Matthew 23:27–28: “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.”

January 21st, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

A hypocrite is literally “one who hides behind a mask.” You’ve got to love the story of the man who told the pastor he didn’t go to church because there were so many hypocrites there. The pastor responded by saying, “Oh, don’t let that stop you. There’s always room for one more.” While there are certainly some in every church, genuine believers remember that they are first and foremost forgiven sinners. The old saying that going to church doesn’t make one a believer any more than going into a garage makes one a car is an important truth. What some people perceive as hypocrisy in the church is in fact the result of a mistaken assumption. Some people assume others are believers just because they get up on Sundays and go to a place called church.

There is a second mistaken assumption that a believer is someone who doesn’t sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. As John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). A hypocrite claims to be without fault in one area or another. An authentic believer, on the other hand, freely admits to the fact that he or she is a sinner. John goes on to describe the difference between a hypocrite and an honest sinner: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (vs. 9). A forgiven sinner consistently seeks cleansing from sin. Are you wearing a mask, or do you freely admit that you have to stand before God regularly, confessing that you’re a sinner and asking for His cleansing forgiveness?

“Thank you, LORD, that You stand ready to forgive and cleanse us. We have sinned and need Your forgiveness this day, in Jesus name, amen.”