Good evening, it's good to see everyone.
All those who have come back to this place and we're going to
continue our study on building true Christian character and
discovering the authentic Christian Life.
We've talked about how that this is so important because it is
the essence of Christianity to change from a self-centered, to
a god-centered life. It's important that we mature
enough to develop an awareness or a reality of things.
Are important to us a system of priorities that are not just
fleshly in nature, we must mature from being fleshly in our
priorities to becoming spiritually minded.
In I priorities we become more mature as this growth process
takes place in our lives. We've talked about the need and
the necessity for change because it is a command of God in Acts
17 and verse 30, also, Luke 13 and 3 and also verse 52.
Us that without repentance. There is no salvation.
One cannot be saved. If there was no need for us to
change from a self-centered fleshly, indulgent lifestyle.
Then, why did Jesus come at all? If Jesus was going to save those
who are fleshly minded, those who are self centered in this
world, why did he ever come and command man to have a different
perspective? Now listen, that is the essence
of what we're talking about tonight.
Is understanding our purpose differently than those who are
just of a worldly mindset. And so, God commands Us in Acts
17, but to change to repent, as the word means, the word,
repentance Demands, a change, a change of Direction, a change of
loyalty, there are many things that the word repentance means,
but tonight we want to take it to some of the primary changes
that were We need to focus on in order to bring about the true
changes in character that are necessary.
Last night I gave you some homework.
I asked you to identify some room for growth within us
because many of us while recognizing a need at to be
humble, are in reality, not very humble before.
Our God, we may recognize, we're not divided in character.
We don't have the fruits of the spirits.
We don't have the Christian Graces that are mentioned.
And and second Peter, the first chapter we have not added to our
knowledge virtue. We have not added to our virtue
godliness. All of those other qualities and
love in our lives. We don't have the qualities of
Christ. We may look nothing or act,
nothing or have none of the character traits of Jesus and
yet we deceive ourselves into thinking that we're Christian in
some way, shape, or form, possibly, because we live in a
Christian country. Probably because we observe
Christian cultural habits are, maybe just because we, Services
regularly. Well my friends sitting in a
church building as with as has often.
Been said before, doesn't make sitting in a building, doesn't
make us any more Christian than sitting in a garage, makes us a
car. It just doesn't happen that way.
Something within us, it's not where we are in locality, it's
where we are in character that we re talked about.
And so tonight, we're going to address the very issue of
character. First of all, you'll notice
during our studies during the last Two lessons.
We've talked about Matthew 23 and verse 23, where they're
Jesus, specifically points out. Listen, you've got to clean the
inside and the outside of the cup clean the inside first.
And then you'll know the outside, it will clean itself.
Basically it's what the text is trying to say there.
In that passage, Jesus tells us what is inside of us, is very
much important because our Wordly, we may look like a
whitewash, sup occur. In other words we may be pure,
we made, look, there's no mole. On the outside of a sup occur.
It's whitewashed, it looks white, it looks unstained but
inwardly, it's full of dead men's bones.
And of all uncleanness, he said in broadly, it is very
important. What we are.
Jesus whenever he came here, one of the major things he preached
about was the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees and if you
want to go to Matthew 23, read the rest of the chapter.
It's full of his rebuke to people, who thought, one thing,
who felt one thing. But It did something completely
another. So, in our addressing Christian
character, we've got to be aware that outwardly.
We may have everything organized.
Everything May seemingly seem as if we are Christians.
But in reality, the character has not changed.
The attitudes have not changed, the motives have not changed, we
find that it just may be easier for us to behave like a
Christian. Rather than Bill really be one
within our hearts and Minds rather than have that devotion
of serving God, with all of our heart soul, mind and strength.
We may be serving God only when it's convenient.
And so tonight, we want to talk about one of the first steps the
infancy if you will. First steps of Christianity and
talk about how to bring about Real Change, by making sure that
we motivated by the right things.
If you will, please turned in your scriptures to Peter.
Her. In First Peter chapter 2.
Now, there are many things here in this chapter in First Peter
chapter 2 that talk about Christian Christians and what a
Christian is. Yeah, I just want to remind you
just a little review of some of the verses that we've listened.
We've looked at before Christianity, is essentially
taking upon ourselves. The following of Jesus Christ,
that's what the word Christian means.
A follower of Jesus Christ. We've looked at, Luke 6 and
verse 40. Tells us that a disciple when he
is fully trained. Will be like his teacher will be
like the teacher. And that's what we're supposed
to be doing is learning from Christ.
Who is the exact representation of the mind of God?
He is the word expressed. Oh, I wish we had time to talk
about John 1 and 1. In the beginning was the word
and the Word was with God. And the Word was God.
But then it says the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we
beheld Held him, we beheld him, my friends, that is the example
that is taught to us about. Jesus Christ, purpose in.
Coming here, is to be an expression of the very mind of
God in our example, form in a life form, if you will God
distant, say these things, he lived it out for us.
He left us an example. The Bible says that we should
follow in his steps. There are so many passages that
come. Our Minds tonight, but one is
bound. If you'll, please just, if
you've opened a Peter, look at First Peter chapter 2 and verse
21 for you have been called for this purpose since Christ.
Also suffered for you leaving you an example for you to follow
in his steps you know, so many I want I want us just to realize
something unique in history. You know we live in the age
where the church is more educated than it's ever been
before? Think about that for a moment.
Up until the last hundred or so years.
Almost within the last 150 years, the majority of the
people on the Earth did not go to school period.
And many of us, we don't appreciate what we have.
I'll tell you that for sure. But more than that, I would
venture to say most of us here tonight are are literate.
Most of us have the ability to read most of us have copies of
the scriptures, maybe multiple copies of the scriptures, what a
blessed church we are, there are many on the face of the Earth
that would love to have what we have and don't have it available
to them. But throughout history The
Church has not been so blessed that people could have copies of
the word of God in their home. How did they live such holy
Fives. How did Christianity have such
an impact on Western culture and thinking those of you who have
studied Western culture, I want you to ask yourself the
question, how did Christianity have such an impact on a
basically, a largely illiterate group of people throughout
history. I'll tell you how it happened.
They listened to the stories in the scriptures.
They got familiar with the person that these stories
described that the gospels described and they sized that
even though they might not be intellectual, even though they
might not be literate, even though they may not have, but
one copy per Congregation of the word of God.
There is something that could be with them, every moment of their
life, and that was the example of Jesus, and the way he lived
The Bible says, I want you to think about.
Jesus, he left you an example for you to follow in his steps
and those who followed Christ before they made decisions
before they acted and reacted to persecution to trials to
tribulations. They would ask themselves, how
would Jesus behave in this situation?
They got the main point of the example of Jesus, they may not
understand Doctrine. They may not be philosophical.
They may not be a theological but They got one point really
clear? If it wasn't like Jesus acted,
they shouldn't do it. That was the essence of what
they got. And they ask themselves is
following in this path. The path that Jesus tried him.
I stepping in his steps. Am I acting like he acted.
Am I behaving as he behaved is my attitude similar to his his
desire was to please. His father in Heaven.
He prayed often, I need to do those kinds of things and so
they imitated Jesus as best as they possibly could.
We find it in Romans 8:29? The Bible as we've mentioned
this week tells us God predestined that we who are Who
are Christians, those of us who are going to be pleasing to God
would be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
This was his predestined purpose that we imitate Jesus in a very
real term. We've talked about 2nd
Corinthians 3 and verse 8 where being transformed by this
knowledge as well. Oh there's so many more passages
we could go into but the basic fact is all of us here should
recognize is being a Christian isn't just like a club that you
belong to and where a name it implies.
Certain kind of relationship to the example.
Jesus Christ, it implies that we are imitators of him period.
That's what the word implies, and we wear his name, we had
better been trying to imitate him.
And that doesn't mean as I pointed out before, young people
listened long children, that doesn't mean your sister chose
to try to imitate his miracles. That doesn't mean you're
supposed to try to imitate his outward appearance.
It means your supposed to try to imitate his character and his
heart. That's what we're supposed to be
trying to imitate. So these are the things that the
Bible says, an example for us. Well, the Bible tells us here in
Peter, if you're if you're in second Peter, just go back to
chapter 2 verse 1 and here he starts out with young
Christians, telling them some specific points that they need
to change in that they need to change about and if it was good
back then it's good for us today too.
It's applicable to to us today too.
So let's take the lesson of what was given to them in their early
stages of Christianity. Notice in Chapter 2 and verse 1,
He says, therefore putting aside all malice.
Now let's define some of these words, I'm reading from New
American Standard and so the Greek definitions often times
are the same in giving the translation, but the word
sometimes they're a little bit different.
The word malice, what does the word malice mean?
Well, literally when you look it up, it means active ill will.
But what does that mean? Active ill will.
It means whenever you don't want somebody to be blessed, is what
it means. When, you know, No, somebody and
you really would like to see them, hit the pavement, have you
ever seen skateboarders? Have you ever seen people doing
some of those things in those extreme sports?
And you kind of go. This is real interesting, but
I'd like one just to see him crash.
Well, that's not malice when we see it on TV, that's just
wanting to see them be human. But when we're talking
spiritually about someone, that's a whole different thing
whenever we have active ill-will, what we want to see
somebody hurt, spiritually, when we want to see somebody fail
when we want to see their pride smudge, we want.
We see their character assassinated when we want to see
them disrespected. We will see them.
In some way hurt. That's active ill.
Will that's malice. And the Bible says, you no
longer put that into your heart. Why was this put in Peter?
Have you ever wondered why? It's one of the first things
mentioned? Well, have you read the book of
Acts very much? And I analyzed?
What would the issues were in the early church?
Wasn't there. A big problem between the Jews
and the Gentiles? Oh yeah.
Wasn't there a big problem? Not only just between Jews and
Gentiles wasn't there a problem between rich and poor?
Yes, there was the book of James had to write and he had to tell
them. Listen, if you say to a
portmanteau comes into your assembly, sit here, my
footstool, and yet, give preference to the rich man, have
you not become Sinners, he tells them have, you not become judges
with evil motives, haven't, you're not bit done.
Don't sense what you're wrong. Jesus didn't act this way.
He died for everybody, you're not imitating his heart.
When you have active ill, will toward those who are rich.
When you have active ill, will toward those who were poor.
When you have active ill, will toward those who are Gentiles.
When you have, active ill, will toward those who are Jews.
Some of those attitudes are still present today in the
Middle East. Guys, the very attitudes Jesus
was talking about back, then are still around today.
Because what happens in the church is that Jesus puts them
together rather than we put them together.
You see we don't get to pick who goes into the church.
If we got to pick the church would reflect, just a certain
kind of socio-economic class people just like us probably
unfortunately, That's what happens sometimes in the church
too. We have to get out of that
little box. We have to seek people that
Jesus is speaking and love those whom Jung God loves and go after
Those whom Jesus died for and it wasn't just us and it wasn't
people just like us either. So God says listen if you're
going to be a Christian, if you're going to be a follower of
me, you're going to have to view others, like I view them.
So you're going to have to get rid of your racial Prejudice,
you're going to have get rid of your socio-economic Prejudice.
You're going to have to get rid of all of that garbage.
Have to get it out because if you're going to follow me,
you're going to have to have my heart.
Going to have to have my heart. So get rid of malice notice what
he goes on to say and all deceit and hypocrisy the seat, the seat
means deceivableness, or really if you will, it means leaving
the wrong impression with someone Whether it's for your
benefit or not, you've lit, rid of Deceit.
A half Li is nothing more than a full lie in Disguise.
That's all it is. Deceit is deceit.
And if there's anybody in whom there was no deceit, it was
Jesus. One of the things that is
universal throughout the world is nobody likes a liar.
Nobody anybody in any culture that lies or deceives, their
mate or deceive, someone else, they get weeded out of the
business Community. They get weeded out of the
social Community, they get weeded out.
People do not like dishonest people everywhere in the world
and Jesus, Jesus, even Sinners, I find it.
So ironic, when Sinners get mad at somebody for being dishonest,
even though they've got no basis for the morality, they'll He'll
be upset about that if it's survival of the of the fittest,
you know? Why don't you honor someone that
lies? Well no no no.
See universally everybody. Hates the seat, everybody.
And Jesus had no deceit, Jesus didn't behave in deceit in any
way, he was totally up front with everyone and so he's
getting down to Basics. He says, listen in imitating
Jesus. This is an issue of character.
He said, I want you to get rid of malice, I want you to get rid
of Deceit and I want you to get rid of.
The next word is hypocrisy hypocrisy, notice, deceit, and
hypocrisy, and envy, and also, Slander come back tomorrow
night. We're going to talk about Indie
a little bit. And we're going to talk about
slander later on in the week, but notice he's going to say,
get rid of all of these things, get him out of your life.
Notice verse to like newborn babes desire, the sincere milk
of the word or long for the pure milk of the word.
So that by it, you may grow in respect to Salvation.
If you have tasted the kindness of the Lord, now, he is
addressing this to newborn Christians, the babes in Christ
and he says, here's one of the first things I want you to.
Get at to be a Christian. Here are the issues of
importance, their issues of malice.
That is your heart, how you feel about others?
There's issues of Deceit, that is leaving the wrong impression.
You can no longer be that way in any in any way, shape or form.
And I want to address the issue of hypocrisy because in
hypocrisy, we have the issue of character brought up that.
So vitally important get rid of crasy.
Well, what is hypocrisy a little bit?
We want to talk about that because whenever we're talking
about change, change is not evident.
Change in a hypocrite. Change is something that it
looks like on the outside that they have changed.
In other words, outwardly it appears that they're doing all
the right stuff, they're saying all the right things, but
hypocrisy has one real problem. And that is the inside.
The inside is the issue the Insight, it's a character issue
and that's why it's so important at the beginning of
Christianity, that we understand.
God wants us to understand Christianity.
Is in the club that any character can belong to whenever
you become a Christian, you would dress you address your
inner character. This is a character issue which
brings us to the first real point of what hypocrisy is.
What where did we get the word hypocrisy in our language?
Well, hypocrisy hypocrisy in the Greek is from a word, which is
really come from a person. It comes from a person, you
know, whenever you talk about people, sometimes we use words
to talk about certain kinds of attitudes.
And I hope there's no postal workers here tonight.
But what do you mean? Whatever you say, somebody goes
postal. They went postal.
Well, that is kind of come into the way we use language.
It's in the dictionary. It's in the English Oxford
dictionary. Now, what does that mean going
postal? Well, it means that there were
postponed men who evidently or both, men or women who got up to
it. And finally, they just broke and
they just kill people and they explode and everything like
that. That's what it means going
postal. Well, you and I both know that
I'll post office employees are not that way so we don't want to
offend anybody here. This I think we know that but
whenever we say that we're talking about certain attributes
or certain character, everybody here knows what I meant.
Whenever I said that I saw, I saw a recognition across the
whole crowd tonight whenever we said, somebody went postal,
well, hypocracy is that same kind of word.
It comes from a person. Hypocrisy us was a Greek actor.
He was a man and he was a good actor.
In fact, when this first this word first came into its culture
of being used, it was use data as a virtuous word.
If somebody was a great actor, they were said, to be followers,
are students of hypocrisy and they said man he's a great
hypocrite. And they used it positively and
admit that this person is able to really portray one kind of
character but we know he's an actor.
We know that's not who he really is, but he's good at
play-acting, he's good at pretense and so because of that
we will give him the honor of calling him, a hypocrite.
Well, it didn't take very long for it to get to be from a
virtuous word to an unvirtuous word.
It didn't take very long at all because then people began to use
the word of people. Who were guilty of hypocrisy and
other words they were play acting.
They would say one thing or be very sarcastic and they would
say they these other people who played a part but we're exposed
as being not really being that kind of person they were called
hypocrites. Hypocrites and that's how this
word came into meaning and Jesus used it often, he said the
scribes and Pharisees, they play A Part outwardly, they appear to
be beautiful. He says outwardly.
Here's what they portray, whatever.
They've been to observe that observe and do, but do you not
after their work? For they say and do not.
He often said, listen they portray.
They say that. They're so loving.
So prayerful to God, but they do it all Matthew 23 to be seen of
men. N.
It wasn't to please God. It was for the Applause that's
what they did it for the same reason hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy has got it was for the Applause, he wanted the part
playing. Well, this brings us to some of
the first character traits of Apocrypha.
See, we want to identify. You may want to know if you're
guilty of this thing. If the Bible says like newborn
babes desire, the sincere milk of the word and it tells us
putting aside verse 2 2:1. They're putting this aside.
How do I make sure that I'm putting this aside?
I do not want to be a hypocrite, I don't want to acquire their
characteristics of hypocrite. So how can I know if I'm a
hypocrite or not? Well, first of all perception,
isn't the criteria? Perception isn't the criteria.
Like we've said, it has to do with additive attitudes.
So let's look at the attitudes that are portrayed to us in the
scriptures. First of all, the attitude of a
hypocrite, thou hypocrite pays. More attention.
To reputation. Reputation, then character.
Hypocrite pays more attention to his reputation than the
character. How others perceive a hypocrite
or him is the most preeminent concern that he has.
Let's look at some passages in Matthew, the sixth chapter,
Matthew 6, and starting reading verse 2.
It says so then when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet
before you as the Hypocrites do. Here's a point.
He says, listen, don't sound a trumpet before you as the
Hypocrites. Do In the synagogues and in the
streets. So that they may be honored by
men this person's primary motive is to have the attention of men.
And so it's men's response that they're after its reputation.
It's that kind of thing that they're really mostly concerned
about. They want the reward of men.
So they may be ordered. My men truly I say to you they
have their reward in full and other words.
When a hypocrite gets his His human audience to respond.
God says they have what they went after and that's all the
reward. They're going to get.
When a hypocrite gets the Applause.
That's all that's being given to him.
That's all that's all an actor gets.
When the Applause is over. It's over, folks.
They get no virtue in God's eyes.
They get no praise in God's eyes.
They went after the attention of men and whenever they got it,
that was all that they got and notice what he goes on to say.
But when you verse 3, give to the poor do not let your left
hand know what your right hand is doing.
There you go. He says whenever you do good
works here's where the Shines is whenever it's done without the
motive of men's approval. That ha ha.
Now we've got it. What are you when nobody's
looking? Would you do it?
If nobody gave you any praise, there's the issue.
When the only person that knows is God, where then is your
motive? A lot of times.
The only motivated whenever others are going to know is that
the only time you're a Christian when you do Christian service
is, when somebody is going to notice, or when God asks us to
do it, my friends, who's more important to us, the Applause of
men are the approval of God. Where is the motivation?
There's how to tell there's how to tell right there whenever we
pay more attention to her. Reputation.
The character when we want to know what men think, more
importantly than what God thinks.
Then that's a sign that we're not doing it for the right
reason. And that we may be indeed a
hypocrite, notice verse 4. So that your giving will be in
secret and your father, who sees, what is done in secret
will reward you, God takes time to point out to us.
He says, listen, where's your wins for your sales is at the
approval of men, whether you prove it.
God, if it's of God, you'll do it in secret window Min know and
whenever you get no approval, when you get no applause you
will still be motivated to do Christian service.
There we go. Look.
Also in verse 5 verse 5, When you pray you're not to be like
the Hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues
and on the street corners. So that they may be seen by men.
Truly, I say to you, they have their reward in full but when
you pray go into your inner room, close your door and pray
to your father, who is in secret.
And your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Italy, God is more impressed when somebody obeys him without
an audience. Maybe that's a point.
That's the whole point here. He is asking these people when
they're hearing his message to clarify their character?
What are you when nobody's looking, That's what you really
are. That's what you really are
notice when he goes on down to verse 16, to say, whenever you
fast do not put on a gloomy face as the Hypocrites do for they
neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when
they are fasting, truly I say to you, they have their reward in
full but you when you fast anoint your head and wash your
face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but in
your father who sees in secret and your father who sees what is
done in secret will reward you, you know, one of the things that
I wanted to point out in this little boat Bulletin. is if
you'll, Page 2 of the bulletin. If you have it, this is a real
good thing to read every once in a while.
And that's why I send it to Bob. It's really helpful sometimes to
get a handle on, listen to this. The difference between
self-righteous service and really serving God.
He says, listen let me share some thoughts that contrast
self-righteous service with true service.
This is from a book called celebration of discipline by
Richard Foster, listen self-righteous.
Service comes through effort for Glory true service.
Comes from realizing our abilities are from God.
Self-righteous service is impressed with the big deal.
True service finds. It almost impossible to his
distinguish, the small service from the large service.
Self-righteous service requires external reward.
True service, rests content and anonymity.
Self-righteous service is highly concerned about results.
True service is free from the need to calculate resistance.
Results self-righteous service picks and chooses whom to serve.
True service is indiscriminate in its Ministry.
Self-righteous service is affected by moods and whims true
service Minister simply and Faithfully because there is a
need I want you to know if you're not reading that Bible.
Then it's not worth very much to you and going to church.
Isn't all it's cracked up to be if you're not going there for
the right reasons either. You see there's so many things
that are symbols but that aren't the reality. and we think, if we
have enough symbols, We will have the reality.
But how many of us serve, how many of us pray?
How many of us confess Christ? How many of us live the life?
What would we be without the symbols?
What have we were persecuted for in the assembly?
What if we were in prison? Would we be singing hymns?
How about that? Have you ever thought about
that? What if I was in prison?
What I like Peter and Paul be singing hymns?
Oh, it'll be hundred humming the country tunes that are on the
music. What is it?
What do we think about? You see, what are we all?
What are we without all of the trappings?
What if it was against the law to be a Christian?
What if we couldn't assemble here?
What if we couldn't have a copy of the scriptures?
What will we be? Then that's the issue.
And so Paul says, excuse me, Jesus often challenged his
audiences upon these occasions to make sure that they
understood the issue is character and not symbols not
pretense. Not something that was not the
true thing that binds goes on to define a Prakriti is pretending
to be something you're not and have no intention of being.
We're going to make a better definition of that in just a
moment but stay with us hypocrisy is pretended motives.
Notice acting spiritual in order to cover up sins in Matthew the
23rd chapter going on. Down to verse 27, notice woe to
you scribes Pharisees Hypocrites, for your like
whitewashed tombs, which on the outside.
A beautiful banana wired earlier, full of dead, men's
bones, and of all uncleanness, We've quoted that he says so
too. So you to outwardly appear
righteous to men but inward to your full of hypocrisy and
lawlessness inwardly. You're full of hypocrisy and
lawlessness. Lawlessness means unprincipled
that you are not governed. You have no boundaries in your
heart and in your life. Do you have boundaries that keep
you from behaving certain ways? Oh, Glenn.
I just lost it. That Temptation was too much to
bear. God says, listen that
lawlessness is a sign of the real thing.
The real authentic Christianity. A Christian is somebody who has
inner boundaries, Who practices in her boundaries who won't
allow themselves to lose it, don't allow environment to cause
them to lose. It will not find excuses for
them to lose it to go beyond the boundaries of which they have
allowed the Lord to place in their hearts and in their minds
with their angry with their anger, with their lust.
What boundaries do you have? When nobody in the church is
going to catch you. The Brethren aren't the
boundary? Your character needs to be the
boundary. You should be more afraid of God
than you are the brethren. That's my point.
That's where a Christian is, is what he's concerned.
Not about the cops, not about spiritual and moral cops.
He's afraid about displeasing. God, that is the sign of
authentic Christianity. Notice.
Oh well there's so much the Romans 12.
Let's just read this one and we'll go on to the next Point.
Romans 12 chapter. Hmm.
Romans 12 chapter, we're going to start reading verse 9 and
verse 10. Notice what he says here.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor, what is evil cling to
what is good? Be devoted to one another in
brotherly love. Giving preference to one another
in honor, not lagging behind a diligence, fervent in spirit
serving the lord rejoicing in Hope persevering in Tribulation
devoted to prayer contributing to the needs of the Saints.
Practicing, Hospitality bless those who persecute you all.
Listen! He describes the Christians
character. Here in this passage he says
here's the attitudes of Christian has in these
circumstances. They Rejoice.
They blessed their enemies. Do you bless your enemies or do
you curse your enemies? What kind of response do you
have two people who disagree with you?
What kind of problems do you have?
Are you these kinds of person? Do you bless them?
Do you rejoice with those who Rejoice Do?
You Weep with those who weep notice?
Let love be without hypocrisy. It's so easy to say that we love
when in reality we don't the Will says let love be without
hypocrisy. My friends, there is the true
test of character love. Love has a certain kind of
response to others. The Bible describes it in First
Corinthians 13. It says love is patient.
Stop saying you love someone. If you're not patient with them,
love is kind. If you're not kind to them, stop
deceiving yourself into thinking that you love them if you are
unkind with your children and by friends, here's the point about
child abuse. And I want to get very clear
about this. I'm not had that much.
I are excuse me. I don't know that much about
this area, but I do know in different areas of countries.
It seems that different problems are predominant in the culture.
And I have had Christian parents justify child abuse under
somehow saying, it's Godly and Its Behavior whenever really
questioned about this, now my, if there's anybody, I thought
I'd hear an Amen on that one. But I'll tell you what, my dad
did before he spanked us, there was only one time that I know of
that, I'm conscious of, I'll put it that way and my life, where
my dad Hit me before he thought first or slap me and it was
because he thought I'd injured my mother.
More often than not, here's the process.
There was the confrontation, the lecture, then the punishment.
My dad was very clear, you know, the rules, you violated the
rules? Here's the consequences.
Yeah, yeah. Just get it over with what was
coming. The whole point, none of us
ever. Questioned the love of our
father. You can ass out of all of us
kids and we got spankings regular with meals.
We thought that was why the, we did it, you know, some of us
here know too much, but the whole point is sometimes we did.
Most of the time we deserved it, that's the whole point.
But the whole point we never questioned that never questioned
it. His love was without hypocrisy.
But I'll tell you what, whenever you beat your kids to make
yourself feel better and there's no edifying for the child, it's
wrong. They believed in spankings, it
was my dad. when you do it for your reasons rather than for
their welfare, Then it's abuse real.
Good way to test to see if you've gone over the line.
Real good way to test. And that's what I'm talking
about here. Don't say you love somebody and
then justify it. If I love them, I'm gonna treat
him mean. I'm going to be unjust, don't
you dare justify satanic behavior in the name of my God,
my father. Don't you dare do that, don't
you, dare abuse your children, your husband, your wife in the
name of God. Don't you dare do it.
Love does not think of self whenever it acts love thinks of
the object, the good of the object.
Remember, Philippians 2 3 through 5, the Bible says, have
this attitude in yourself, which was also in Christ.
Jesus, what is that? Look out for one another's
interest above your own. That's why parents discipline
their children. That's why they instruct them is
for the child's welfare and benefit when it's for your
benefit instead. There's it's wrong.
It's a real good way to test it. God didn't give you the ability
to spank your children to help you, relieve stress.
It isn't a good stress, really Pro boy.
I feel better. My friends, it's not for you
feeling better. It's to train the children.
So anyway, I want to get off of that but perhaps that's here, I
don't know. Nobody by the way, nobody's told
me that there's a problem about that here.
So I don't want to say anything, you know, you know, within your
heart whenever you chastise your children, whether it's for their
benefit or for yours. Yeah, you know, and that's what
I'm saying here, let love be without hypocrisy.
When you correct, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, you know,
whether it's for their welfare or for yours.
You know, for whether you're trying to put them down so that
your light will shine brighter, or if it really is because
you're concerned about their soul, you know what the motive
really is on in this passage? Well there's so many more but
we're going to have to get to the second trait right quick.
We're going to have to skip on. Notice the second trait of
hypocrisy is really career, clear a hypocrite.
Carefully practices carefully. Practices.
Religious Acts. I'll have time to bring it up
while it's heart remains distant from God, heart distant.
Now we've already emphasized this and so we're not going to
spend an awful lot of time on it, but just suffice it to say
that one of the definitions of a hypocrite that vine says, was
such a hypocrite. Is somebody who plays a part but
never intends on being really what that part suggests.
And other words there are some people who practice form of
godliness but denying its power really in their life.
This is the hypocrite, a hypocrite DIA has Tails, without
depth details without depth. They tithe mint Herb's as we've
noticed last night herbs, but ignored Justice and mercy and
Faith. They strain at a gnat and
swallow. A camel, all my friends, they
are into details their details and and their biases are vital
to them. Notice.
And we want to notice this verse doesn't talk about Justice.
And by the way, Just because we're talking about something
that is a shortcoming in someone's life.
Doesn't mean they're necessarily hypocrite, just because somebody
is disobedient, doesn't mean they're a hypocrite.
This may be a revelation to some because oftentimes we want to
point to somebody who's being disobedient, we say they're
hypocrite. When in reality, they're not
Hypocrites their disobedient and maybe they'd fallen short, but
my friends, they are not part playing.
They are wrestling with temptation and sometimes they
lose, but God tells us that a hypocrite Truly is distant from
God. In other words, they are really
not into the motives at all. In Psalms 85, verse 10, Psalm 85
verse 10. Loving and kindness and Truth
have met together righteousness, and peace have kissed.
Each other truth Springs from the earth and righteous looks
looks down from heaven. Indeed, the Lord will give what
is good in our land. Will you just yield us produce
righteousness? Will go before him and will make
his footsteps into a way? The Bible here says
loving-kindness and Truth have met together righteousness and
peace have kissed. Each other.
This is the reality of Christianity.
Ever, we come whenever we come to work with one another within
a congregation. If God is there.
There is peace. If God is there loving kindness
and all of these things work together.
That's what a man who pleases the Lord will make even his
enemies to be at peace with him. How do we do this?
It's because we don't, you know,
whenever we're really are concerned about somebody.
They know that. That's what we call money in the
bank money in the bank, whenever we really try to encourage
someone when we show them loving favor, when we have served them,
when we have given them cups of cold water when we have shown
our improved, our love for them by going.
Going to miles with them and not just one whenever we've been
there in the good times, then whenever it comes time for
correction, we've got money in the bank.
We've proven our love and a congregation, it doesn't just
because they have peace, doesn't mean everybody's Mentor.
Often in a growing congregation. There's mature people, in a
mature people, there people are good examples of people who are
bad examples, but there's no arrogance.
There's no sysm between the good, the, the mature, and the
immature. There's no.
Why? Because the younger are trying
to help those who are young, the older, if I can get it right,
the older, or trying to help those who are younger, that's
what it is. Whenever In our family, whenever
we're trying to teach our children to to ride a bike where
they're going along with them. Hopefully, we're trying to help
them grow discover their talents and rejoice with them whenever
they learn to do new things. We're not threatened by them
whenever they learn to do new things.
But sometimes in church trouble, there is envy and strife and
division because people are threatened when other other
people grow in abilities and talents and maybe become a more
popular teacher than someone else.
And I've seen the differences like that divide congregations
and that's a shame. It's a sign of hypocrisy being
there because whenever the kind, whenever all of these things
come together, everybody's really working together for
everyone else's welfare. So let's be careful to not be
overly picky. Let's not and I don't mean not
concerned about someone else's welfare.
I'm just trying to say overly critical, you know, the Bible
says, in the Book of Proverbs Oops.
I always miss quote, this point are where it is.
So I have to find it right quick.
There it is. Proverbs 17 and verse 20.
The Bible says, he who has a crooked mind finds no good.
Do people cringe? When they see you coming,
because you never give compliments but every time you
open up your mouth, it's a criticism.
It's been said between husbands and wives that a lot of times,
the men are surprised that their wives are so depressed.
Why the social breath? Well, I don't know, I just try
to help her to be a good wife. I tried to help her all the
time. I give her list of everything
that she's falling short of. I, you know, I just have.
I try to be so helpful to him. I point out everything that he's
finally coming short in and I don't know why he doesn't
appreciate me. I just don't know why, you know,
it's really for his good. All of my, you know,
fault-finding, all of my criticism, they just don't
appreciate me. Well, really maybe you have not
earned the right to criticize. It's been said for everyone
criticism you need to have seven compliments or at least that's
what my wife tells me. The whole point here, is there
something real about that? There's something very real
about that. If you ever thought about that,
I'm serious. With your children, is the only
time you communicate with them is when they've done something
wrong. No wonder, they don't want to
talk to you. No wonder, make sure in our
Christianity if you're going to try to be qualified to hand out
a criticism. Make sure you've qualified
Yourself by handing out, some compliments and some
encouragement. Some encouragement.
Along the way and then you learn, you'll have money in the
bank, whenever it comes your time to correct those who are
wrong. You know, there's some people
that can say it and get away with it and some people that
could say the very same thing and not get away with it.
I wonder what it is perhaps. It's because you know that,
whenever somebody criticizes you, if they love you, you know
it and you know it when they're just being critical you know it
so brother in the church don't just justify Yourself by saying
it's true and it's right and I don't know why the Brethren
don't appreciate all the criticism I give Perhaps,
because you're not looking for your perhaps, you're disobeying.
Philippians 4:8, one of the most disobeyed passages in the Bible.
Whatsoever. Things are good.
Virtuous praiseworthy think on these things whenever you do
that, you'll earn the right to be in a concern whenever it
comes your lat. Okay?
Let me give you one example of this.
In Luke, the 13th chapter, we find that there were some people
who were critical of what Jesus did on the Sabbath day.
In Luke 13, chapter verse 10. And he was teaching in one of
the synagogue's on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for
eighteen years, had a sickness caused by spirit and she was bit
double and could not straighten up at all.
And Jesus saw her. He called over her over and said
to her woman, you are freed from your sickness and he laid his
hands on her and immediately. She was made erect again and
began glorifying God. But the synagogue, official was
a dignity because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath and began
saying to a crowd and response. There are 6 days in with the
work, can be done. Calm during them and get healed.
Not on the Sabbath day but the Lord answered him and said, you
hypocrite does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie.
His donkey are his ox or his Donkey from the stall and lead
him away to water him and this woman a daughter of Abraham as
she is, whom Satan has Bound for eighteen long years.
Should she not have been released from his bond on the
Sabbath day? And he said all this, all his
opponents being humiliated and the entire crowd was rejoicing
The Glorious things being done by him.
Now, my friends, Jesus didn't violate the Sabbath and he was
not justifying himself by his statement.
You can never violate the word of God justly and Jesus wasn't
doing that. Here he said they were violating
some of their human traditions and customs.
By healing her on the Sabbath but they had got forgotten.
The whole point that the Sabbath was so that men could focus on
the proper and spiritual things. And they had failed to do that
at this occasion, this woman was healed and they were looking in
the face of a miracle and accusing Jesus of violating the
will of God. How did they get so messed up?
Because they were so careful. They forgot to go, they forgot
to get the spirit, the spirit of what God's law was trying to
reveal. And that was the heart.
And the mind of God, I'll have to be careful and you have to be
careful when you're explaining these passages.
Not the Bible. Never justifies Disobedience,
but I want to point out. Jesus wasn't disobeying here
again. It's just that he had disobeyed
their interpretation of the law and they had made it of none
effect like they did other things as well.
But thirdly, let's get to the third point right here.
Third point. And I don't have place to ride
it. So I know some of the kids are
taking notes tonight and that's why I want to try to ride up
here. But I'll just try it, put the
word emphasize here. Emphasize their own virtues and
others sin. That's what that is there.
A hypocrite emphasizes their own virtue and other sins often in
hypocrisy, you're going to find someone who he finds it to be
clear, cut it. They look at others with a black
and white glasses. They can see clearly other
people's sins but themselves their own sins.
They don't even call them sins for themselves.
They call them weaknesses. Yeah, I have a weakness.
Its genetic my mother was that way, you know I'm that way too.
We were raised that way in the South.
We were raised to have these attitudes.
We were raised to have that attitude.
We were raised. I don't care how we were raised.
Jesus. Has now you're a son or daughter
of God your ass will still reflect his fatherhood.
That's a matter how you were raised.
I know some kids who are raised horribly that are great,
Christians and I know some kids of great Christians that hacked
horribly genetics doesn't have anything to do with it.
Being raised, doesn't have anything to do with it either.
Not that. That's what the happens.
Sometimes you can't pass on morality, whether it be sin.
You can't inherit sending, you can't in their righteousness.
I don't care how virtuous your mother or your father is that
doesn't make you virtuous or horrible.
He has a crooked. Mine finds.
No good. The whole point is, is how do
you behave in? Your right, humility before God,
are you finding yourself? Always emphasizing your own
virtue? And somebody else's sinfulness
because, you know what, if you can find somebody else worse
than you that must mean you're good.
Right. No, you see that's the whole
point. It, that's the whole point it
doesn't matter how how many times have you talked to
somebody and they said well, Glen if I believe that that
would send my mother to hell. Believing something is going to
send your mother to help or send your father to Heaven.
Guess what? What you believe doesn't have
any impact on their Eternal Destiny?
One way or another. and regardless of how many millions
you're better than that doesn't make you good.
By default. That doesn't make your character
good. You know, you can find a whole
lot of people that are worse than you.
So what It's a real sign of immaturity whenever you go
comparing yourself, always to other people.
That's a real sign that you haven't got a clue about what
Christianity is about. It's a real sign of hypocrisy.
When you're always comparing yourself to other people and not
to Jesus because Jesus is the one you're following.
Notice in Romans the second chapter In Romans the second
chapter verse 1 and 2, therefore you have no excuse, every one of
you who passes judgment for in that, which you judge another,
you condemn yourself for you who judge practice the same things.
And we know the Judgment of, God rightly falls upon those who
practice such things. But do you suppose this?
Oh, man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such
things, and do the same yourself that you will escape the
Judgment of God, you know, it's been so sad to me whenever I
notice people especially on certain websites and and I've
studied with people through the age that are always there,
really upset about the church and they left the church over,
what some hypocrite did. Now I've had brother tell me, I
went down to Texas and study with a preacher who fell away.
And you know what, he all he could preach about was how
unloving the Brotherhood was have you ever met those people?
Oh Glenn, the Brotherhood so unloving there.
So unkind all they can all they talk about.
They just a gossip emit about the people.
They just badmouth everybody and everything else.
I just held up a mirror and I go You want to look all you preach
about is how bad the Brotherhood is, that's all you can preach
about. You who condemn another, and
practice, the very same thing yourself.
That's all they could think about all.
They could say was how bad everybody in the Brotherhood was
So, what? That's the whole point.
Are you praising them? Are you going to church to
worship them or worship him? You know?
It doesn't matter to me. If the whole crowd is a bunch of
Hypocrites, I didn't come to worship them.
The reason why I go to churches because God deserves My Worship.
He needs deserve my loyalty, he deserves my obedience and I'm
going because he's who he is, and that's why we need to do
what we need to do. It doesn't matter if your
mother's hypocrite. It doesn't matter if your
father's hypocrite. It doesn't matter if the leaders
in the church are hypocrites, who don't behave, like they
should behave. It doesn't matter.
That's the whole point you need to do things because it's the
right thing to do and you need to put yourself under the same
scrutiny that you put others under in Matthew the 7th chapter
verse 1 through 5 Matthew 7, verse 1 through 5 going just a
little bit longer tonight but I got to finish this up.
Matthew 7, verse 1 through 5. Do not judge that you be not
judged for, in the way you judge.
Do, you will be judging your standard or measure it will be
measured to you. There's no telling how many
times I've had that verse read to me and you know what, it's
really ironic that the person who's reading it to me is
violating the very verse that the reading to me Isn't that
ironic? What are they doing?
They're saying now, listen, good.
You know, the Bible says not to judge, the Bible says right
there, don't you judge? And I say, and you're judging
that I'm violating that Passage aren't you doing the very thing
that you say that versus teaching against Yes. but my
friends, whenever God's word is used, it's not us, that's
judging Jesus said, my words will judge you in that day.
And whenever you share with somebody, the word of God did,
you know, you're not judging at all.
You're a bigoted church. You can demo saying no, you know
what, it doesn't have anything to do.
I didn't vote on homosexuality. Is whether it should be in the
church or out of church? Did you?
If you had a vote on it, then you may or may not be a bigot,
but guess what? I didn't have a vote.
God told me in Romans, the first chapter in The First Corinthians
6, the homosexuality is a sin and he didn't ask me to vote on
it. This is his word, he will judge
his word will judge in the last day.
Don't condemn, the Church of being a bunch of bigots.
Whenever the real problem you're having is with the author of the
book. You take it up with him, not
with the church. You don't accuse the Church of
that we done, the churches not judging.
When it preaches, the word of God.
The words, tell us, what is right?
And what is wrong and tell us what righteousness is and isn't
And I didn't get a vote, this isn't my church.
This is not your church. This is the Lord's Church.
And if the Lord isn't the head of this church, we need not be
here. But the Lord is a head of the
church. It's his church.
If you got a problem with what this church believes, take it up
with the head of the church. Jesus Christ, because he is the
head of his church Ephesians. That's right.
So a hypocrite tears down others in other to build up himself.
Jesus calls us to use righteous discernment in our judgments.
We need, we need not to become insensitive to the plight of
others. Oh, and I just want and then I'm
going to wrap it up here, I've got to wrap it up.
I want to say these last few things and it will bring it to a
close. If you've got your Bibles, I
want you to turn to passage in Thessalonians right quick and
then we'll just wrap it up. I thought it was right here.
First, that's funny. It's right here.
Well. Ah, there it is, first
Thessalonians 5 and verse 14 for in 1st.
Thessalonians 5, no matter what translation you reading.
Let's turn to look at this passage for just a moment.
Notice how he tells us that there's three different problems
and their to be handled in three different ways.
So let's read the passage the way we often apply it notice and
we are jewe verse 14 and we urge you Brethren admonish the
unruly. Admonished the faint-hearted,
admonished the week, No, it's not what it says notice.
What it says, admonish the unruly encourage the
faint-hearted. Help the weak.
Be patient with all men. Now, my friends are maybe send
problems in someone's life and the Bible doesn't tell him that
you handle all of them with a stick.
If you're that kind of parent where you handle every problem
with your children, with a stick, you're not doing it
right? Because our heavenly father
doesn't do it that way. He saves the stick for the
unruly admonish the unruly but he says help the weak encourage
the faint-hearted, maybe somebody sent him because they
need encouragement. Maybe somebody's needing help.
Be patient with all men. We have to determine why
somebody is at where they're at. God tells us to use that wisdom
or these words have no instructive purpose whatsoever.
If you go to help other people you have to help by determining
why they have seen problems in their life and then apply these
prescriptions to the problem and if you don't, you don't need to
be there. This is God's wisdom and he
says, handle different problems in different ways.
So we have to put on ourselves a heart of compassion, whenever we
go to people and sin. We have to figure out, we have
to help them figure out why they're at where they're at, and
then prescribe and then help them develop what they need in
order to survive spiritually, because we're not there, just
tell him off, we're there to help them survive.
Where to help them overcome. We're part of the support group,
not part of the problem. How sad it is, when people fear
Christians, more than they fear. God, sometimes my friends, we
need to be able to be helpful to each other, to know, beyond a
shadow of a doubt that some people are looking out for us
spiritually. So let's look at the way the
difference between a genuine. Somebody who has the character
in the mind of Christ behaves. And the way a hypocrite behaves
hypocrite pays more attention to reputation than character.
Whenever they get their Applause, my friends, it's God
says they got their reward. You got what you were after.
But a true servant a true authentic Christian serves when
nobody's watching, now careful a hypocrite, makes pays careful
attention to often times to acts of religion to the symbols, but
their heart remains a distant, distant from God, not even
understanding of the requirements, and why God put
them I'm in there. Thirdly a hypocrite emphasizes
their own virtues and other sinfulness.
And there are many examples of that there was the one in Luke.
Where one went before God he obviously was a good guy.
God, I fast twice daily. I give gifts to the poor.
I do this that and the other. In other words, he's basically
take God, you got a great guy down here.
And I'm thankful, I'm not like this Publican.
Oh, that betrayed his character. All right there, there's the
rift. There's the rift that attitude
never crosses the mind of our god.
It never crossed the mind of Jesus, to put somebody down and
to build up and puff up his own character.
Jesus had no Pride. No, self-righteous Pride.
He didn't find any Delight. He didn't find any comfort in
recognizing the other people were inferior to him at all.
I'm thankful, I'm not like him. The other man smote his breast
and said God be merciful to me a sinner which men would down to
his house Justified. One of them was a hypocrite when
I'm wasn't. What kind are we, what kind are
we here today? You know, please don't get
offended at this parallel, but this is a sinner's Anonymous
meeting. This is not a club for Perfect
People. We're not here because we're
better than somebody else. We're here acknowledging.
The fact that we need to be instructed in knowledge in the
fact that we need to be encouraged to do better
encourage notice, we're here because we need to be encouraged
to love and good works. We know that we fall short And
that's why we're here. We're here to acknowledge the
fact that we're human and we need to grow and become more
spiritually. Minded that we need to make any
difference between the character of Christ and our character, any
distinction, we need to close that Gap.
And we're here to try and do that.
And my friends that something far different than Pride.
We're here basically acknowledging.
I'm here to learn to do better. I'm here to do better, and to
courage other people to do better.
That's what I'm here for. That's what this is all about
tonight. And you know what, if you're
here in a visitor tonight? I want you to know something.
I think I know most of these Brethren pretty well.
I don't know everybody. But I know one thing that's
probably because I've been around most of them, most of my
life, most of you and one way or another, you know what?
I think everybody here is trying to do better, I think.
I think you're going to find here.
If your visitor here, you're not gonna have to worry about being
here. These Brethren have your
interest at heart and they're wanting you to succeed
spiritually and won't You come and join with us on our journey.
We need your help. We need your Insight.
We need your knowledge of the word of God.
And my friends, we will share our knowledge with you but my
friends, we need all the help we can get on that journey and we
would love to have you join with us in the quest of being more
pure dark character than we've ever been preferred before.
We want to have a better, we want to honor God and all that.
That's way we're not asking you to feel inferior tonight and be
judged by a bunch of perfect people as to You're worthy to
join this group. That's not what it's about,
everybody here has a humble heart.
I'm sure and is willing to welcome you into the Journey of
striving to do those things which please God.
So tonight you don't have to worry.
You're going to find a helpful bunch here that are dedicated to
helping you survive. Spiritually, dr.
Paul, Faulkner in commenting on hypocrisy and I want to read
this last thing I want to make it very clear.
What I just said about the church and I want he clarifies
it. Very good in this quote he said
hip Secrecy is pretending to be something.
You never intend to become or another way around.
He said, if we are sincerely trying to become something
better, More christ-like. even though we're far from doing it
perfectly, it is not being phony to make the effort, it's not
being phony to make the effort. there's a difference between
somebody who's trying, And somebody who's a crit.
Just because somebody sins doesn't automatically make them
Everett. And just because somebody has
all the trappings of perfection doesn't make them a Christian
either. Point is.
What are we trying to do? Where are we headed?
What's our motive? Where are we going?
But trying doesn't make you phony.
So tonight, come and join us. Won't you in your faith?
Repent, of your sins confess. His sweet name before men,
Matthew 10:32 and be baptized for the remission of sins.
Join us on that Journey. If you haven't before, if you're
a Christian, perhaps somebody's hypocrisy has caused you to be
disheartened. Perhaps you focused on them,
instead of on the Lord tonight. Refocus fix your eyes on Jesus
wrote, Hebrews chapter 12, instead of on people.
Get your pride, get get the person, you're worshiping
downright get the person you're following in their steps down,
right? Even Paul said be ye followers
of me as I am of Christ. He was following Jesus.
My friends. So let's get who were following
downright tonight. Won't you come and join us in
our effort to follow Jesus? We may not be perfect, but we're
trying Why don't you try to? We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional
information, or you would like to receive a free Bible
correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at her
Church of Christ Bakersfield.com.
Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and
Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us.
We would love for you to be our honored guest.