Christianity Without Hypocrisy

All of us have a basic need to be accepted. It is a powerfully strong drive within us. Nothing in human life has such a lasting effect as not being accepted. When I am not accepted, then something in me is broken. A baby who is not accepted suffers at the roots of his/her existence. A student who does not feel accepted by his teacher will not learn. A person who does not feel accepted on the job will suffer and be a nuisance at home.

This drive is so powerful that when we cannot be accepted by the group that we want to be accepted by, we will go with anyone that will. Many of the life histories of prisoners reveal that somewhere along the way they went astray because there was no one who really accepted them.

In Christ, through the salvation offered to us in Him, we have the opportunity of being accepted by God. The Apostle Paul states, "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. " (Ephesians 1:6) I am accepted by Christ, His righteousness is imputed to me through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Even with the knowledge that in Christ Jesus I am accepted by God, it is possible for me to embrace this with a level of hypocrisy. Jesus saw this as a problem. This is why he said, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)

In everyday conversation, we have learned to avoid absolutes. Words like "always, never, every." If you want to make your spouse really mad, use one of those absolutes. "You always throw your socks on the floor!" "You always want to be in control!" Most of the time we “absolutize” erroneously. We have been taught and have learned, more than likely painfully, to avoid such statements.

Yet, in John 6:1 Jesus is making a very absolute statement. If the things we do for God are done to be accepted by man, then there is no reward. In effect He is saying that there is no reward, no exceptions, no matter how good the deed might be. This is a very sobering statement to us. Jesus is looking beyond the outward act, and focusing upon the internal attidue of the heart, and the motives for why we do what we do.

It is possible to pray for your enemies and have no reward. Wow! It is possible to caress the hands of a leper and have no reward. Why is this so? Because it is possible to do these things for the recognition of man and not God. The most self-effacing saint in the congregation may have all their good deeds rejected at the Judgment seat of Christ in heaven.

Jesus does not want this to happen to us. So He offers gives to us a solid exhortation,

"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words." (Matthew 6:2-7)

When we help the needy, let us do it in such a way that we do not draw attention to ouselves to be praised by others. When we give, let it be done in such a way that our Father who seeks in secret will reward us. When we pray, let is be without fanfare or pomp, go in to your closet and pray in secret. In so doing we avoid hypocrisy in our faith.

Do you get upset when you do something and no one notices? When you are not given an appropriate acknowledgment, does that make you mad?

Be careful, Jesus is very absolute on this subject. Thats why Jesus finally states, "Do not be like them..." Practice your Christinaity without hypocrisy.