Dear COA Family,
In the Gospels, Jesus often reserved his harshest criticisms for the Pharisees and teachers of the Law.
What was his main complaint about them? It is this: they laid heavy burdens on the people, yet did
not lift a finger to help them (Matthew 23:4). In other words, the Pharisees imposed strict
regulations and numerous man-made expectations on the people they led, yet did not live up to
their own teachings nor were willing to guide the people in how to obey the laws.
In essence, the Pharisees and teachers of the Law in Jesus’ day were hypocrites!
Jesus’ warning against them was stark: listen to what they teach, but do not do what they do. Their
appearances may be awe-inspiring and their words impressive to others, but in God’s sight they are
whitewashed tombs, threatening to drag others down to hell with them.
The sin of hypocrisy is thus a very serious and heinous sin in God’s sight. And the truth is that none
of us are exempt from it. We need to be conscientious in rooting out every trace of hypocrisy in our
hearts.
Here are some guiding reflections:
* Do we profess to love our neighbours but ostracise individuals because of their past mistakes,
lifestyle, or socio-economic status?
* Do we prioritise accumulating wealth, building up our physical and material assets, or increasing
personal streams of income over helping the poor and needy?
* Do we publicly condemn immoral behaviour while secretly engaging in similar conduct (e.g.,
financial fraud, sexual misconduct, or abuse of power)?
Our Lord calls us to an honest and regular self-examination of our own hearts to remain right in his
sight. He says:
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in
your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the
time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and
then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” Matthew 7:3-5.
In dealing with the stain of hypocrisy, let us be brutally honest and ruthless in dealing with our own
hearts. Though we may be weak, our Lord is gracious and will send his Spirit to help and strengthen
us. It is not how perfect we have been that counts, but how willing we are to obey God
wholeheartedly!
Revd Ian