The Final Masquerade
Today’s subject is on something that was chosen by voters on facebook. One of the easiest things to teach about. One of the easiest things to become angry about. The easiest to find and see in the world today. But mostly, the easiest to become. When it comes to Hypocrites, people think they know everything about them. But what they don’t realize they know nothing about them. Let us first define the word Hypocrite. Hypocrisy is an unconscious self-contradiction: a state between one’s professed beliefs and feelings and one’s actual beliefs and feelings, or an application of a criticism to others that one does not apply to oneself. Hypocrisy is like a father who beats his child with a belt for smoking, while holding a cigarette in his hand. Or like a “Christian” who claims to be pro-life but yells at people to stop preaching at abortion clinics because it is pressing their beliefs on others. Hypocrites are very common in the world today. As a matter of fact, the majority of them are “Christians”.
Hypocrisy is like a Masquerade mask. You put on something beautiful and elegant on the outside, only to reveal another face underneath. So take the following story, into consideration.
You enter in a big room where there is hundreds of people all wearing the most beautiful Masquerade masks. They all tell you they are righteous people who have no sin, and they are beautiful and pure. but one by one as you unveil their true identity, the faces of every person is warped and twisted. Dark and ugly. Satanic even. When God looks through the hearts of the Hypocrites, this is what He sees. Masks, hiding a face full of sin.
Hypocrites are not only very annoying and ugly, but also very dangerous. For years Hypocrites have ran Christians out of church and even out of faith. New christians go to church and realize that the people who attend don’t practice what they preach. After that the christians get so confused on what the Word really teaches that they either get burnt out of church or they themselves inherit the spirit of Hypocrisy. Or when Pastors and Teachers preach holy living for years, and turn around and have affairs and come out to be homosexual. When Christians go to church they have people they rely on and trust. They need these influences to build their faith and to keep them strong. Without which they fall under the temptations of this world. And when they find out that those Pastors or Teachers they once trusted, is now one of the biggest hypocrites, it burns people out. It literally drains their spirit. So what now? You have Christians who ultimately get burnt out of Church and Faith. That would make their blood on the hands of the Hypocrites.
But what does the Word say about Hypocrites? Rev. 3:16 says “So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.” This is actually saying it is better for you to be an open sinner, than a false saint. Because as an open sinner you only hurt yourself. But as a false saint, you hurt others around you. Do hypocrites go to hell like any other sinner? Yes. Yes they do. Job 13:16 says “He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.” So as a warning to all who read this, be sure your not found guilty of such a hideous crime.
The bible says in Matt 7:5 “You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye.” Jesus tells us that we must first cleanse ourselves before we judge others or else we are those Hypocrites.
1 Tim 3:7 says “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” Paul tells us here that if we have a good report (a good reputation without sin), So while we preach or teach to others, we must make sure that we are without sin to avoid being a lukewarm Hypocrite who will continue to be the reason of burning Christians out of church and faith and finding their blood on our hands.
Isaiah 32:6 For the vile person will speak villainy, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
Isaiah 32.6 “Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.”
Ezekiel 33:31-32 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
Job 20:5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
Job 27:8-9 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
Proverbs 11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Perceived by Matthew 