Matthew 5:5-6 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen”.
Hypocrisy is double-standards where one’s behaviour contradicts what they claim to believe and preach. Hypocrites try to create a false image of higher standards or more noble beliefs than who they really are in their private lives. The private lifestyle of a hypocrite conflicts with their public appearance. Hypocrites can fool people but not God. God hates hypocrisy.
Jesus gave us profound advice about our prayer routine. The Pharisees who were the priests and pastors walked around with long white robes praying aloud in the street corners for people to revere them. They were probably praying like this; ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get’ (Luke 18:11-12). The relevance of this verse in today’s modern world will be that our prayer closet must be our secret place. The fear of God should manifest as the different facets of the fruit of the spirit. If we are compelled to behave, say or do something to be vouched by men as ‘holy’, then we will be classified as “hypocrites”.
Humility is the fear of the LORD (Proverbs 22:4).
Hypocrisy displeases God:
1. Double-Standards: Those who take double standards are outright hypocrites. The Lord detests double standards (Proverbs 20:23). Fear of man and the fear of rejection is one of the threatening factors that make people indifferent to the truth. We will be rejected and ostracized for the truth but choosing integrity, righteousness and faithfulness will be richly rewarded.
2. Duplicity: Those who show different personality traits and behaviour patterns according to the crowd and environment are phony hypocrites. Duplicity is normally fueled by popularity.
3. Deceit: The pressure to be accepted by the crowd can be deceitful and compulsive. We must be cautious about its subtle influence on us.
Double-Standards, duplicity and deception displease God.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, help my heart to always be truthful before you, and May there be no trace of hypocrisy in me. Amen.
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