This morning in my Bible reading I read in Romans where it is talking about hypocrites. This is something that always hits me. I never, ever want to be a hypocrite. I want to practice what I preach.
“You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’ ” (Romans 2:22-24).
So many people, good people, even Christian people, take God’s Word and use it for their benefit. They might follow only the parts they want to and leave out parts that they do not want to obey. And some twist God’s words to fit their current situation or needs.
We know adultery is wrong, period. No way around that. But they may be having an emotional relationship with someone other than their spouse. Or maybe they look at pornography or watch television shows where the men and women are dressing inappropriately or there are “love” scenes.
Recently I taught the Ten Commandments to the kids in my Wednesday night Bible study. When we got to number seven, Thou shalt not commit adultery, I wanted the kids to understand this still applies to them even though they are not married. I taught it to them as having impure thoughts about anyone other than your own husband/wife.
If you’re having impure thoughts about that woman on TV, that shirtless man on a billboard, or a friend, you are committing adultery. So, if we are preaching against it, yet doing it, we are being a hypocrite.
We know idols are wrong, but are we putting things above God? Our video games, iphones, laptops, new car, fancy house, all of that is great, but is it above God? Do video games come before our quiet time? Does our fancy house come before helping the broken? Does our iphone stand in the way of listening at church? Then we are putting things before God. This is idolatry.
Friends, I want to encourage you take a good look at your life. Is there an area that you are dishonoring God? Is there an area you are being hypocritical about? Turn it over to God. Ask Him to help you live a life fully pleasing to Him. —Jenifer Metzger, US
tom felten on May 15, 2012 at 11:18 am
Thanks for these insights, Jenifer. When you wrote, “So many people, good people, even Christian people, take God’s Word and use it for their benefit,” it really struck home. How often do I emphasize certain portions of Scripture, but avoid the ones that are hard or that make me squirm?
mike wittmer on May 16, 2012 at 2:57 pm
This is right on, Jennifer. The longer we have been a Christian the stronger will be our temptation to fake it, as we have more of ourselves invested in our Christianity. We need to be increasingly on guard then, the older we get. God help us to stay pure.