When Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and vipers, the Lord knew what He was saying, for He knew them; He knew who they were and who they represented.
From this lesson, we should be able to see and know that there are hypocrites and vipers among us now: in our own world, in our own communities and neighborhoods, within our own churches and religious institutions, and oftentimes within our own families.
People are hypocrites when they live a double life. Internally, their souls are darkness; but their external appearance appears to be light.
Hypocrites live in a world unto themselves: they are self-centered, envious, jealous, and full of anger. They like having their own way. They enjoy being right all of the time and everybody else is wrong. They spend time thinking about how good they are. They live in a social class by themselves, which is above all other social classes, and therefore they look down their noses at other people, even people within their own families. They live lonely lives, created by their own visions of themselves. Instead of drawing people toward them, they push people away because of their pomp and pride.
Hypocrites do no wrong, they make no errors, and they are encapable of making mistakes. They have no need for other people because of their self-sufficiency. They have no fears and they have no tears because of their pride. And because of their pride, they will never admit to being wrong, they will never admit to making mistakes, and, of course, they will never admit to God that they are sinners because they believe they are above sin and are in no need of repentance. Unto themselves, hypocrites are perfect in all of their ways.
Hypocrites want and need to be in control of others as well as to control situations when with others. If they can not control certain people, they do not participate in activities. So they choose their target audience with calculations for success. They do not have many friends because they do not want others to know their true identity. So they cling to the people they have tricked.
Like Jesus said, hypocrites are vipers: they are as snakes and their venom is poison. They contaminate others with their presence. They draw others away from God because they are not friends of God: but rather they are professional pretenders. They know the language of church people or religious people, and therefore they know the proper responses that will lead others to believe that they are are just and righteous before God.
Hypocrites are deceivers. They are usually religiously devout. They seek control and domination of others. And they seek to create division in other families. They are against God, against Christ, but they are very much in favor of religion; and because they are religiously devout, others tend to think well of them as nice people, based on their outward appearance and by their personalities.
Hypocrites are not open and totally honest with others; neither can they be. When they speak, they do not like being challenged nor corrected; for in their own minds, they are never wrong about anyting.
Hypocrites and vipers desire to control and dominate others, which is the same characteristic model of people who want to control the world, such as the New World Order that is presently rising upon the earth.
The unseen danger of hypocrites and vipers is the fact that their conscience has been seared and they are no longer responsive to the call of God for their salvation; for they are incapable of believing that they are sinners and in need of Christ. They are cold and heartless individuals, for underneath their do-good image is selfishness and self-exaltation; and their outward appearance is merely pretense. They are very good actors. Remember, a snake is still a snake, and snakes bite when least expected.
As Christians, recognize them: then avoid them as much as possible.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.... (II Corinthians 6: 14, 17)
From this lesson, we should be able to see and know that there are hypocrites and vipers among us now: in our own world, in our own communities and neighborhoods, within our own churches and religious institutions, and oftentimes within our own families.
People are hypocrites when they live a double life. Internally, their souls are darkness; but their external appearance appears to be light.
Hypocrites live in a world unto themselves: they are self-centered, envious, jealous, and full of anger. They like having their own way. They enjoy being right all of the time and everybody else is wrong. They spend time thinking about how good they are. They live in a social class by themselves, which is above all other social classes, and therefore they look down their noses at other people, even people within their own families. They live lonely lives, created by their own visions of themselves. Instead of drawing people toward them, they push people away because of their pomp and pride.
Hypocrites do no wrong, they make no errors, and they are encapable of making mistakes. They have no need for other people because of their self-sufficiency. They have no fears and they have no tears because of their pride. And because of their pride, they will never admit to being wrong, they will never admit to making mistakes, and, of course, they will never admit to God that they are sinners because they believe they are above sin and are in no need of repentance. Unto themselves, hypocrites are perfect in all of their ways.
Hypocrites want and need to be in control of others as well as to control situations when with others. If they can not control certain people, they do not participate in activities. So they choose their target audience with calculations for success. They do not have many friends because they do not want others to know their true identity. So they cling to the people they have tricked.
Like Jesus said, hypocrites are vipers: they are as snakes and their venom is poison. They contaminate others with their presence. They draw others away from God because they are not friends of God: but rather they are professional pretenders. They know the language of church people or religious people, and therefore they know the proper responses that will lead others to believe that they are are just and righteous before God.
Hypocrites are deceivers. They are usually religiously devout. They seek control and domination of others. And they seek to create division in other families. They are against God, against Christ, but they are very much in favor of religion; and because they are religiously devout, others tend to think well of them as nice people, based on their outward appearance and by their personalities.
Hypocrites are not open and totally honest with others; neither can they be. When they speak, they do not like being challenged nor corrected; for in their own minds, they are never wrong about anyting.
Hypocrites and vipers desire to control and dominate others, which is the same characteristic model of people who want to control the world, such as the New World Order that is presently rising upon the earth.
The unseen danger of hypocrites and vipers is the fact that their conscience has been seared and they are no longer responsive to the call of God for their salvation; for they are incapable of believing that they are sinners and in need of Christ. They are cold and heartless individuals, for underneath their do-good image is selfishness and self-exaltation; and their outward appearance is merely pretense. They are very good actors. Remember, a snake is still a snake, and snakes bite when least expected.
As Christians, recognize them: then avoid them as much as possible.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.... (II Corinthians 6: 14, 17)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments will not be published openly.