Hypocrite

Words have meanings.

A. This is why you just don’t see parents naming

their children: Jezebel, Judas, Adolph, or Demas.

Because there can be bad associations with some words,

people have euphemized some words.

A. You all know the words.....gay (which doesn’t

mean happy), shack-up (which is not a

commentary on a jumping basketball player),

weed (which is not something, in the garden

that we try to pull up).....etc., etc..

1. As society starts to accept things that are

considered wrong....as being O.K.....they

try to take the stigma of the wrong off, by

changing the names of sin.

Some things are so bad, though, that even our wicked

world of sin can’t (or doesn’t) find a name that can

substitute for it.

A. There is no nice name for rape or murder.....yet.

1. There is another word that nobody has found

a way to change....it is still despicable to

everyone........and that name is...

HYPOCRITE!

The only time anyone will admit to this name is when

he/she is either caught or confronted....or is ready to repent.

A. If I asked for a show of hands in here, today, of

anyone who is a hypocrite....we might get a few

from those who want to impress us with their

honesty.

1. But if we asked for details, they might not

be so forthcoming.

Perhaps.....some would not even be able to recognize

themselves as practicing this deceit.

A. They may have already mad excuses, either out

loud....or to themselves.

1. “Everyone wants to do that....I just have the

nerve to do it......but I don’t need to

advertise it”.

2. “A person only gets some opportunities

once in life.....I can’t let these slip through

my fingers....but others just wouldn’t

understand”.

3. “Everybody else does it....they just hide it

as I do”.

4. “I know others seem to think that this is

wrong.....but I just can’t see it that way”.

A major hurdle to overcoming real hypocrisy, in real

people, in the real Church........is to recognize it and

especially.....to recognize it in me.

A. Certainly we can all recognize moments of

hypocrisy in ourselves.....and when we do...

we repent of it and ask God’s forgiveness.

1. We are dealing with a hypocritical life-style

which is ongoing.

a. Some are acting the part...living a lie.

Let us take the time to point out the things that indicate that

we may be living that lie.

I. First of all, the lifestyle of a hypocrite is measured by

the fact that this person WANTS TO DO WRONG...

or more correctly....THIS PERSON DOES NOT

HAVE THE WILL TO DO WHAT THEY REALLY

KNOW, IS RIGHT!

Acts 5:3-4 - 3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan

filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part

of the price of the land for yourself? 4“While it remained,

was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in

your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in

your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

A. Those that live a lifestyle of the hypocrite do not

continue in this lifestyle, by accident.

1. They “conceive to deceive”.

a. There is a lot of planning that must be

taken into account when one decides

to live “two lives”.

1.) One must decide upon whom they

will deceive.

2.) They certainly know why they are

trying to perpetrate this deception.

3.) They must make intricate plans as

to how they will carry out this

deception.

B. For an ongoing life of deception....there has to

be a will to fool....to trick...to dupe...to deceive

others.

1. In some form or other, this deception is to

fulfill a person’s selfish desires.

a. Excuses may be used to justify....but

the bottom line is selfishness.

** A hypocrite weighs the options (the risks of getting

caught)...writes the script....and then goes to the

trouble of performing, at the peril of the soul, the

the acts that are designed to fool.

1. This hypocrite continues to play this part because

he/she wants to.

II. People who live the part of the hypocrite, do not want

to......actually fear with all their hearts, being called

into account and exposed for all their wrongdoing.

A. Hypocritical people do not have a good working

knowledge of how God works.

Romans 8:27 - 27Now He who searches the hearts

knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes

intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

1. Intellectually, they may understand that

God sees and understands everything that

they do.

a. In reality.....these people view God as

they view mankind.

1.) A God who is limited in

sight...and limited in

understanding.

a.) Why else would any

intelligent person sneak

around in an attempt to

deceive...if they accepted,

as reality, a God that