Pharisee Phoniness

So don’t be drawn in by the hypocrite, for his gracious speech is a charade, nothing but a masquerade covering his hatred and evil on parade. Don’t worry—he can’t keep the mask on for long. One day his hypocrisy will be exposed before all the world

Proverbs 26:25-26 (TPT)

The term “fake news” is not new anymore. We hear it almost daily. The “big lie” is a far too familiar phrase now. The coining of such expressions doesn’t make them real, but it does reveal what’s been true along: things are not what they seem.

People aren’t always as they seem; as the old adage goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Likewise, you can’t size up a Christian by the mask he’s wearing. Of late, we have become all too familiar with wearing masks fashioned against a shape-shifting virus. But what of the invisible masks worn to hide one’s sin or true self?

Religion is the perfect cover for those who like the praise of men. Where does evil go and hide the church, of course! Hypocrites abound in a place where the image is everything, and the glory of God has long gone.

The righteousness of God far exceeds the law-abiding citizen. Moral failures abound in the church these days. Most anything goes, including drunkenness, immorality, and yes, abortion. Of course, it’s all legal and done undercover, but it’s naked in the sight of God. It’s time to get real, take off the mask, and repent.