CHURCH HYPOCRITES


A. WHY THIS SUBJECT?
  1. Love the church of God: Isa. 62:1, 6
  2. Hypocrites are the most dangerous enemies of the church:
    1. Think of Judas using the symbol of love to betray Christ, the Head of the church! Luke 22:23
  3. The kiss was a twofold sign:
    1. A sign of reverence and subjection to a superior - 1 Sam. 20:41
    2. Of love and affection - Gen. 27:26, 27; 1 Sam. 20:41 - "the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" - Prov. 27:6
  4. A catalogue of hypocritical sins which plague the church: 2 Tim. 3:1-6
B. WHO ARE HYPOCRITES IN THE CHURCH?
  1. They who pose as the true representatives of Christ and are not:
    1. The Pharisees - Luke 18:11, 12
    2. The liars - Acts 5:1-6; 1 Sam. 15:14, 15
    3. The worldlings - 2 Tim. 3:1-5
    4. The faultfinders - Matt. 7:1-3
    5. All who honor God with their lips, but deny him with their actions - Isa. 29:13
  2. They are the real enemies of the church:
    1. They use their religious connections for the purpose of misleading - EXAMPLES -
      1. The prophets in Israel - 1 Ki. 13:18
      2. Balaam is a typical example - Num. 25:1-6
      3. Ananias is still another example - Acts 5:1-4
      4. Simon - Acts 8:18-23
    2. They weaken the church by giving the world an unfavorable impression of the church - Prov. 14:34; 2 Sam. 12:14
    3. Satan uses the hypocrites in the church to bring a reproach upon the cause of truth, and also to weaken the faith of some believers that associate with them.
    4. Beware of hypocrisy, it is deadly to the spiritual life of any believers.
C. NOT ALL CHURCH MEMBERS ARE, AS THE WORLD CHARGES, HYPOCRITES
  1. There is plenty of unspoiled salt in the church of God: EXAMPLES -
    1. Simeon - Luke 2:25-32
    2. Anna, a prophetess - verses 36-38
    3. Zacharias and Elizabeth - Luke 1:6
    4. Joseph - Gen. 39:1-12
    5. Daniel and his friends - Dan. 2; 3; 6
  2. The citizens of the kingdom are still the salt of the earth and the light of the world:
  3. Only God knows the true motive of human beings:
  4. One reason why the hypocrites in the church stand out as a sore thumb is because of the high standard of the church; whereas the world has, in most instances, no standard at all:
  5. Another reason why church hypocrites are easily seen in the church is because they are exposed by the light of truth:
  6. Another factor for the exposure of the hypocrites in the church is because of the claims of God's people:
  7. Time will come, and we are glad for it, when all hypocrites in the church will forsake the church. God's people will be free from the hypocrisy of Phariseeism:
  8. Let us hope and pray that none of us, unwittingly, allows himself to play the role of a hypocrite:
  9. Satan knows when we are sincere and also when we attempt to lead a double life. He knew the weakness of Judas, of Saul, and many other victims of his devises: 10. We shall do well to pray, as the Psalmist did, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts." - Ps. 139:23 11. We know what God thinks of religious hypocrisy: Matt. 7:1-5; Luke 18:10-14; Job. 27:8; Matt. 24:51


Design © John Bryant 2011