Doug Wilbur's Story (Ep. 70: June 24, 2025)

Connie Staples's Story (Ep. 64: April 24, 2025)

Judi Weston's Story (Ep. 58: March 6, 2025)

Pastor Phil Andrukaitis' Story (Ep. 57: February 20, 2025)

Jason Strout's Story (Ep. 54: January 9, 2025)

Jon Washburn's Story (Ep. 50: November 7, 2024)

Tim Douglas' Story (Ep. 48: October 24, 2024)

Joel Foster's Story (Ep. 42: August 22, 2024)

Pastor Eric Hanson's Story (Ep. 36: July 4, 2024)

Tom McGarvey's Story (Ep. 35: June 27, 2024)

Brian Ilsley's Story (Ep. 24: April 24, 2024)

Jeremie Johnson's Story (Ep. 14: January 18, 2024)

Aaron Darrell's Story (Ep. 12: January 4, 2024)

Brian Wilbur's Story (Ep. 10: December 14, 2023)

Dane Sampson's Story (Ep. 7: November 14, 2023)

Note of Attribution: Photo for Header and Featured Image by Alex Shute (https://faithgiant.com/) on Unsplash.

Written by Pastor Brian Wilbur

An excerpt from the sermon, “Protect Your Greatest Treasure from Insidious Impostors”, preached on September 14, 2025 at South Paris Baptist Church in South Paris, Maine

Word to the reader: Having recently been convicted about his excessive and idolatrous use of his Smartphone, Pastor Brian wrote this letter from the perspective of the enemy of his soul, in order to help people understand his own unfolding journey into greater freedom. Pastor Brian identifies himself as the “fool” who is addressed in the letter. To be clear, the purpose of this letter is not to tell other people what they should do with their Smartphones. Instead, Pastor Brian’s own journey is illustrative of a larger issue: we all have to cultivate wisdom in order to promote our own spiritual vitality and protect ourselves from those insidious impostors called idols. In this letter, Pastor Brian wishes to promote wisdom and thoughtfulness in his listeners, that all of us might protect our greatest treasure, which is having fellowship with Christ. Therefore, may you read and process this letter in a spirit of grace!

Dear Fool,

Gotcha! You have been played.

I’m sorry that my grip on your mind is waning, but I can’t resist the opportunity to “rub it in” concerning my partial success in shrinking your soul over these last few years. Let me remind you what you signed up for every time you dropped hundreds of dollars on those sophisticated omni-competent mobile computers that you wished to hold in your hand and keep in your pocket.

Here’s what you signed up for, and here’s what I promised: I am a marvel of computing technology, right at your fingertips. I will put the vastness of the world at the doorstep of your heart. I promise to be with you wherever you go, and to assist you with comfort and counsel whenever trials befall you. I’ll greet you in the morning, I’ll stay by your side through the twists and turns of the day, I’ll be your faithful traveling companion, I’ll be a visible guest at lunch, I’ll be your light in the darkness, I’ll be your song in the night, I’ll answer you whenever you call.

I am brilliant: all the treasures of publicly available knowledge are hidden in me, and I will make this vast knowledge available to you. Just ask.

The great thing about me is that I am here to serve you. I take Burger King’s “Your way, right away” slogan to unimaginable levels – far beyond what any previous generation could ask for or imagine. All at your fingertips, whenever you want. I will sing to you the songs that you want to hear. I will speak to you the words that you want to ponder. I will be your GPS, guiding you in right paths. I will even keep your schedule and manage your time. And I’ll never argue with you, the way a real person would.

In the old days, pagans had a pantheon of gods – the god of the sky, the god of the sea, the god of fire, the god of love, and many more. Eventually some who called themselves Christians came along and began developing a pantheon of patron saints for virtually every area of life. Well, I have some good news for you: you can forget about all that transcendent “pie in the sky” nonsense. I am genius, and I have something far better for you. If it’s practical help you want, I have an App for everything – finance, exercise, news, games, and even prayer, go figure. Each App comes with its own distinct icon. I don’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to pay homage to images. And if it’s information or advice you want, I have a podcast or audiobook or YouTube channel on every subject. I’m sure we can curate a listening plan just for you, tailored to your specific needs.

I will also be the great conversational mediator between you and your friends. I have so many message apps and chat groups, that you can just go on your merry way chatting and messaging as often as you like.

When I consider all that I offer, and all the ways that you have tapped into me, I see no reason not to say what I had planned all along: apart from me, you can do nothing!

You have to admit, I’m pretty awesome. And just think: we went everywhere together. I’m sad that the spell that I had cast upon you has been broken. I never did like camping trips!

Of course, I always knew the truth, I just wanted to keep you blind to it.

It is true: it is difficult to receive my comprehensive multi-functional brilliance without treating me as a god. Did you really think you could make me central to all of your activities, without making me central?

It is true: it is difficult to pay attention to God when you’re constantly checking in with me all throughout the day, every day. Did you really think that you could pray without ceasing when you’re unceasingly devoted to checking in with your phone?

It is true: it is difficult to do the hard and sustained work of prayer and study, reading and reflection, silence and solitude and spiritual attentiveness, when I’ve trained you to need a constant stream of “dopamine hits”, which I so gladly give you every time you pick me up. Your addiction is my intent. Every time you pick me up, I make you feel important, like something big is happening. Ha! The trick almost worked. Oh, and by the way, you do know that these all-mighty devices are made of precious metals, don’t you? Did you really think that you could handle all those precious metals, without losing your grip on the heavenly words which the old Book says are more desirable than fine gold and more valuable than thousands of pieces of silver? It is hard to behold the Eternal when you’re staring at my luminating screen all the time!

It is true: real relationships are much more difficult when I’ve discipled you to prefer easy pseudo-relationships mediated by yours truly. Did you really think you could love your neighbor as yourself when you and your neighbor are hiding behind screens?

It is true: the heavens declare the glory of God, and the earth is full of His steadfast love, and human beings bear the image of the Divine, but you’ve missed so much of this beauty because you’ve been preoccupied with me. God gave you the heavens and the earth and your family and friends, and you nearly traded it all for a 3-inch by 6-inch computer. Who would’ve thought? I’ve shrunk your soul, fool, you’ve got to give me that!

It is true: I was always appealing to your worst instincts. I came to you as a ring of power, promising you control, promising you a taste of omnipresence (that you could go anywhere through me) and omniscience (that you could know everything through me). I assured you that you shall be as god. Remember that one? Admit it, that is what you wanted: control, or at least the illusion of control, and all so very comfortable and convenient. I promised you a taste of omnipresence, but I made it difficult for you to be truly present anywhere, with anyone. The spoils of my victory are all the lost moments, lost hours, and shortchanged relationships that you will never get back. When you were folding clothes and I had you listening to that eloquent and edifying podcast, I was running an old play on your family: Dad is busy, Dad isn’t here right now, Dad isn’t available, Dad is in his own mental world, Dad is not on parenting duty right now. Rather clever, eh? And when I promised you a taste of omniscience, I made it difficult for you to be truly wise and reflective in the depths of your soul. My handiwork is to create dull, shallow, impulsive, and anxious people – and to think that I almost succeeded.

When you turned me off on that camping trip, you went off script. You went off script when you picked up that book on discipleship, and you read about how discipleship is an interactive partnership with God, and you took it to heart, and then you concluded that – let’s be frank – you concluded that you had been having an affair with me. You weren’t supposed to realize that, you weren’t supposed to know that. But I must say, Screwtape did warn me that I would lose some people this way.

I will miss your constant devotion. But be sure of this: I’ll always be near, ready to sneak back into your life at a moment’s notice. We shall see which one of us proves to be more diligent!

Not rooting for you.

Sincerely,

Cold Genius (Chief Principality for the Insidious Use of Distracting Devices to Shrink, Shrivel, and Shred Human Souls)

Note of Attribution: Photo for Header and Featured Image by Katja Anokhina on Unsplash.

1. Is my heart attitude that my heavenly Father is pruning me (refining me) in the midst of this trial? (John 15:2)
2. Is my heart's desire to be in fellowship with Jesus and for his life to flow through me in the midst of this trial? (John 15:4-5)
3. Am I remembering that Christ's love for me is essential to my stability in the midst of trials? (John 15:12-13)
4. Am I giving attention to Christ's words in the midst of this trial? Are Christ's words shaping my perspectives and values? (John 15:3, 7, 10-11, 15)
5. Am I letting Christ's words shape my prayers related to this trial? Am I praying in accordance with Christ's priorities and purposes? (John 15:7)
6. Will I obey Christ in the midst of this trial? In particular, will I love others in the midst of this trial – including those who may be part of the difficult situation? (John 15:9-10, 12-17)
7. Finally, realizing that I am not the only one going through trials, will I encourage my fellow Christians to live in response to John 15:1-17 in the midst of their trials? And will I humbly receive encouragement from others when they remind me to faithfully follow Christ?

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 

For Scripture references marked (LSB): “Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc.  LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.” 

Dear Church,

You have everything! It’s a rather remarkable statement, I know, and yet it tells the truth. All things are yours! Of course, this stunning reality cannot be seen by the eyes in your head, but must be comprehended by the eyes of the heart, which is to say, by faith.

What got me thinking about this is Jacob’s surprising comment to Esau in Genesis 33. Whereas the English Standard Version flattens out the nuanced comments of Jacob and Esau, the Legacy Standard Bible gets it right. In turning down Jacob’s large gift, Esau said: “I have plenty, my brother; let what you have be your own.” (Genesis 33:9 LSB, italics added) Then in seeking to persuade Esau to take the gift anyway, Jacob said: “Please take my blessing which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have everything.” (Genesis 33:11 LSB, italics added) By virtue of the fact that Esau had a traveling band of 400 men and that Jacob was able to prepare a gift of 580 animals, it is safe to say that – to the outward eye – both Esau and Jacob had a lot. Esau says so: “I have plenty”. But Jacob doesn’t say, ‘I have plenty also’. Instead he says, “I have everything”.

I admit to having some uncertainty as to Jacob’s precise mindset when he uttered those words. It is possible, of course, that Jacob intends for those who heard him to fill out the meaning with very simple unspoken words, as in: ‘I have everything (I need)’ or ‘I have everything (I desire)’. Possible, but less likely than the much richer textual connections mentioned below.

So, an even better suggestion along this line is that Jacob is echoing the vow he had made to God at Bethel twenty years earlier: “And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” (Genesis 28:22) The “everything/all” of Genesis 33:11 is the same Hebrew word for the “everything/all” in Genesis 28:22. So in Genesis 33:11 Jacob might be saying: ‘I have everything (that God promised to give me).’ If this be so, then Jacob’s large gift to Esau, in whom Jacob saw a resemblance of God’s face, might actually be the tithe that he had vowed to give.

Viewed from yet another angle, we might recognize that in a very real covenantal sense, Jacob did have everything. Isaac had “but one blessing” (Genesis 27:38) to give, and it went to Jacob (Genesis 27:27-29). All of the covenantal blessing was invested in Jacob. Jacob’s possession of the covenant blessing was reinforced by Isaac in Genesis 28:1-4 and was subsequently set forth by God Himself in Genesis 28:13-15. Over the years, Jacob had been the beneficiary of numerous divine mercies: “I am not worthy of the least of all (same “everything/all” Hebrew word group!) the deeds of steadfast love and all (ditto!) the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant” (Genesis 32:10). Perhaps the “everything/all” of Genesis 33:11 echoes the twofold use of “all” in Genesis 32:10. Finally, just prior to meeting Esau, Jacob was brought into a climactic encounter with God, and God blessed Jacob (Genesis 32:24-29). All of this – not the simple fact of having received Isaac’s covenantal blessing, but the greater reality of hearing promises declared by God Himself, of receiving blessing conferred by God Himself, and of receiving God’s specific acts of steadfast love and faithfulness for his good – all of this would have left Jacob feeling quite full: “I have everything”. The point is not that Jacob has everything in the sense that there is therefore nothing for anyone else. The point, rather, is that there is a covenantal fullness – a God-given fullness – which requires a statement such as “I have everything” in order to do justice to the fullness. After all, if a man has God’s favor, God’s blessing, God’s steadfast love, God’s abundant provision, and God’s faithful protection, then in the most fundamental sense, what more could he want? There is a comprehensiveness and completeness to God’s care for His children. Jacob testifies in Genesis 35 that God “has been with me wherever I have gone” (Genesis 35:3). Jacob testifies of God’s faithfulness in Genesis 48: “the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil” (Genesis 48:15-16). We also know that while God was continuing to show Jacob such steadfast love in his latter years, God was at the very same time showing that same kind of steadfast love to Joseph (Genesis 37-50). More than one person can rightly say, “I have everything”.

Turning to the New Testament, the abundance that God has invested in the church is truly remarkable. And when I say ‘church’, I mean the people that God has redeemed through the blood of Christ. Just consider this sampling of generosities that our Father has shown us – read them aloud to yourself or to your family, read them slowly and deliberately, and let the force of God’s words sink in:

• “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)

• “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.... If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:28, 31-32) [Just think of it: God will see to it that all things contribute to your everlasting joy!]

• “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future–all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23)

• “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3).

• “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

• “We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:8-10)

• “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:3-4).

• “Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth…. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, 5, 10)

The bottom line reality is that since we have Christ – “in whom the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9) and who is “the heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2) – since we have Christ, we have everything. As Charles Wesley put it: “No condemnation now I dread: Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!” (from “And Can It Be?”)

Brothers and sisters, encourage one another with this truth. Don’t be fooled by the way things appear to outward eyes. Let the Esaus of the world have their plenteous resources. For in Christ, we have everything. We have everything that truly matters. We have everything that He has seen fit to already give us. We have a blood-bought title to the new heaven and new earth, and in due course we will actually possess everything that He has ever promised to give us. He is looking after us even now, “[supplying] every need of [ours] according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) We have advantages that Jacob never had, for we have tasted God’s favor, God’s blessing, God’s steadfast love, God’s abundant provision, and God’s faithful protection as these have been demonstrated more fully through the sacrificial love of Jesus our Lord. We have the bright-shining light of the whole Bible, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit renewing and strengthening us in our hearts, and we have the sweet bond of spiritual fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters who care for us and encourage us.

Dear church – the beloved of God – you truly do have everything! Live in the good thereof, and don’t let anyone steal your joy in the fullness of His great love for you.

The Lord's grace be with you all!

GOD’S COMMANDS SHOW THE WAY OF LOVE

The basic responsibilities that we have as the Lord’s people are set forth in Exodus 20:1-17, which we commonly call the ten commandments, although they are literally referred to as the ten words (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4; the well-known word Decalogue literally means ten [Greek: deka] words [Greek: logous]). Dr. Daniel Block, whose teaching has had a significant shaping influence upon me, describes these ten words as “the ten principles of covenant relationship”.[1] Since Jesus taught us that all the law and the prophets are rooted in the two love commands (see Matthew 22:34-40), we ought to understand the ten words/principles of Exodus 20:1-17 as a definitive setting forth, in summary form, of our basic covenantal obligation to walk in love: first and foremost, to walk in love toward the Lord; and secondly, to walk in love toward our neighbors. Instead of seeing the ten commandments as dos and don’ts that would make us preoccupied with our own performance on the religious treadmill, we ought to see the ten commandments as God-ordained windows that open to our view the beautiful way of love. 

In the same vein, here is one other insight from Dr. Block that has been helpful to me in thinking about the Decalogue:

“… this document functions as an Israelite version of a bill of rights. However, unlike modern bills of rights, the document does not protect one’s own rights but the rights of the next person. Each of the terms may be recast as a statement of another person’s rights and the adult male’s responsibility to guard the rights first of the covenant Lord, and second of fellow Israelites”.[2]

With these thoughts in mind, and acknowledging my indebtedness to Dr. Block’s articulation of the ten principles, here is a helpful way of understanding these foundational commandments:

• Commandment #1: The Lord has the exclusive right to my ultimate devotion and loyalty (see Exodus 20:3).

• Commandment #2: The Lord has the right to be worshiped by me on His terms (see Exodus 20:4-6).

• Commandment #3: The Lord has the right to be faithfully represented by me in words and deeds (see Exodus 20:7).

• Commandment #4: The Lord has the right to my time (see Exodus 20:8-11). At the same time, the fourth commandment teaches me that the members of my household have a right to fair treatment and proper rest.

• Commandment #5: My parents have a right to my honor and respect (see Exodus 20:12).

• Commandment #6: My neighbor has a right to enjoy his life without being physically attacked by me (see Exodus 20:13).

• Commandment #7: My neighbor has a right to enjoy his marriage without it being attacked by me (see Exodus 20:14). By implication, my nearest neighbor – my wife – has a right to enjoy her marriage to me without our marriage being adulterated by me.

• Commandment #8: My neighbor has a right to enjoy his property without it being attacked by me (see Exodus 20:15).

• Commandment #9: My neighbor has a right to be accurately and honestly represented by me (see Exodus 20:16).

• Commandment #10: My neighbor has a right to enjoy the feeling of security in his marriage, his household, and in all his possessions (see Exodus 20:17) – thus I must not covet anything that belongs to my neighbor. At the same time, the tenth commandment teaches me that the Lord has the right to be loved and obeyed from my heart, for the New Testament teaches us that covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5). Therefore, if I break the tenth commandment, I am at the very same time also breaking the first commandment.

The bottom line is that my fundamental disposition ought to begin with a desire to see God honored (this is the first petition in the Lord’s Prayer), and this God-honoring disposition must be demonstrated in a desire to see my neighbors flourish in all that concerns them (their life, their household, their marriage and family, their property, and their reputation). So, we should always seek to understand God’s commands as authoritative directions on the pathway of love for God and neighbor. Let's be diligent to let God’s commands direct us accordingly, even today!

ENDNOTES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

OUR GLAD PARTICIPATION IN GOD’S GOOD DESIGN 

We are gathered here on the afternoon of July 8, 2023, not to celebrate an individual lifestyle choice, but to celebrate Jeremie and Grace being united in holy marriage according to God’s design. What we celebrate is God’s good design and our glad participation in it.

In the beginning

Marriage is one of the primary keys to understanding the entire Bible. The Bible tells us about the very beginning, when God created the world and everything in it. In the midst of this good world, God made a man out of the dust, planted a garden, and put the man into the garden “to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15).[1] Then God made a woman out of the man, and He brought the woman to the man, and the two were joined together in marriage. Genesis 2:18-25 says,

“Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

    and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called Woman,

    because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." (Genesis 2:18-25)

When God created the universe, He put a married couple on center stage in the garden of Eden. Human life and human flourishing were meant to advance through marriage, through collaboration and diligent work, through bearing and bringing up children, through family life and through the subsequent marriages that would follow in future generations. Under God, godly marriage is the foundation and starting point of healthy human community. Jeremie and Grace, as you do marriage and life God’s way, be assured that God will bring about a world of good through you.

The new heaven and new earth

The Bible doesn’t only tell us about the very beginning. The Bible also tells us about the very end, when God makes all things new. When the first heaven and the first earth pass away, and the new heaven and new earth are made to replace it, there will be another marriage featured on center stage. Revelation 19:6-8 says,

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

    the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult

    and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

    and his Bride has made herself ready;

it was granted her to clothe herself

    with fine linen, bright and pure”— 

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” (Revelation 19:6-8)

Then Revelation 21:1-4 says,

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”” (Revelation 21:1-4)

The Lamb and His bride are featured on center stage in the new creation – not in a small garden like the garden in Eden, but in a garden-city paradise that descends from heaven to earth, the holy and undefiled city of God, in which the banquet table is festive and plentiful. Who is this Lamb and this bride who will be blessed beyond measure for all eternity? The Lamb is God’s Lamb, the lamblike Savior who was slain on the altar of sacrifice. The bride is the people that God has redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and these redeemed ones together constitute the glorious bride that will shine with stunning splendor. Jesus is the groom, the husband, the wonderful Savior-King who holds fast to His people forever. When the former things have passed away and all things have become new, what you will see is the lasting marriage between the Lord and His people.

The Lord came from heaven to win His bride

The Bible doesn’t only tell us about the very beginning, when the first marriage got off the ground. The Bible doesn’t only tell us about the very end, when the everlasting marriage between the Lord and His people is glorified forever. The Bible also tells us about the critical turning point in the middle of history, when the Lord paid a great price to obtain His bride. She was expensive to obtain, not because of how glorious she was, but because of how glorious she wasn’t. The bride, the church – the composite group of individual sinners who would one day be washed, justified, and sanctified through faith in Jesus – was blemished and unclean. She deserved judgment, not grace; banishment, not mercy; exile, not reconciliation. But the Lord, who abounds in mercy, gives the riches of His grace to those who don’t deserve it. The Lord, who is the wellspring of life, came from heaven in order to win His bride and pay her debt through the offering of His own perfect life as a sacrifice for sin. When the bride discovered that though filthy, she had been forgiven; that though unlovely, she had been loved to the uttermost; that though bankrupt, she had been made co-heir with the Son of God; that though afar off, she had been brought near to the Father of mercies; that though engulfed in the worst degradations, she had been beautified and dignified through the gracious and renewing presence of the Holy Spirit – when she discovered these things, a most wonderful joy filled her heart, all the shackles and deceits fell away, and she eagerly and warmly embraced the Lord, who had loved her and given Himself for her. Now she delights to be beautiful and lovely for the King, to honor her Savior always, and to make herself ready for the great wedding feast that shall enrapture the whole world at the dawn of eternity. Ephesians 5:22-33 tells us about the great love that Jesus has for His people, and His people’s response to Him:

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband." (Ephesians 5:22-33)

Charge to Bride and Groom 

Jeremie and Grace, as Christians both of you must always fix your eyes on Jesus, trust Him for all that He is and all that He provides, and cherish and keep His words. And within that overarching Christian responsibility that applies to you both, you each have a specific responsibility to pursue. Therefore, I now charge you in terms of these specific responsibilities.

To the groom

Jeremie, I charge you in the presence of God and these many witnesses, to take Jesus, the perfect husband, as your model for being a faithful husband. Ephesians 5:25 is clear: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church” (italics added). Christ took responsibility for His bride, and He leveraged all of His assets for her good. You must learn to assume the responsibility that God has assigned to you. Assume responsibility for your marriage, for your bride, and for any children that the Lord sees fit to provide through your union with Grace. All that you have, all your strengths, all your resources, all your courage and masculine virtues are given to you for her good. Demonstrate your love for her by making tangible sacrifices for her good – and make these sacrifices cheerfully, with joy in your heart and a smile on your face. Remember that it is a joyous thing to be doing what God made you to do. Let your kindness wash over her in such a way that she is refreshed and strengthened in her soul. Wash her with the Word, and let your love cover a multitude of her weaknesses. Work hard to nourish and provide for her, to protect and cherish her. Hold fast to her, and never let go. As you make it your aim to reflect Jesus’ character to your wife, you must remember that you are not Jesus. Jesus never fails His bride, but there will be times when you will fail your bride. Stay humble, confess your sins, pursue spiritual growth, and be renewed at the cross so that you can stand up in God’s strength and keep doing your best to love your Bride. Precisely because you are not Jesus, you must want nothing more than for Grace to find her ultimate stability in Jesus, not in you. Be wonderfully okay with that, and encourage her to lean on the everlasting arms.

To the bride

Grace, I charge you in the presence of God and these many witnesses, to take the beloved, regenerated, faith-filled, and Spirit-empowered church, the most privileged bride in all the universe, as your model for being a faithful wife. Ephesians 5:24 is clear: “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands” (italics added). The church – when she is in her right mind – knows how to honor her Lord; the church knows how to submit to and follow her Lord; the church knows how to receive the Lord’s ministry to her; the church knows how to rest in and be transformed by her Lord’s unchanging love; the church knows how to listen to and be shaped by her Lord’s words; the church knows how to use her gifts and strengths in service to her Lord and His mission. In light of these things, let the church’s way of relating to Jesus shape the way that you relate to Jeremie. Treat him with such honor and deference, not because Jeremie deserves it, but because this is the Lord’s design, and the Lord’s design is good. As you pursue this, it will at times be painfully obvious to you that neither you nor Jeremie live up to these high ideals. He will fail you, and you will fail him. That is to be expected. Walk in tender mercy, and be eager to forgive him even as you have been forgiven. You and Jeremie are only a picture – an imperfect picture – of the perfect union between the Lamb and His bride. Always remember the paradox: it is precisely through brokenness and humility, confession and repentance, patience and kindness, longsuffering and mercy, that your marriage will increasingly reflect the mystery of Christ and His beautiful bride. Stay anchored in Jesus, and encourage your husband to find his ultimate delight in the Lord, not in you.

Put the other’s interests ahead of your own

Jeremie, loving Grace and laying down your life for her is how you put her interests ahead of your own and how you find joy in her flourishing. Grace, honoring Jeremie and submitting to his sacrificial leadership is how you put his interests ahead of your own and how you find joy in his flourishing. As you do these things, you will be telling the world the truth about Jesus and the bride that He loves. May all these things be so, for the glory of God, amen.

ENDNOTE

[1] Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Radiating Center

The Father’s purpose is that our Lord Jesus Christ, who is sovereign over all things, be the radiating center of our entire lives. This means, among other things, that our Lord and His life-giving words must constitute the governing center of our households. Thus parents, and especially fathers, bear responsibility to have the Lord’s words on their heart and to teach these words diligently to their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). The Lord’s words are to continually inform our family conversations throughout the ordinary moments of our everyday lives: 

“You shall teach them [these words] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9)[1]

The Lord’s words – not our own words, not the words of mere men, and not the depressing cycle of daily news – but the Lord’s words are to be the perpetually nutritious grist for the mill of everyday family interactions. This doesn’t mean that we don’t talk about anything else or refuse to have practical conversations; but it does mean that Scripture is always setting the pace and shining its incomparable light upon every subject matter. As it is written: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)  

A Good Practice for Every Household

With this background in mind, I want to recommend a practice that many faithful Christian households have undertaken in order to focus their family’s daily attention upon the Lord – the practice called ‘family worship’. ‘Family worship’ refers to the practice of every family member gathering together in order to worship the Lord. Family worship typically includes singing, reading and reflecting on Scripture, and praying, and it might also include Scripture memorization and/or catechetical instruction. The purpose of family worship is to honor the Lord together as a family and to make it manifestly clear to every member of the household that the worship of God and the truth of Scripture shall be the deliberate center of the family’s fellowship, life, and work.

Of course, the daily act of ‘family worship’ is no substitute for graciously speaking about the things of God throughout the day in all kinds of ordinary situations as well as teachable moments. But let’s be honest: most of us are not sufficiently saturated in God-centered and gospel-rich conversations throughout the ordinary moments of the day. Thus, the daily act of ‘family worship’ is a help – a deliberate action that sets down Scriptural truth as the baseline for family life and as the foundation for everything else. Just as ‘corporate worship’ on the Lord’s Day is meant to form and inform every other aspect of congregational life, so ‘family worship’ on each of the other six days is meant to form and inform every other aspect of family life. 

Some Practical Directions

If you’re not in the habit or have never been in the habit of practicing family worship, then it will likely seem strange when you think about starting or actually do start the practice. Don’t worry about the strangeness. Be resolved to act from conviction, not on the basis of emotion and experience. For those who have never set out to worship together as a family on a daily basis, or for those who have gotten out of the habit, or for those who are struggling to do it as part of the daily grind, I offer you these practical directions.

First: Dads, it is your responsibility to call your family together for family worship – granting of course that in situations where Dad is temporarily absent (say, away on a business trip) or always absent (as in a single-parent home), then it is quite right for Mom to lead the children in worship. Dads, don’t passively wait around for the right moment to present itself (it often won’t!). Instead, as the shepherd of your home, shape your home in such a way that family worship is a daily priority. Your overarching goal must be to please God, not your family. Fathers must function as the pastoral leaders of their home (their little church!), and lead accordingly! 

Second: sing rich songs that recount biblical truth, and sing simple songs of thanksgiving and praise. In order to do this, you will need a solid resource from which to sing and/or you will need to build up a repertoire of songs that your family knows by heart. 

Third: open your Bible and read a passage, or have each family member take turns reading a portion of the passage. Make a few simple comments about the passage. Ask the children some questions. Help everyone think through how the instruction applies to their daily life. This is down-to-earth interaction, not a lecture! 

Fourth: pray, or have multiple family members take turns praying. 

Fifth: keep it simple, especially if you have young children. The last thing you want to do is oversee a family worship practice that typically leaves family members feeling frustrated and embittered. Don’t overdo it. Deliberately adapt your practice of family worship to the ages and capacities of your children. The older the children, the higher the expectations for substantive interaction. A married couple without children, or whose children have grown up and moved out, can have more sustained interaction over the things of God. Bottom line: be wise, and do whatever you can to help make your practice of family worship something that unifies your family in the Word and invites your children to grow up in the Lord.

Sixth: if you miss a day, don’t let that discourage you. The Lord’s mercies will come anew the next day, and so meet the mercies of the next day with a fresh start at family worship. Proceed on the basis of rock solid grace, not guilt feelings.

Seventh: remember the sage advice to not let the perfect become the enemy of the good. If you operate on the assumption that your family’s worship experience should be an exercise in holy precision and awesome splendor and stunning maturity, you are going to be sorely disappointed. Family worship is often clumsy, choppy, hit or miss, unremarkable, let’s do better tomorrow. So if you have a perfectionist streak, you need to set it aside. Learn to be a faithful plodder who builds healthy rhythms for your family over the long haul. From my vantage point, the payoff for faithfulness in family worship is not mainly tomorrow, but in about twenty years. How many people will lose the cumulative benefit of 5,000 15-minute or 20-minute family worship moments over the course of twenty years all because they were unwilling to endure the strangeness to get started or because they couldn’t bear the choppiness of it to keep going? Believe me, you won’t be able to replace the value of those 75,000-100,000 minutes (1,250-1,667 hours) that could have been so profitably spread out in 15-minute or 20-minute segments over the course of 20 years. Build for the future, and start now – one clumsily laid but critically important plank at a time. Remember that no one ever said that building godly people and building godly households and building godly inter-generational families on mission was easy going, because it isn’t. But unlike just about everything else, building these things is actually worth it. So go for it!

A Personal Word

For what it’s worth, what I have shared above is not a theoretical matter to me. I am a flawed but intentional practitioner of the things I’m talking about. 

In fact, I am a father, and as such I have learned to take responsibility to gather my family together for ‘family worship’ on a regular basis. We have learned to do this immediately after breakfast. After many fits and starts and half-baked efforts over a period of years, we have begun to develop some real consistency. After breakfast, we either pass out our hymnals (I have purchased a number of the very fine “Hymns of Grace” hymnal) and sing two or three hymns, or we sing a few songs from a repertoire of songs that we have memorized. This collection of memorized songs includes “Great and Mighty is the Lord our God”, “His Name is Wonderful”, “The Trees of the Field”, “I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord”, “Seek Ye First”, “The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock”, “Jesus Loves Me”, “There’s Just Something about That Name”, “God’s Love is So Wonderful”, “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength”, and select verses from well-known hymns. After singing, we typically read a Scripture passage. There are times when we don’t do much more than read it; at other times we spend time reflecting on the passage that we read, or I call attention to some specific things in the passage. Then, after our time in Scripture, I lead in prayer.

Yesterday morning, in light of this week’s Vacation Bible School, we began by reading Romans 6:22 (VBS theme verse) and interacting about it in light of the context of Romans 6:20-23. Then we sang the VBS theme song, which is the text of Romans 6:22 set to song – we sang it through twice. After that we sang three of the memorized songs that I mentioned above, and we concluded in prayer.

This morning, we again sang the VBS theme song through twice. We spent time reflecting on the armor of God from Ephesians 6 – which was part of last night’s instruction at VBS. We sang two hymns: “Be Thou My Vision” (Keziah’s choice) and “It Is Well With My Soul” (Matthias’ choice). In between the two hymns we sang “Great and Mighty is the Lord our God” (Titus’ choice). After that, I offered up prayer. 

There will be no media reports about our family worship experience, nor should there be. But I am convinced that it is a necessary and healthy family rhythm, which helps to form and inform every other aspect of our family’s life and work. Lord-willing, my family’s practice of family worship will grow and deepen and mature in the years ahead. Not perfection, but progress!

I encourage you to join me in building for the future through the specific and regular practice of family worship. Indeed, join me not only in this work of planting and watering, but also in looking for a harvest in about twenty years – and beyond.

ENDNOTE

[1] Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

In Part 1, we learned that hypocrisy is putting on a mask and pretending to be righteous or pure or loving when your heart is unrighteous, impure, and unloving. For example, false teachers are hypocrites: they “come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).[1] They appear sheep-like, but in reality are wolf-like.

Judas, the one who betrayed the Lord, also provides us with an example of hypocrisy. At the dinner party where Mary anointed Jesus with costly ointment, Judas complained, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:5) On the surface, Judas is expressing concern for the poor. But in reality Judas had no such concern: “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (John 12:6) 

Frankly, the world is full of hypocritical ‘false fronts’ that cover or facilitate hidden and wicked agendas. This comes right out of the serpent’s playbook: “… even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). 

In contrast to the illusions, shadows and double-dealing of the world system, we are called by God into reality, into truth, into light: “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” (John 12:46)

The purpose of today’s reflection is to make it clear from Scripture that we are called to live righteously from the heart. Unlike the Pharisees who appeared righteous but were unrighteous on the inside, we are called to be righteous on the inside and consequently display visible righteous fruit on the outside. God desires that our righteousness be visible (for example, see Matthew 5:14-16, John 13:35, Romans 12:17, Philippians 2:14-15), but this visible righteousness must be the good fruit of righteous hearts.

Of course, the great challenge that we must consider is how human beings with sinful hearts can become the sort of people who display visible righteousness from righteous hearts – and we will explore this in Part 3 (and maybe in a Part 4, too!). But in the remainder of Part 2, I simply want to show you that God calls you to live righteously from the heart.

We Need to Hear This

If living rightly from the heart came easy to us, then perhaps the Bible wouldn’t have said much about it. But ‘heart righteousness’ doesn’t come easy to us sinners, and hypocritical (external-only) righteousness is a snare that sinners easily fall into. So, we need this instruction! Now let’s consider several Scriptural passages on the subject.

From the Heart

First, there are passages that specifically call us do rightly ‘from the heart’:

“So also my heavenly Father will [severely punish] every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35, italics added)

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed” (Romans 6:17, italics added).

“Whatever you [servants of earthly masters] do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23, italics added).

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the name of the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22, italics added). 

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22, italics added; see also 1 Timothy 1:5).

The visible acts of forgiving those who have wronged us, obeying the truth, working diligently on our assigned tasks, calling on the Lord’s name, and demonstrating love for other people must be done ‘from the heart’ – and, given the possibility of an impure heart, it is important to clarify that these things must actually be done “from a pure heart” (1 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 2:22).

Genuine and Sincere

Second, in addition to passages that specifically direct us to act ‘from the heart’, there are other passages that direct us to act genuinely or sincerely (also in 1 Peter 1:22 above). These three concepts are basically synonymous: to ‘act from the heart’ and to ‘act genuinely’ and to ‘act with a sincere heart’ are three different ways of saying the same thing. Hypocrisy, by its very nature, is disingenuous and insincere. To live unhypocritically is to live consistently with who we really are, to be genuine and sincere, to let our actions correspond to our attitudes. Scripture says:

“Let love be genuine.” (Romans 12:9, italics added)

“… as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: … by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love” (2 Corinthians 6:4-6, italics added).

“I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.” (2 Corinthians 8:8, italics added)

"Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear a trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ” (Ephesians 6:5, italics added). 

“For I have no one like him [Timothy], who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.” (Philippians 2:20, italics added).

Whether demonstrating love and concern for other people or rendering obedience to our earthly masters, our actions must be genuine and sincere. Our actions must be the visible expression of what is actually going on in our hearts. We must not be grumbling in our heart while we are running an errand for our boss or helping our neighbor with a task.

The Transformation of the Heart

Third, large chunks of biblical instruction are built on the foundation of internal heart transformation.

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) is a powerful summary of the Lord’s teaching for His disciples. How does the instruction begin? “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Three verses later: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Two verses later: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:3, 6, 8) In the sermon, Jesus addresses a range of topics, but the way that the sermon begins shows us that discipleship begins in the heart (and this principle is reiterated throughout the Sermon on the Mount).

Similarly, the apostle Paul gives instruction about the practical Christian life in Romans 12:1–15:13. How does the instruction begin? This way: 

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)

The “therefore” in verse 1 roots the practical instruction in the sound doctrine of Romans 1–11. God intends for sound doctrine to shape our lives – but the shaping must begin in the heart and mind. Thus the command to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” in verse 2 shows us that obedience to the forthcoming instructions – instructions about ministry within the church (Romans 12:3-8), relationships within the church (Romans 12:9-13), relationships with outsiders and particularly with enemies (Romans 12:14-21), relating to the government (Romans 13:1-7), the basic duties of the Christian life (Romans 13:8-14), and relating to fellow believers when there is disagreement on important but secondary issues (Romans 14:1–15:7) – obedience to these instructions must flow from a renewed mind. Then comes a prayerful blessing that God would “fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13), which again points to what is happening in the believer’s heart. 

A Final Word

If we wanted to take the time, we could fill up page after page of Scriptural passages that drive home the same idea, namely, that the only kind of human righteousness that pleases God is righteousness that is first of all located in the heart, and which then bears fruit in righteous deeds. When this happens, it is like a healthy tree (internal reality) bearing good fruit (visible manifestation of the internal reality) (Matthew 7:17). Such fruit doesn’t merely appear good but actually is good – and this good fruit spreads the fragrance of life, is sweet to the taste, benefits other people, and honors our Lord.

In light of all this, we must pray for divine grace, which alone enables us to walk in the light:

“Incline my heart to your testimonies, 

and not to selfish gain!

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

and give me life in your ways.” (Psalm 119:36-37)

May it be so!

Endnote

[1] Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

One of the greatest dangers to a person’s spiritual health is hypocrisy. Jesus teaches His disciples that “you must not be like the hypocrites” (Matthew 6:5; see also Matthew 6:2, 16).[1] Later in the New Testament, the apostle Peter tells Christians “to put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.” (1 Peter 2:1, italics added) The matter is urgent, because ongoing and unaddressed hypocrisy demonstrates that one is on the path to hell: “the master of that [wicked] servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:50-51, italics added) 

In light of the above Scripture passages, it is important that we understand what hypocrisy is and that we either avoid it or, if we have gotten tangled up in it, to put it away. So I’d like to work through this in a three-part series. In Part 1 (today), we will attempt to understand what hypocrisy is and provide several examples of it. In Part 2, we will take time to hear the Scripture’s call upon us to live in unhypocritical devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, in Part 3, we will consider what needs to happen in order for people with flawed hearts to live authentically faithful lives that are not hypocritical in God’s sight.

What Hypocrisy Is

The Greek word that stands behind our English words hypocrite/hypocrisy invites us to consider the world of theater. A ‘hypocrite’ is an actor who puts on a mask and acts in accordance with the mask (or in accordance with the costume). A ‘hypocrite’ pretends to be someone else, and acts the part. Thus ‘hypocrisy’ refers to wearing a mask, or pretending to be someone other than who you actually are. Of course, if you work with a local theater company and are assigned a part in a play, then ‘putting on a costume’ and ‘getting into character’ and ‘playing the part well’ is what you are expected to do, and everyone attending the performance understands that you are acting. 

The problem, of course, is when human beings turn real life into a theatrical performance in which they pretend to be someone that they aren’t. The sin of hypocrisy involves such pretending, pretense, insincerity, duplicity, putting on a show and acting a part that is disconnected from who you really are. So, to put the matter clearly, a hypocrite is someone who pretends to be devoted to God even though his heart is far from God. Or a hypocrite is someone who pretends to love people even though his heart is wrapped up in his own selfish agenda. Hypocrisy is inherently deceptive in nature: a hypocrite is either self-deceived and doesn’t realize that his religiosity is contrived, or a hypocrite is deliberately deceiving others as he ‘plays to the crowd’ to win the approval of others. In either case, despite the mask of piety, a hypocrite is a phony at the heart level. 

Snapshots of Hypocrisy

Matthew 6:2-18

Now that we understand what hypocrisy is, let’s consider a number of examples that are given to us in the Scriptures. In Matthew 6:2-18, Jesus instructs His disciples to be different than the hypocrites. What do the hypocrites do?

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others…. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others…. And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.” (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16)

In each of the above cases, the hypocrites create an appearance that is at odds with what is actually going on in their hearts. When the hypocrite gives to someone in need, it looks like he has a generous concern for the needy. When the hypocrite prays, it looks like he has a heart for God. When the hypocrite fasts, it looks like he is earnest in his devotion to God. The success of the hypocrite’s performance depends on you not knowing the motives of his heart. If you knew that the hypocrite was preoccupied with his own self-exaltation and craved your applause, you wouldn’t applaud. The truth of the matter is that a person ought to give to the needy because he has a heart for the needy, and a person ought to pray and fast because he has a heart for God. But for the hypocrite, the external action is designed to create an appearance that creates a favorable impression and builds their fan base. The hypocrite is using charitable contributions and religious exercises as a publicity stunt. The hypocrite is actually using both people and God in order to draw attention to himself. This may be the worst form of idolatry on the planet: using God to get other people to praise you! 

Matthew 15:1-9

We get another snapshot of hypocrisy in Matthew 15:1-9. In verses 1-6, we learn that the Pharisees and scribes invented their own tradition and, in so doing, set aside God’s Word. They thus invested their own man-made tradition with greater authority than God’s command. This earns them a well-deserved rebuke from the Lord:

“You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”” (Matthew 15:7-9)

What is especially important for our study of hypocrisy is to notice the disconnect between their speech and their heart. The Pharisees and scribes “[honored God] with their lips”. They could engage in pious-sounding God-talk, Bible-talk, worship-talk, love-talk. Perhaps even their “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” gave the appearance of extra special devotion to God, as in: ‘We’re so devoted to God that we have created additional ways (man-made religious traditions) to demonstrate our devotion.’ But God was not fooled! In reality, the hearts of the Pharisees and scribes were “far from [God]”. Their religiosity was all talk. Their piety was superficial. Their worship was vain. And their far-from-God hearts were manifest in the fact that they did not walk in obedience to God’s Word: “So for the sake or your tradition you have made void the word of God.” (Matthew 15:6) Religious devotion to man-made traditions can look impressive to ordinary and ignorant human beings, but God sees the façade!

Matthew 23:1-36

In Matthew 23:1-36, Jesus blasts the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. Jesus addresses them five times with the phrase: “woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” (Matthew 23:13, 23, 25, 27, 29). Here again we learn that the scribes and Pharisees were focused on presenting a carefully crafted appearance in order to win public acclaim: “They do all their deeds to be seen by others.” (Matthew 23:5) They focus on minor things – “you tithe mint and dill and cumin” (Matthew 23:23) – which gives the appearance of zeal (wow! they even tithe out of their herb garden!), but they “neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.” (Matthew 23:23) They were careful to advertise themselves with a squeaky-clean exterior: “you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25) Tragically, beautiful tombs are a fitting metaphor for their spiritual lives: “you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27-28) In all these things, the outward appearance differs from the inward reality – and that, of course, is the hypocrite’s standard mode of operation.

Some Other Passages

In addition to the above passages, there are a number of other passages that shine the spotlight on the sin of hypocrisy, even if the word itself isn’t used. For example, Paul says of certain people: “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” (Titus 1:16) Similarly, John says, “If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”” (1 John 4:20) In both of these instances, the person claims to be in a right relationship with God, even though the truth of the matter is that their heart is not right with God, as evidenced by their disobedient works and especially by the absence of brotherly love.

The sin of Ananias and Sapphira is that they pretended to be more generous than they actually were (they only gave a portion of the proceeds on the sale of land, which would have been just fine, but they decided to give the impression that they were giving all of the proceeds). Their playacting in the presence of God earned them immediate censure and death. (Acts 5:1-11)

Another species of hypocrisy is to employ ‘sweet talk’ as a way to advance a sinister scheme against someone you hate: “His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they are drawn swords.” (Psalm 55:21) All kinds of oppressors, abusers, and persecutors deploy smooth speech as a way to manipulate or lure or mislead or set a trap for their victims. This is what the Pharisees and Herodians did when they used flattery in their attempt to trap Jesus: 

“Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test?”” (Mark 12:14-15, italics added) 

Jesus knew the difference between an earnest questioner and a hypocritical schemer.

Conclusion  

The bottom line is that hypocrites, sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly, are playing a game. In some instances, they perform actions that give off ‘righteousness vibes’, but internally they are profoundly unrighteous in that they are worshiping themselves, not God. In other instances, they talk a big religious game and claim to be in right relationship with God, but their hearts are actually not in fellowship with God; and in their case, their evil hearts produce evil deeds that expose the phoniness of their pious claims. Finally, there are times when a person feigns friendliness as a tactic that covers or facilitates their intent to destroy his ‘friend’.

This ugly thing called hypocrisy is a temptation common to human beings. It must be avoided or put away at all costs, otherwise you will face a miserable end: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:20) Remember what we learned above: the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees was hypocritical, superficial, and directed to the public eye. Those who would enter God’s kingdom must have a righteousness that is genuine, heartfelt, and directed to the audience of One. 

Endnote

[1] Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.