Hypocrite

A word that incenses most people whither in or out of a religious setting is Hypocrite. Although the word originated from biblical roots, it has come to be used for secular comparisons as well. This word is rooted in the Greek word “hypokrites,” which means “stage actor, pretender, dissembler.” This usually means a person who declares one thing, and does another. It is a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion. Perhaps the most visible example was highlighted when Jesus told His disciples not to act like Pharisees, “so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues” - Matt. 23:3-6 (ESV). Later, He went on to say, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.” Matt. 23:23-26 (ESV). Left with this, we may ask, what is a Christian expected to do? Basically, be truthful to one’s own present status and do whatever one chooses to do without affronting others, but with little regard to impressing them. When others point out sinful behavior, we should acknowledge it and admit we are struggling with our own sinful challenges. We are saved sinners. One of Apostles, Paul, struggled himself with this challenge. In Romans 7, he said, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” – Rom. 7:19 (ESV). Paul chooses a different approach, admission of his sinful nature and his struggles to allow the Holy Spirit to lead him away from his weaknesses.
When people nowadays choose to call Christians hypocrites, they may be very correct if we try to display a demeanor that is clothed with perfection. We must realize the purpose of the Mosaic law was to demonstrate that people are incapable of living sinful lives. People need Jesus to ransom us from this ever accumulating burden of sin. We must accept the reality that before accepting Jesus' gift, we were sinners, and still are sinners, but with a different pathway. Hopefully, our pathway is different than those who do not believe in Jesus. But, as humans, we will never escape committing some sins, but we can enjoy everyday life with the expectation that one day we will be with Jesus. The two benefits for Christians as children of God are, we have a perpetual forgiveness position (1 Jn. 1:7), and we have the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us become better servants of Jesus, making us better people.