Jesus is Essential
Luke 11:37–42: And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
The basic error of the Pharisees was thinking that righteousness was only a matter of external actions, and they minimized internal attitudes. They were very careful to keep the outside clean, but they ignored the wickedness within. They seemed to forget that the same God who created the outside also created the inside, the “inner person” that also needs cleansing. The Pharisees boasted of their giving, but they did not give what was within to the Lord. The way to make the outside pure is to make the inside pure. 1
Walking with Jesus
The cure for hypocrisy is simple. Make it your aim to please God, not people. If you try to please people, you will probably present a different image of yourself, in order to be accepted by them. However, if your aim is to please God, your identity will be found in Him, and you will become more pure in heart in your relationship towards others. Are there any changes that you may need to start making?
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Psalm 51:6
An outward expression of love must come from an inward confession of love.
Praying
Lord, keep from hypocrisy, and keep me humble before Thee.
1. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
