by Tony Clark
To be a hypocrite is to be clean on the outside but rotten on the inside - to live up to a level of morality or to set a standard outwardly, but in reality being driven by motives and agendas that are hidden and quiet contrary to what we profess. Because of our intense desire/need to be perfect, and the guilt when we are not, we cover our shame and project it on to others, condemning those that can’t or don’t live up to the standard we profess to live up to, which in fact is a lie. Jesus had mercy on those who in their own strength could not obtain or achieve and knew their weakness, but was merciless to those who by deceit and cruelty operated in hypocrisy and showed no mercy to those in need.
One of the greatest ways that the reputation of God and Christianity has been damaged in our time is when people that have never really been conformed to His image have been the greatest voice calling for repentance and a perfection that they themselves have never achieved.
So the greatest challenge in our time becomes the call to be real with where you are at with God and with people, and realise that you don’t need to be perfect to be a Christian, remembering that it’s not by our own deeds or righteous acts that we are justified before God but by the righteous act of one man’s obedience - the one who had never sinned, Jesus Christ.