So instead, they fix their gaze onto the next best alternative, everyone else's actions and motives.

It never ceases to amaze me how we overlook the sin inside of us that we should be focused on, yet we are all too ready to focus on another's sinful ways. Sometimes the sin that is within ourselves appears to be small and insignificant, but in reality it can be a huge beast of a problem that must be conquered.

Concerning the conduct of others, hypocrites should remain silent much of the time rather than blasting others with their input. Hypocrites attempt to FORCE people to live as they would like them to. God made each and every one of us with a WILL. And nobody can override another's will for any reason. I don't want someone telling me how to live, I choose instead to pick up my bible and read up on how to live well.

The hypocrite who touts Christianity desires shouting out other people's shortcomings and sins from the rooftops but they are lacking in the attributes of long suffering and mercy. They certainly come up short on personal introspection.

This reminds me of an accuser of the brethren.

The only thing that God desires us to do if we are confused and bothered by the actions of others is to PRAY for them and have faith that he will do a work in their lives that will save them from a life of misery before it is too late. Barring this, we are only to speak to them about their sin if we are confident that God has told us to specifically, and even then we are to do so ONLY with love and compassion in our hearts toward them.

Christian Hypocrites Thwart God's Will for Others

If we truly believe that God is able to clean our neighbor's life up and set them on a solid rock and on the path toward everlasting life, then why do we so often offend them and thwart what he is trying to do in their lives by living as a hypocrite?

Why do we get angry when others don't listen to us and live as we encourage them to?

Our anger toward them is not going to change them.

There is an over abundance of unsolicited advice going out from hypocrites.

Instead of blasting them with our opinions, we should tell them the truth *if they ask us* in LOVE and compassion. This is what Jesus did. His anger was stirred at the Pharisees and nobody else, why do you suppose that was?

Because it was the Pharisees who were trying to trap him and trip him up by his words and actions. It was the way of the Pharisees to act pious toward other's. It was the Pharisees who were religious hypocrites!

Christian Hypocrites and Anger

Hypocrites always seem to be mad about something, especially Christian hypocrites. The hypocrites anger comes from living a life that is making them unhappy. Many of them are living by their OWN power and not relying on the power that comes only from the Holy Spirit and truth. This is why they are so puffed up and full of pride. Because they may say they are living their life with God's help but in reality they are not. Hypocrites truly ARE living their life through their OWN power. This leaves them nothing but an empty feeling inside of them and when they see the freedom in Christ that other's enjoy, their anger shows. But you can forget approaching them with this truth. As I said, they are blind to their own faults, yet very aware of the faults of others. They believe they are right on all counts and live so much better than their fellow man.

Those who rely on the power of God to live their lives do NOT have a pride problem. In fact, they are only too aware of their weaknesses and shortcomings and this is why they KNOW that they must rely on God's grace and mercy to help them live this life.

Do as we say and not as we do

Generally, people will not DO what we tell them to do. We will usually butt heads with someone if they attempt to control us. What people will do is notice how we live and notice how we treat others. That is more of a witness than a thousand words will ever be to them. We were never meant to allow another person to control us, God is the one who should have that
privilege.

If we see what appears to be SIN in other's lives, we have all kinds of advice for them that might "help" them. When we see what appears to us to be sinfulness in another, we would do well to pray for them and NEVER do anything that would offend them and turn them away from Christ in any way. Many have been hurt and angered by these hypocritical Christian zealots and very few have been helped by them.

The Christian hypocrite would do well to ponder on the following scripture and put it to work in their own life:

Romans 14:4

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.