Thoughts on Hypocrisy

"The opposite of sincerity is hypocrisy, a lie with an attractive cover." -William Gurnall, "The Christian In Complete Armour" Vol. 2

"A lie with an attractive cover." Have you ever had one of those moments? Have you ever caught yourself outside of sincerity's graces? I have! It's very easy to become a "churchy" Christian, and to give all of the right answers. We speak "Sunday School" very fluently, yet our hearts do not understand or believe the incredible things that our lips are proclaiming!

Hypocrisy, my friends! I present to you the number-one threat to the avid church-goer's relationship with Christ. Being an "avid church-goer," so to speak, becomes dangerous when we hear truths over and over, but they no longer impact us. We become familiar with all of the right answers and all of the right things to say in response to others, but we do not ever truly allow what we have heard to enter into our hearts and change the wickedness that is inherently there.

This is a dangerous place to be! How do we change it? How do we learn to be more sincere in our faith???
These questions and many others have been going through my head this morning! It has caused me to examine my life and ask the question, "Do I really believe what I'm saying?" Do I believe what I say when I pray to the God of heaven? Do I believe that there really is a God in heaven? How much do I actually believe that Christ ACTUALLY DIED and became THE ransom for my sins?
Do I believe these things to the point of such conviction that I cannot escape the truths that they bear? That I do not chance hypocrisy when I speak in a group of fellow believers?
"...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:13) Paul shows us, in this verse, that even our will to do good comes from God.
So, our safest escape from hypocrisy is through times spent in prayer before our Maker. Plead and ask the God of Heaven to show you His truth! Ask Him to help you to believe the things that you read in Scripture. Ask Him to help you to understand and believe in the saving work of Christ's death on the cross, on your behalf. Ask God to make Himself real to you. When you have a sincerity of heart, a sincerity of mind, and sincerity is on your lips... hypocrisy will have no foothold in your Christian walk.

I would love to hear your input on this subject of hypocrisy. Please e-mail me with any questions or comments at afflquestions@yahoo.com .
Grace and Peace!