Today’s Reading, Matthew 22-23
Focal Scripture: Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity.”
Not being a hypocrite can be difficult. I think we all have said one thing and acted another way. Especially if you have children and you get called out when you do something you asked them not to do in their own life. It is an awful feeling and one that demonstrates how easy it is to be hypocritical in giving directives and then living another way. However, it shouldn’t be that way.
In today’s reading we see Jesus be very blunt to the religious leaders of his day. They knew the law and expected everyone to follow that law to the letter. However, in their pursuit of the law they looked good on the outside but on the inside they were full of death. This powerful illustration was to show the people listening and the religious leaders that you can look the part but still be far from the Lord. Jesus did not want people who were clean on the outside he wanted people who were clean on the inside.
Jesus was addressing this double standard. The religious leaders wanted everyone to look the part. They wanted everyone to look clean and presentable. However, on the inside of those that believed the religious leaders, was death not life. Rules not relationship. Works not repentance. The religious people wanted everything to change and look right except the heart.
So what about you? Are you a person who wants things to look good on the outside but not take care of the inside? If so you are a hypocrite. I want to be clear that we all make mistakes but this is beyond a mistake. This is intentional decisions that make a relationship with Christ unbiblical. Far to often people wash what can be seen and don’t correct the inside because it requires to much change.
My challenge to you is to not be a hypocrite that lets people put on a front but doesn’t have a heart change. Heart change is the gospel. Heart change is obvious. Heart change happens before the outside is cleaned up for others to see. So what is clean in your life the outside to impress people or the inside that should be submitted to the Lord. That answer makes all the difference.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Matthew 24-25
