Be Real

     
'...Beware of...hypocrisy.' Luke 12:1 NKJV

As I was reading through like 12 today, the word 'hypocrisy' stood out to me because it affects the Christian culture as whole. Jesus was laying out a new way for the disciples to live, yet he kept bumping into those who said one thing and did another. The word 'Hypocrisy' can be translated as 'hype'. And hype, no matter how religious it is, is only a charade. Jesus denounced it. Speaking about the religious leaders of His day, He said: '...Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.' (Luke 12:1-3 NKJV) Why was Jesus so hard on hypocrites? Because hypocrisy accuses in others what it excuses in us, says one thing but does another, puts popularity above principle, loves admiration but cuts corners when it comes to integrity. Take Peter, for example. He preached that all people are equal in Christ, but he practiced it selectively. And Paul confronted him on it. 'When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth...I [spoke] to Peter in front of them all...' (Galatians 2:11-14 NIV) God understands your weaknesses and He will work with you on them, but He won't put up with your hypocrisy. So be real! Stand strong and live the truth...you are loved.