Humility or Hypocrisy
“Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” (Prov. 20:6). In today’s world, one doesn’t have to look very hard or far to find this statement from King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived (I Kings 4:30, 31), true.
Doesn’t it push your buttons when our elected officials say or do one thing for (to) their constituents, and then exempt themselves? Whether it’s true or just lore, George Washington is said to have stated, “I cannot tell a lie” when confronted with an axed cherry tree. Oh that we still had that kind of morality in our leaders.
I compiled a short list of synonyms for hypocrisy (hypocrite) along with the definition: “The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform.” Synonyms: phony, fraud, insincere, deceitful, deceptive, dishonest, falsely pious, sanctimonious. There are more. Anybody you know fit this description? Would you vote for them again?
Hypocrisy, per se, is not the problem.
It’s a symptom of a much deeper character flaw caused by consistent rejection of truth for personal gain. If you don’t believe that, do your own research on how many senators and congressmen came to congress with relatively little net worth and compare it to their net worth now. I’m not suggesting they did anything illegal. But it does raise eyebrows.
Juxtapose the following definition of humility with that of hypocrisy: “a modest or low view of one’s own importance.” Doesn’t that sound like a person who could be trusted? In general, let alone to represent his/her constituency.
It seems unnecessary to have to point out how far our nation has fallen into self-centeredness. It’s not just our leaders, it’s everywhere. Anyone who loves truth can see it. Our last post (WIIFM) scratched the surface and suggested that our focus is wrong. Today, let’s look a little deeper into the root cause for lying and hypocrisy.
The following are God’s opinions,
not mine. I’m just the messenger. Don’t shoot me.
“You destroy those who speak lies. The Lord loathes the person of bloodshed and deceit (Ps.5:6)”.
“One who practices deceit will not dwell within my house; one who speaks lies shall not maintain his position before me (Ps. 101:7)”.
“Six things the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: …a lying tongue…a false witness who declares lies…(Prov. 6:16-19)”.
“A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who declares lies will perish (Prov. 19:9)”.
I realize that not everyone reading this takes the Bible literally. Spoiler alert: God does. And these verses are warnings to those of us who make lying and deceit a way of life. Look at the highlighted words: hates, loathes, abomination, will not go unpunished, will perish. Not words associated with a soft-hearted, grandfather-type who looks the other way when his children disobey. These warnings could not be more serious. They warn us of a permanent, eternal destiny apart from anything good.
Hypocrisy is a choice
based on wrong motives, wrong thinking, self-centeredness. Any counselor worth his salt will tell you that you can’t treat symptoms. It’s just like pulling weeds. You have to get to the root. In this case the root is rejection of Jesus Christ and His claim on our lives. Until that issue is dealt with, the lies and hypocrisy will continue. God will never force anyone to stop their wrong choices. But He does offer a pretty compelling alternative.
Our title implies choice. Humility vs. hypocrisy. We’ve seen the fruits of hypocrisy. Let’s look at the others. If we want the kind of life filled with peace, love, and all the good things God offers His children, we must believe and take His word seriously. The Bible is God’s user’s manual, given to introduce us to Him, His plan for our future, His promises when we obey, and His “correction” when we don’t. Through it we are introduced to Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, and our ONLY way to know, love, and see God when we die.
The Bible says we sin (Rom. 3:23). Sin causes our death (Rom. 6:23). Jesus came to earth to die in our place (Rom. 5:8). In Christ, we are new creations, viewed as sinless by God (Rom. 8:1-12; 2 Cor. 5:17). This gift is available to all who come humbly to Jesus (John 6:37). There are no qualifications (i.e. money, education, good deeds, etc.) needed on your part. Just humble yourself and recognize you can’t do it on your own. You NEED Jesus. For more detailed information, see the page Steps to Salvation elsewhere on this site. Hope to see you on the other side.