Question: What is a Hypocrite?

Lance Winslow wrote the following in an EZine article:

"One of the worst things in Christianity is the Christian hypocrite. That is the person that professes the Word of God and then goes around criticizing everything (and everyone except himself). In doing this, the Christian hypocrite never once will look in the mirror and see that he too is causing a tremendous amount of problems by his own actions.” (8/3/2006)

Most people think a hypocrite is someone who preaches one thing and does another. That’s not the definition of a hypocrite; but rather a SINNER. A hypocrite points his finger at others and says, “I would never do that!”

“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:3-5

“Hypocrites are steeped in self-righteousness and go around condemning others. Hypocrites love to read and hear about the sins of others, repeating the garbage elsewhere, relishing in the details of what OTHERS have done. No one is a shining example to others of what we all should be. If you are looking for the biggest sinner you can find, LOOK IN THE MIRROR.” (David J. Stewart)

Father God, I am a hypocrite and you hate hypocrisy. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:27-28 Please forgive me and keep cleaning me up from the inside out. The more I read about You, the more aware I am of my own sin before a Holy Living God. I’ve often told others not to judge You and Your Word by humans. People are ALWAYS going to let us down, but You and Your Word never will. Jesus is the only perfect example of how we should think and act as human beings. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 Amen.