God knows who I am ................ Parables 334

September 8, 1992

Art was slightly red-faced when he told about a customer who entered his place of business. It was a young man with a red moustache and beard, someone he did not recognize. It was only after asking how he could help him that Art realized it was his own son! The boy had worked in the forestry industry for the summer and returned with unexpected changes to his appearance. Art said, “At least this proves I’m not infallible!”

Most of us cannot imagine being unable to recognize our children but it could happen. Sometimes, if all we ever see them wear is jeans and sneakers, putting on a suit or a grad gown could be enough to do it, or a costume and make-up for a drama play. And if they began acting differently than their usual selves, it would add to the disguise. If they are young, fooling us would be a funny game. Art’s older son maybe wanted to play a trick on dad, but I doubt he would have enjoyed the joke if dad never caught on.

Art later pointed out that God cannot be fooled — He always knows His kids, in spite of the fact that some have been known to wear disguises as if they didn’t want other people to know they are Christians. As for those who pretend to belong to His family but really do not, God also sees through their cover-up.

First, God’s true children sometimes do wear disguises such as when we fall into sin and can get so covered with “mud” we appear on the outside like any other sinner. That disguise may fool other people but God knows what is under the mess. He exhorts us to “put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” and calls us to “be renewed in the spirit of our mind” and “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” In other words, take off the disguises and demonstrate who we really are.

Another form of cover-up goes on when we fear ridicule or persecution. Again, we pretend we fit in this world, maybe hang around sinners, not completely falling into their behavior but not being particularly godly either. Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was one of these. He lived in Sodom and while he did not participate in their sins, neither did he confront what they were doing or get out of their company. Fortunately God knows “those who are His” and sent two angels to drag Lot out before raining fire and brimstone in judgment on those who lived so wickedly in his home town.

Those who observe the outer “costume” or behavior of Christians-in-disguise are justified in calling us imposters and hypocrites. Even though God knows who are His children, He also warns against such hypocrisy and disguises. We must demonstrate what we are, not cover it up.

Of course God considers the worst disguise that of those who pretend to be Christians and are not. Even though He can see right through their pretense, so many people cannot and are therefore deceived and led astray. Outwardly these pretenders say the right words and even do all kinds of religious deeds but inwardly they are “ravenous wolves” who have no care for the family of God. They have selfish motives for feigning godliness.

One day God will strip away all disguises. Those who have battled with sin will find that the “solid foundation of God stands — having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His.” But those who have posed as righteous without depending on the righteousness of Christ will hear Him say, “Depart from me... I never knew you.”

Art knows a change in appearance did not change the identity of his son. In the same way, no matter what kind of false face people might wear, it does not change the inner person. And because God knows who are His, no one who fakes it will be able to wear a disguise forever.

Set free from hypocrisy ..................... Parables 097

Don’t you hate hypocrisy? So do I. Jesus Christ rarely displayed wrath, but when He did, it was against hypocrisy. Obviously, God hates hypocritical pretense too, yet not one of us can say we have never been guilty.

The word comes from the Greek theater. It literally means “to answer toward” which the actors did as they dialoged with one another. After a while they were called “hypocrites” and the word has come to mean anyone who pretends to be something that they are not. 

There are at least three kinds of religious hypocrisy. One was displayed by the Pharisees in the New Testament and continues to show up in the lives of many “religious” people today. These pretend to have a special “in” relationship with God but in fact do not. 

This hypocrisy is not always easy to detect. The Pharisees appeared “clean” on the outside and considered themselves righteous, piously thanking God that they were not like other people. But Jesus, who knew their hearts, said they were full of sin on the inside. They may have appeared to be the “religious elite” of their day but they did not deceive God. Furthermore, they rejected Jesus Christ as “the way, the truth, the life...” the only way to the Father. (John 14:6) 

Jesus warned His followers to beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, specifically sinful pride that expresses itself in an “I am better than other people” attitude. So a second type of hypocrisy flows from an attitude of superiority. It involves patting one’s self on the back for what God as done - taking the glory instead - and then playing a game of trying to conceal sin and failure by “putting the best foot forward” somehow thinking this will prove the superiority of the Christian experience. 

Instead of proving the value of being a Christian, such pretense is a major stumbling block to others. Phoniness and trying to hide sinful attitudes and actions convinces no one. All they see is what the hypocrite is trying to hide. 

A third kind of hypocrisy happens often but is not usually thought of as pretense. The Bible says “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature, old things have passed away and all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17) 

Sometimes people claim to have new life but deny the expression of it, especially when in the presence of people who may be uninterested or hostile to spiritual matters. Instead, they act as if nothing happened to them. Christians are commanded to act like what we ARE, not like what the world wants us to be. In fact, Romans 12:2 (Phillips version) says, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold...” If a person has genuinely been made clean and then returns to old sinful habits, that is just as much an hypocrisy as being full of sin and trying to fake spirituality. 

Hypocrisy is sin. It is sin because it is against the very “trueness” of the One who made us in His image. Because it is sin, hypocrisy also holds people in bondage. Jesus Christ said, “Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin.” And hypocrisy affects others. Jesus called it leaven or yeast because it tends to promote the same kind of phoney behavior in those exposed to it. 

What is God’s answer for hypocritical pretense? Obviously it is honesty. The “religious” person needs to acknowledge his sham and unbelief as sin, confess that he cannot save himself and turn to Christ. 

The Christian who is overcome with spiritual pride needs to “remember from what God has saved him” and confess his sin, acknowledging that without the grace of God he would have nothing to boast about. He needs to drop the pretense and trust God to be glorified through his honesty. 

The Christian who fears man instead of God needs to confess his unbelief to God, and ask for power to live out his spiritual convictions. 

God offers salvation from the contradiction of hypocrisy and any other sin through faith in His Son. As we honestly admit what is really true of us, He uses that truth to set us free from the bondage of pride, fear, and lies.