Hypocrite!

'An hypocrite(wicked) with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.' - Proverbs 11:9

'But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? 17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.' - Psalm 50:16-17

'Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisee(s), which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.' - Luke 12:1-2

aspen2 said:

Finally, in our fallen world hypocrisy is a direct result of living by standards, so if a nonbeliever calls me a hypocrite I must remember that God is still working in my heart to bring my ideals in line with my behavior, but I also need to remember that only people with standards are hypocrites.

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I believe you've completety missed the mark.

A person with no standardes lacks any kind of what most would call a moral compass or in christian terms someone seeking and being lead by the HS.

On the other hand, a hypocrite is someone professing to follow a moral compass or in christian terms, do as the Lord has taught and directed you to do.
That would also include being prepared to give any man an answer for the faith with-in you, which would equate to a non hypocritical presentation and living the gospel as you know it. If you follow the teaching of men I assure you, you will be found out and you may even be called a hypocrite.

I suppose that James comes to mind right now.

James 1:26
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Hears a bit of secret, the HS bring all things unto remembrance, he uses the word "the bible" to remind and teach, people that walk and practice this will not be found to be hypocritical, the word is not hypocritical and nether is God. Now religion has no such spirit that brings the things learned to remembrance and can surly not bring to mind to prevent your mouth from revealing before others your a double minded man, and your religion is worthless.

Paul also understood this very well.
Acts 26:5-11

In short, people that follow the religious teachings of men can't help but be found to be hypocrites. Why? because there is no life in them, the Spirit does not dwell their.

Aspen .... I pretty much agree with all of your first post

I have been there and done that in my early christian years (hypocrite)

As I matured through the years I find myself feeling more and more fortunate to have discovered Christianity , and feel less and less deserving of it.

I try to convey those mature feelings toward the unsaved and it appears to capture their interest better than if I put on an air of being better .

I am not better ..... just forgiven.

We can rightly claim to have a better Spirit in us than the spirit of the world ..... but again , the accolades belong to The Holy Spirit .... not ourselves so much.

Very good post Aspen , thanks.

Arnie Manitoba said:

We can rightly claim to have a better Spirit in us than the spirit of the world ..... but again , the accolades belong to The Holy Spirit .... not ourselves so much.

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I don't think anyone in particular is saying what you're suggesting. But, what I'm saying is you're a traitor if you turn on your own people whom Christ died for, for what, to appear holier than thou before the damned. I think that's called kissing the bot bot.

aspen2 said:

Are you a hypocrite? It is the number 1 charge against Christians from the secular world - I think it might actually be tied with rigid and closeminded. In any case, have you really stopped to think about what the word means? It describes a person who holds an ideal in their mind about the right way to believe and act. It can apply to doctrinal and behavioral standards.

If we are honest, we are all hypocrites - Jesus was right when he pointed out the people whose behavior did not match their ideals. Interestingly what made Him angry about the hypocrites that He pointed out was not their hypocrisy! Instead, it was their lack of compassion and judgmental attitudes towards the people who didn't meet their expectations.

Hypocrisy is not good, but it tends to come with the human condition - we are never able to completely live up to our own ideals, but the worse part is that we often take it out on other people. God is sanctifying our hearts toward unconditional love, compassion, and forgiveness. Our hypocrisy should be a red flag for our own behavioral deficits, not our neighbors.

Finally, in our fallen world hypocrisy is a direct result of living by standards, so if a nonbeliever calls me a hypocrite I must remember that God is still working in my heart to bring my ideals in line with my behavior, but I also need to remember that only people with standards are hypocrites.

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I find the biggest problem regarding the above, is that people need to examine themselves more and others less.

It's the old mote and log in the eye story.

Niki said:

I find the biggest problem regarding the above, is that people need to examine themselves more and others less.

It's the old mote and log in the eye story.

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You nailed it exactly

I found that while I was involved in religious liturgy, I had to be a hypocrite in order to maintain position. Now that I am free from religion's chains, I am now a heretic. So which is better, play acting in the religious system and being considered "spiritual" by many or being an outsider and a heretic by the same many?

I find it interesting that aspen didn't comment or defend my calling him a hypocrite in this thread http://www.christianityboard.com/topic/18461-wheres-james-gandolfini-now/

But instead starts a superficial thread about hypocrisy. Let me ask you a question re guarding the thread I pointed out aspens double standard, who started a negative accusation first? That would have been aspen being critical of Webers Home. I simply pointed out that his religion practices the same, in re-guards to determining who and who isn't a saint.

The point is, just as I quoted above is it proves aspens religion is of no value he just doesn't realize it, If he believes in what his church of choice does he believe everything it does and teaches, now If he disagrees with certain aspects of it's beliefs and practices it only affirms his religion is of no value. So instead aspen chooses to deny that it is a hypocritical position in the other thread and form a case against anyone that that points out the obvious.

Here below, is another part of your superficial case that doesn't hold water. Their expectations were in error, they then denied the truth. They refused put away the teachings of men and follow Jesus Matthew 23:13-15 Does that sound like the point I made to you in the other thread about your religion? You accept the practices of your church but reprehend someone else for speculation about the future of others that have died. So aspen instead of simply saying, your right my church practices the same and I disagree with it, "acknowledging your religion is useless" Your looking for other to help you deal with the facts by painting someone that has a just critical view of your actions as the one that is in error.

aspen2 said:

If we are honest, we are all hypocrites - Jesus was right when he pointed out the people whose behavior did not match their ideals. Interestingly what made Him angry about the hypocrites that He pointed out was not their hypocrisy! Instead, it was their lack of compassion and judgmental attitudes towards the people who didn't meet their expectations.

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Here's the rest of story, the other half of speck VS beam that comes to rescue all that resent hearing the truth.
Aspen was being rightfully critical of Webers Home speculation, he simply doesn't like to hear that he supports the same by being being part of a religion.

Ezekiel 3:18
Ezekiel 33:8
James 5:19-20
Hebrews 12:11-13

Or would we be ones that itch the itching ear? 2 Tim 4:3-4

Niki said:

I find the biggest problem regarding the above, is that people need to examine themselves more and others less.

It's the old mote and log in the eye story.

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In fact, it seems this is the biggest destroyer of marriage and it certainly nearly doomed mine. When you hear divorced or divorcing couples bicker, it's always about how the other person is completely at fault. I've listened with amusement on the Dr. Laura program as she tries to get somebody to focus on what they may have done to contribute to the failure of their marriage. The person gives some cursory and fleeting self criticisms but then very quickly launches into how awful the other spouse is; like they're spring loaded to do so. I say with amusement because that used to be me. And were it not for in-law power (all four of them staged an intervention) it would have happened to us. We were divorced briefly, but then remarried with a stronger foundation. I know can see this trait and when I find myself being more and more critical of my wife, I know it's time to pray and perform a scathing self-audit. The same applies to both of us.

Hey Vale...what a story! I have to tell you something...for some reason I thought you were a woman...haha...doesn't change anything I guess

Its about expectations too, isn't it? What is true, is that we can only change ourselves and many many times I wish I could find a gentler more noble
Christianity than what I experience...and even that has to start with ourselves...

Yes..a self audit....so many do just blame everyone around them.....we've all done it to some point, but some are that way all the time. It's always another
persons fault.

Well, that is never true and it takes two to argue, right? But this hypocrite stuff....Jesus really covered that with the mote and beam. That doesn't mean
the other person is never at fault...but if we check our sins at the door, perhaps there sins might seem less after all

I think I'm getting pretty sick and tired of having the word 'hypocrite' associated so freely with 'Christian'.

And I think I'm finished admitting that any Christian isn't perfect.

WE ARE perfect! In Christ we are. If God does not hold us to blame for anything, then who else is able to do so?

It's time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves....
sorry we're so bad....
sorry we're Christians...
sorry we're not perfect...

You know very well that the liars, the murderers, the cheats and the thieves - all damned - praise their own form of debauchery. They stab one another in the back, lie cheat and steal - but its' Christians that are the hypocrites? Come on now - who is lying to who?

I know many Christians who work very hard each and every day to be as honest and good and hard working as is humanly possible -
AND I THINK THEY ARE SUCCEEDING.

So to lump these kind and generous and - dare I say it GODLY people - into the same fetid muck as the rest of the self-absorbed and self-justified world is more than an insult. I think its a crime before the God who died to save them.

I do not know one single Christian who is a hypocrite. Not one.

I know quite a few who are meek and kind and ready to accept criticism even from the devil, thinking they are imperfect sinners.

None who are just before God are sinners, are hypocrites, or are subject to ANY valid criticism from the devil, from any of the demons of hell, or from any pompous fools who do not know the mercy of the Kingdom of God. None.

If anyone wants to write about hypocrisy, let them write about the government (there's lots there to write about), write about Hollywood (ditto) or just write about the worldly culture that thinks it alone is perfect and above Godly criticism.

There is absolutely no hypocrisy in the body of Christ. None whatsoever.

and that's just me, hollering from the choir loft...

aspen2 said:

i think christians are all moving towards loving perfectly, but we are not there yet. I am not suggesting that we feel sorry for ourselves - we are on the road to victory. What i am trying to say is that the charge of hypocrisy from nonbeelievers who have no standards to meet themselves, rings hollow.

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aspen...I have heard the charge of hypocrite from one Christian to another far more than from those who are not Christians.

WE ARE perfect! In Christ we are. If God does not hold us to blame for anything, then who else is able to do so?

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I like this ^^^ from rjp...because it actually refers to scripture. Positionally, we are all that we will ever be even if we have not yet experienced it and no one can take
us out of God's hand

I will agree that we do learn, and often the hard way I think, to stop being so quick to judge another. It almost seems to be some kind of Christian disease to be
quick to point at another...as though relieved that person is not us.

I could say a whole lot more having been on the receiving end of the pointing fingers and knowing I was innocent of the charges, but personal drama aside,
Christians often have very sharp tongues and I am not saying that about you personally...I don't even know you...but in my experience certain sins seem
easy to avoid for alot of Christians...while gossip is like the cherry on top of the experience.

Again, please don't take the above personally...I'm just thinking out loud in generalities

[email protected] said:

I know quite a few who are meek and kind and ready to accept criticism even from the devil, thinking they are imperfect sinners.

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Good post RJP. The above is the nail on the head! We judge ourselves daily in fear and trembling before God. Should we do something hypocritical, we repent sincerely and fix the damage. We don't remain hypocritical. Dipping our feet in mud doesn't make us a pig.

aspen2 said:

Are you a hypocrite? It is the number 1 charge against Christians from the secular world - I think it might actually be tied with rigid and closeminded. In any case, have you really stopped to think about what the word means? It describes a person who holds an ideal in their mind about the right way to believe and act. It can apply to doctrinal and behavioral standards.

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I agree with the underlined. The unsaved want to discredit any religious person and especially a Christian. If they can be confident in their minds that we are hypocrites they feel less guilt from resisting Jesus and living in sin.

I think it is important for us to be pro-active in addressing these accusations though. It makes for a great witnessing opportunity too .