Spiritual Hypocrisy

This post was first published on ROOTSS on Tuesday, 10th April 2007


We are familiar with the term "hypocrite", which basically is used to describe a person who behaves as he is not. Jesus referred to the Pharisees of His time as hypocrites because they were always putting on a show and behaving as persons whom they were not.

Well, I have heard that term being used presently as well, to describe believers who behave like angels when they are in the church service, and then become like devils once they go to the carpark and get behind the wheel of their cars.

A cell member of mine shared with me about an ex-colleague of his who would go to mass each week for a time of confession, only to go back into the world to sin the other six days of the week.

But have you heard of the term "spiritual hypocrisy"? This is used to describe those who believe and thus behave as they are not, even though the Scriptures tell them that they are otherwise.

For example, the Scriptures tell us that by Jesus' stripes, we have already been healed (1 Pet 2:24). If, instead of confessing and believing this, we instead go around moaning and groaning about this pain and that ache, then we are behaving like spiritual hypocrites.

Another example. The Scriptures tell us that we are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21). If we instead continue to picture ourselves as unworthy sinners (like in the ritual for Holy Communion -- which I have now made a conscious choice to only recite parts which are Scriptural), then we are again behaving like spiritual hypocrites.

Yet another example. The Scriptures tell us that in 2 Cor 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich". The Scriptures also tells us that God prospered the patriachs materially (Gen 13:2, Gen 26:12-14, Gen 30:43). Christ became totally impoverished on the cross, so that as part of the divine exchange, we can be rich. Our material resources can then be used for His kingdom work. There is no need to make any apologies for embracing the "prosperity gospel".

So let's stop all this spiritual hypocrisy and start speaking and behaving like what the Scriptures say that we as followers of Christ are. Amen?

And now, let the weak say I am strong
Let the poor say I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us