In our Sunday mornings we have been teaching through the book of Job. As we have progressed through the book we have dealt with the conventional “wisdom” of Job’s culture. It (and his three friends) maintained that “bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people.” The world at large still seems to think this way. Job maintained that he was a man who loved and served God and that he suffered anyway. His friends maintained that he must have secretly been living a double life and were suffering for his sin. If he would only confess and forsake it, God would bless him again. Lots of people are caught up in their same false concept.
They mentioned one valid thing in this: Some professing believers indeed do lead two lives – one in fellowship with other believers and one away from them. When one’s practices and lifestyle are put on and off at will depending on their location or company there is a name for them, a biblical name – hypocrite. The person that people see at work or out on the town should be the same person that they see at church. None of us are “perfect,” but we should all strive for consistency. For example, we are exhorted to guard our tongues (speech) in Jas 3. It shouldn’t both bless and curse. That would be like salt water rising out of a fresh spring or vice-versa. In Eph 4 we are told not to live any longer as the Gentiles (unbelievers as used here) do in the futility of their thinking.
That is not how we learned of Christ!
The question each of us needs to ask of ourselves is, “Am I redeemed or just a poser?” And if I am redeemed, am I seeking to live out my faith wherever I am at or do I change like a chameleon to suit my surroundings? The word “hypocrite” means, “Under a mask.” The world needs to see genuine faith lived out before it on a daily basis. The aim for us is not perfection, which is impossible. The aim is consistency over time. That is powerful. And it is the result is a good witness.
They mentioned one valid thing in this: Some professing believers indeed do lead two lives – one in fellowship with other believers and one away from them. When one’s practices and lifestyle are put on and off at will depending on their location or company there is a name for them, a biblical name – hypocrite. The person that people see at work or out on the town should be the same person that they see at church. None of us are “perfect,” but we should all strive for consistency. For example, we are exhorted to guard our tongues (speech) in Jas 3. It shouldn’t both bless and curse. That would be like salt water rising out of a fresh spring or vice-versa. In Eph 4 we are told not to live any longer as the Gentiles (unbelievers as used here) do in the futility of their thinking.
That is not how we learned of Christ!
The question each of us needs to ask of ourselves is, “Am I redeemed or just a poser?” And if I am redeemed, am I seeking to live out my faith wherever I am at or do I change like a chameleon to suit my surroundings? The word “hypocrite” means, “Under a mask.” The world needs to see genuine faith lived out before it on a daily basis. The aim for us is not perfection, which is impossible. The aim is consistency over time. That is powerful. And it is the result is a good witness.