Hypocrisy - part II

Lead In:

Moving on to our second sermon on hypocrisy, let’s not forget the groundwork we went through last week. In all three sections of Matthew 6:1-18; Charity, Prayer, and Fasting; Jesus gives us a number of repeated phrases, beginning with a warning.

He gives us this repeated warning, because hypocrisy is effective. If you go through life wanting people to notice and glorify you, ensuring the people around you notice your righteous acts, you’ll get what you want…because it works. However, your success at convincing people you are holy, will simultaneously be your failure.

The second truth He repeats, is a level of encouragement that too many Christians in our day consider to be nothing but garnish. He says that the Father sees in the secret places…in the heart. An all-powerful God who sees the secret heart of man, is an ever-present terror for the unrepentant. But for you oh Christian, the truth of God seeing into the depths of your heart? It is a source of bottomless strength. When life begins to take turns you weren't prepared for, do all you can to bring this truth to bear upon your heart and mind, and never forget that when God looks at you…He sees the glowing righteousness of His Son.

Understanding that mankind was created to glorify something or someone, and that our sinful nature will continually turn that desire inward to glorify ourselves, is how we can navigate the swamps of hypocrisy. For it is indeed a swamp.

We act for applause and attention, and begin to sink. We get the applause and attention, sink further, and then only allow the applauding people into our life. We fail to see hypocrisy in others, and give applause to people as we are led astray. Or…we covetously assume hypocrisy in someone because their sanctification is further along than ours, and end up standing opposed to the will of God.

Hypocrisy is a swamp of quicksand and tar, we must be on guard.

Opening: Read → Matthew 6:1-4 and Opening Prayer

Even though we are moving forward, never forget the warnings that Christ gives us. We must pay attention to the direction our redeemed yet fallen hearts pull us towards. Of all the sins warned about in Scripture, ‘Hypocrisy’ is one whose danger is repeated over and over again because of how devilish and sly it is. There are roughly 100 different warnings about hypocrisy spread across both the Old and New Testament.

In a few years when we finally make it to Matthew 7, we will read this in v.4 &5 → “...how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? [5] Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Are you so busy looking at the sin in others, because it helps you ignore your own?

In fact, Jesus calls attention to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees seven different times in that Chapter alone. And moving beyond the Gospels, Paul continues to warn us during his ministry as well, because ‘hypocrisy’ is (as I said) devilish and sly. It is clever, sneaky, and our thoughts must be trained by the words of Scripture to notice it. Look at what he says in 2 Cor. 11:13-15 → “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. [14] And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. [15] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Satan himself, and the snakes who will one day follow him to Hell, “transform themselves” into ministers of righteousness…by looking, speaking, teaching, behaving, and acting how the Bible tells people to act! They use just enough true phrases, and perform just enough Godly actions to hide who they truly are. How ruthless and wicked are those who use the words of God for selfish gain. They are selfish, self-serving, arrogant, proud, God-hating actors; with shelf upon shelf of awards of human glory adorning their sand-built houses.

With all gentleness and a deep love and concern for your eternal soul, I must ask…is this you, my friends? Are you merely acting like a Christian? Simply holding ‘conservative’ values?

Does your dead heart push your lips to parrot prayers you don't believe in? Do you drag your body to Church, thinking that being here will pay for your sins?

Or has your sin been nailed to the naked body of Christ and died with Him?

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In our text this morning, Christ gives us the model for how hypocrisy can be fought against. And to bring it out here right at the beginning, but then explain later on…it is fully beyond your ability to do. To fight hypocrisy; in yourself and see it clearly in others; is something outside of human grit, understanding, or ability. It comes from outside of us.

If that sounds concerning to you…good. 

See the end of yourself, and see the safety in Christ that He alone provides.

The method by which hypocrisy is fought comes to us in v.3, when He says that we need to keep our righteous actions so quiet, and so hidden, that they should be kept as secret…even from ourselves → “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

When we set about putting our hands and feet where our faith is, and letting our light shine in such ways that all who see it will glorify God, we can be sure that there is no self-glory behind it…when we don’t know we are doing it.

Think about this my friends, and see the logic of God.

If it sounds a touch complicated, let's look again at the warning He gives us in v.1 → “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them…”. When He uses the phrase “to be seen” here, He isn't talking about people who simply perform individualistic actions with selfish motives behind them. It's deeper than that.

The Greek word translated as “to be seen” in this verse, is “Theaomai”... which is where we English speakers get the word “theater”. His warning is about people whose entire lives are dedicated to being viewed. 

He is teaching us to be on-guard for those whose very identity is nothing but a show. A production. Those who view themselves as filling a role, lying to themselves by the means of lying to others (we’ll come back to this) to ensure that the truth of the God they hate is suppressed more and more and more. 

When Paul speaks about people suppressing the truth of God in Rom.1:18, he is talking about (among others) the hypocrites and showmen. Those who use Godly actions and behaviors, even those that God commands! to get glory from men, and then use it to push the truth of God further and further from their waking mind.

Don’t forget that we are image-bearing creatures, always and forever representing or glorifying something or someone. It is the way that we were made. It is part of our very nature. In every context and situation, from our friends and families to our careers and hobbies, how we order and live our lives will always represent something beyond ourselves. 

And when we understand that God has given humanity all the evidence it needs to prove His own existence; internally in our hearts (Ecc. 3:11) and externally in creation (Rom. 1:20); we can see that people will always gravitate towards glorifying things that look, or seem Godly.

It's how we were made.

However, because of the sin within us, we will only ever organize our lives in a Godly direction…up until a certain point. We will live in accordance with the way that we were made, acknowledging the good, true, and beautiful; accept it as such; and our actions and behaviors will show this to be true…until… repentance is required of us. 

What I mean is; when someone understands murder or adultery to be wrong, whether it be conscious or not, they are acknowledging the manner in which God created humanity. They are believing and behaving in Godly and Scriptural ways. Of course! When a parent loves and cares for their child, they are doing the same thing, yes. Should we love those around us, no matter who they are and how they live? Yes. Should we fight against injustice and oppression, yes again. And on and on we can pull a dozen other examples and come to the same conclusion. People who live this way really are living the way that God tells them to…but only until a certain point.

When those whose lives are oriented in a Godly direction are faced with the truth that even though their actions are good, they aren't good enough to pay for their sins, a thousand excuses fall out of their hearts, latch on to their “God-scented” beliefs and actions …and they treat life like a play. 

Their whole identity becomes a role to fill. They put on a mask, one that the audience they screen beforehand will approve of and praise. Their actions are choreographed by a dead heart, complete with rehearsed lines, stage directions, and always looking for a standing ovation. And because their actions are ones commanded by God for humans to perform, their costume stays firmly in place and wins all the awards that fallen humans can conjure forth. 

In fact, when Jesus uses the word “hypocrite” in our text this morning, He is using the Greek word “Hypokrites” or…stage actor.

They act like Christians are supposed to act…but that's all it is. An act. 

They go to Church every week…well, at least on Sundays when their belly doesn't hurt or the football game isn't on. God is forgiving right? They have all their lines memorized, and can recall them even if you forget yours. Their prayers are oh-so-special and pretty, and they make sure that you hear all of them. They vote the way Jesus would vote if He were American. They even (gasp!) use His name in public because they are so…so…brave!

Be on-guard for such people my friends…because hypocrisy works. It's effective!

In fact, the only way for the hypocritical Christian to keep their mask on, is to ensure that every friendship is a mile wide, and an inch deep. They need to screen and vet their audience, ensuring those who view them won't ever try to get a glimpse at the black and rotting heart pulling all the strings behind the curtain.

Because if you live your life around honest, truthful christians, week in and week out for decades at a time; sit beside them in your pew Sunday after Sunday for years and years, they might see through your costume. So, they go from Church to Church, friendship to friendship, doing all they can to never break character.

Because if they break character, then the truth of God they have spent their life suppressing, is going to testify against them. It's going to bring guilt and shame and condemnation and remind them of the flames that await when the final curtain falls.

So…the show must go on!

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Is it any wonder that Jesus moves into a teaching such as this, right after His “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” teachings? Several Sundays in a row we spoke about the truth that God sees into the heart, and even in our verses this morning, Jesus says that very same thing. “Your father who sees in secret…” (Matt. 6:4, 6, 18). 

He can see the motivations behind every prayer, every offering dropped in the basket, and every period of fasting they go through. Their costume may very well be amazing and intricate in so many different ways, tricking and fooling everyone around them. Their day to day life may be so immaculate and kind, they never raise their voice or say anything offensive to anyone, and the offering they put in the basket, ensuring it is reported to both friends and IRS… will get them what they want; the glory of men…but nothing else.

When hypocrites lead many astray, swindling the saints for personal gain; take heart, because, as our text this morning says, your Father “sees in secret.” The righteous looking mold growing over their heart has never, and will never, block the all-seeing eyes of God from that which rots beneath the surface.

Now, it may seem that this isn't the case, I understand. We can look at the world around us, people whose lives overlap our own, and think that God doesn't know or see their hypocrisy. 

Or we can look beyond our personal life at the nightmare of unfettered connectivity, and see hypocritical husbands and wives hurting their families. We see Pulpits populated by hypocrites, or civic offices run by hypocrites as well. We see people claiming the name of Christ, but only for the current amount of social clout it brings…and we think that God doesn't see their hypocrisy. They are such good actors, they have everybody tricked. 

Everybody…except you…right?

You can see through their costume, right?

You can see the thoughts and intentions of their heart…right…?

But how do you know?

Could it be that our lives were never meant to be lived intertwined with strangers we’ll never meet? Force-fed a constant stream of information from a billion lives spread across the entire planet? How should a Christian navigate such a thing? By leaving it behind or never making judgement calls on the salvation of a stranger. 

Nevertheless, God “sees in secret”, knowing exactly why every human acts and behaves in the way that they do; for their own glory, or for His. When someone hides their hatred behind a Bible verse, or hides their self-righteousness inside of an offering envelope, He knows. And we have plenty of examples in Scripture of this very truth.

In Isaiah, when the people of God were on the verge of exile and slaughter, God warned them about this very thing. We read this in 1:12-16 → “Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me…[14] Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; they are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. [15] When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.”

Or Amos 5:21-24 → “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. [22] Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them…[23] Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.”

There is no action holy enough, nor prayer powerful enough, to hide the contents of your heart from God. And if you are living the life of a hypocrite…your worship is nothing but noise, and He intentionally ignores your prayers no matter how often you say them.

Rest easy my friends,

God knows full well who the hypocrites are,

and will give them everything they earned.

_____

This may sound harsh, I understand. But think about how easy it is to be a hypocrite in the modern day. Not so long ago, before the vast modernization of the world, where everyone is almost being forced to have opinions about everything going on in the world…if you were a hypocrite, your family and friends would know sooner rather than later. But now? Now, with the ease of anonymity and near impossible accountability that the internet provides? You have the perfect breeding ground for hypocrisy in your pocket right now this morning.

How easy is it to “like” and “share” a “Christian” post, or put a verse from the Bible you never read on social media to give you all those super holy holy feelings, so you don’t feel guilty when you skip Church, or stare at your phone during the sermon when you do go? Did your pastor hold you accountable to Scripture, and call you to repent? Just leave, right? There are a dozen other Churches in driving distance, some of which have way more people to applaud your public righteousness. And if you can't find one like that, just stay home. You don't need to go to Church to be a Christian after-all. 

My friends, we have arrived at a point where hypocrisy is almost second nature! 

You can say that government Schools should teach the Bible and get all the applause you want, while your own Bible collects enough dust to write “damnation” across the cover.

You can give your money to a charity you saw on TV or social media; or even in the basket at your own Church; while never making the life-altering choices to keep lust away from you like Jesus told you to.

Or you can simply vote “the Christian way”, and get all the warm righteous fuzzies in your heart; making sure you tell people how you voted, of course; because that is far easier than fasting for days on end without telling anybody about it. My friends, if your faith only exists in a voting booth, and never around your dinner table, bedroom, or bank account …then you are acting hypocritically. 

Going beyond those who claim the name of Christ yet live in ways He condemns; you can see hypocrisy in the world at large as people suppress the truth of the God they know exists so deeply into the mire of their dead heart, they have become walking shadows of their former self. They are living costumes. Fake, fictitious mockeries of themselves, whose hypocrisy runs so deep they have tricked themselves into believing it is who they truly are.

But, as soon as a Christian comes along and calls them to repent of their sins and believe in Christ…they break character, gnash their teeth, and refuse to let you into their audience.

No matter the person is who acts hypocritically; be they a self-professed Christian; an actual, innocent-in-the-eyes-of-God Christian; a culturally approved mockery of our faith Christian in-name-only; or a foaming and rabid God hating atheist; no matter who it is that performs hypocritical actions or lives a hypocritical life…all of it is nothing but lying to other people so they can lie to themselves…because delusion can’t support itself. It needs life support. And the most effective life-support for a heart headed to Hell, is man-made glory. 

It's what you were designed to do, remember?

And the more applause you get from other people for how good, kind, holy, and loving you are, the more and more you will actually believe it. Instead of believing that you are a sinner headed to Hell like the Bible says.

Think about this my friends. If you were the only one lying to you…it would be hard to believe that lie. You're used to your own lies, have heard them a thousand times before, have countered them over and over again, and your thoughts are the only ones whispering in your ear as you fall asleep. Each one reminding you of how fake you actually are.

So…put on a show. Put on a costume.

Memorize your lines, screen your audience, and act your heart out! 

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So what do we do then, right?

If the dangers of hypocrisy are everywhere, what do we do?

As we have gone through this teaching, have you found yourself asking yourself, if you…yourself…are acting hypocritically?

Do I actually believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man? That a virgin gave birth to a man who raised Himself from the dead? Do I really, honestly, truthfully believe that my sins were my own fault, all by myself, and I was once guilty in the eyes of an uncreated God who built humanity out of dust? But now, I am innocent because Christ took the penalty reserved for me, and died in my place?

Do I really, honestly, and truthfully believe that He rose back to life and now sits at the right hand of the Father He is one with, and that He is actively praying for me…right here and right now? Or am I being a hypocrite?

Do I believe that my good works don’t contribute to my salvation, but flow from it?

Take heart my friends! Because if you are concerned with the dangers of hypocrisy; worried that your good works are for your own glory and not God’s; it is evidence that you are honest.

Because a dead heart doesn't care. 

If you do care…then repent! Make it a point of your life to live it as the Bible tells you to, repent when you don’t, and keep moving forward. Onward and upward children of God! Falling, yet standing. Dead, yet living. Righteous, yet still sinning.

Give actual, honest effort into organizing your life around that which you worship. Never taking the easy road to exercise your faith, but on purpose taking the hard way! The difficult and narrow way lined with wolves and danger at every turn!

For in the difficulty

is where you find yourself.

The real you. The honest you. The ‘you’ broken by sins and carried along by the blood of Christ. The ‘you’ that you sometimes hate, and wish you weren't. The one prone to wander, who wishes you were stronger, smarter, dedicated, motivated, and who hates when you aren't. The one who hates to see your own weaknesses!

That is the ‘you’ that God died for…the ‘you’ that God remakes. 

And when God saves you, makes you new, and wipes clean the wicked ledger of your past sins…it becomes who you are. Will you fail and falter from time to time? Yes, of course. But will the Holy Spirit bring comfort and peace to you as He picks you up, and points your weary eyes to Christ? Yes, again.

Children of Clyde-Savannah, the way you can keep your righteous actions a secret from yourself; not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing; is by repenting of your sins, believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and becoming altogether new…because you won't even know that you are doing it!

You're just living like a Christian. 

It's just “who you are”. 

It won't be anything special when you give to charity, pray, or fast. And it will feel strange when someone else pays attention to you when you do. 

So…be you. Scars and all. Wear your heart on the outside, boasting in your weaknesses, refusing to never repent.

Be weak.

Be overlooked.

Be alone.

Be afraid.

Be tired.

Be confused.

Be the real you, because God doesn't save actors.

Rev. Jacob Marchitell

October 18th 2026