Taking Off the Mask
Hypocrisy
1 Samuel 16:6-7 HCSB When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, "Certainly the
LORD's anointed one is here before Him." (7) But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at
his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the
LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart."
Hypocrisy is pretending something on the outside that is not real on the inside for selfish
reasons. A hypocrite is a double person. He projects an outward image altogether different
from his true self, revealing only what he wants others to see and he does it for the wrong
reasons.
Proverbs 12:23 tells us that a shrewd person does not reveal all he knows. There is a
proper place for hiding one’s true feelings if it will hurt someone else. That is not hypocrisy.
That is called tact. Though in each case a person is concealing something of their thoughts,
the motivation is completely different.
Hypocrisy means to act, play a part, or to simulate someone
else. 1The Greek word for hypocrite is a term from the world of
Greek drama, meaning the mask wearer.
Hypocrisy as manifest toward others (Matthew 7:3-5)
It can be manifest toward others through:
• Pretending to obey parents while being inwardly rebellious
• 2Criticizing other’s failures when our own spiritual problems are similar or worse.
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• Pretending to care for others while being bitter, resentful, and
angry
• Saying one thing with our lips outwardly but thinking differently
in our hearts; for instance, saying we love someone with our lips
when, in reality, we hate them or are truly indifferent to them
• Only telling the things about ourselves that we want others to
know, instead of what is true
Being afraid of what others would think if they knew what we are like on the inside
Projecting ourselves as having it all together out of fear of rejection
Dishonesty in sharing our weaknesses with others for fear of rejection
Lying about things that happen to cover up our role
Lying to gain acceptance of others
Asking others to do things we are unwilling to do
Identifying the problems that others have but not seeing our own
o Matthew 7:3-5 HCSB Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't
notice the log in your own eye? (4) Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me
take the speck out of your eye,' and look, there's a log in your eye? (5) Hypocrite!
First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out
of your brother's eye.
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Hypocrisy as manifest toward God (Matthew 6:16, 2; Acts 4:34-5:3; Matthew 6:5; Philemon
1:14; Luke 6:46)
It can be manifest toward God through:
• Pretending to be close to God, when not desiring or enjoying a relationship with Him
• Practicing religious activity to be seen and praised by men; for instance fasting to
impress others with our spirituality
o Matthew 6:16 HCSB "Whenever you fast, don't be sad-faced like the hypocrites.
For they make their faces unattractive so their fasting is obvious to people. I assure
you: They've got their reward!
• Pretending to be excited about fellowship with other believers, when in reality only
wanting to impress them with our spirituality.
• Giving money to gain the praise of men
o Matthew 6:2 HCSB So whenever you give to the poor, don't sound a trumpet
before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be
applauded by people. I assure you: They've got their reward!
o Acts 4:34-5:3 HCSB For there was not a needy person among them, because all
those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of the things
that were sold, (35) and laid them at the apostles' feet. This was then distributed to
each person as anyone had a need. (36) Joseph, a Levite and a Cypriot by birth,
whom the apostles named Barnabas, which is translated Son of Encouragement,
(37) sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. (5:1)
But a man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. (2)
However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife's knowledge, and brought
a portion of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. (3) Then Peter said, "Ananias, why
has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the
proceeds from the field?
• Praying to impress others with our spirituality
o Matthew 6:5 HCSB "Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,
because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to
be seen by people. I assure you: They've got their reward!
• Pretending to be excited about service for the Lord, when merely doing it out of
obligation
o Philemon 1:14 HCSB But I didn't want to do anything without your consent, so that
your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will.
• Pretending to live a holy life, but inwardly wishing we didn’t have to
• Pretending to be a spiritual person when we’re really not
• Saying we love God, but not obeying His mitzvoth
o Luke 6:46 HCSB "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do the things I say?
• Saying we have d’vekut with God but seldom actually speaking to Him in prayer
• Obeying God because of a fear of what others will think of us
• Making spiritual decisions based on other’s expectations
Hypocrisy manifested morally
Finally, hypocrisy can be manifest morally by:
• Pretending to have pure moral thoughts while secretly yielding to lustful thoughts
• Telling our spouse we are morally pure when being unfaithful in our desires, thoughts,
and actions
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In reality, hypocrisy is living a lie. Hypocrisy prevents openness with others. A person
who portrays one personality outwardly while hiding his true identity, can never be open with
others. There is a part of oneself that is not being shared since there is always something to
hide.
During a dating relationship, lack of honesty in a couple will begin a deceptive relationship
that will never allow the development of emotional intimacy.
Hypocrisy adversely affects a marriage. Pretending to be someone you are not is living a
lie to your spouse. A husband who is living in moral failure, but pretending to be morally
upright, is being dishonest with his wife since he must hide what he is doing. A wife who
secretly fantasizes about other men who are more caring and committed will find that it
affects her ability to emotionally respond to her husband.
Hypocrisy always leads to living a lie. A hypocrite pretends that everything is ok when in
reality it is not. This prevents the problems and hurts from being dealt with and at best
keeps the marriage weak. At worse it destroys the marriage.
One way we practice hypocrisy is by saying one thing while believing another. Jesus
said:
• Matthew 15:8 HCSB These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far
from Me.
Whatever is actually in one’s heart will eventually come out in words, attitudes, and
actions. Jesus illustrated this with the example of a tree.
• Luke 6:43-45 HCSB "A good tree doesn't produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad
tree doesn't produce good fruit. (44) For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs
aren't gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. (45) A good
man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil
out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
A person can hide themselves temporarily, but the reality of what is inside will eventually
come out. As Abraham Lincoln said:
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you
cannot fool all the people all the time.
I’d like to add to President Lincoln’s statement that you can fool God none of the time.
• Hebrews 4:13 HCSB No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and
exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.
We must be genuine. The truth will someday come to light. Jesus said,
• Luke 12:2-3 HCSB3 There is nothing covered that won't be uncovered, nothing hidden
that won't be made known. (3) Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be
heard in the light, and what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be
proclaimed on the housetops.
And Paul said,
• 1 Corinthians 3:13 HCSB each one's work will become obvious, for the day will
disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one's
work.
The truth may be hidden for a while but it will someday come to
light. 4Best we live honest, open, transparent, genuine lives. Best we
take off the mask.
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Cp Matthew 10:26
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Study Questions:
What does God know about us?
1 Samuel 16:7
Hebrews 4:12-13
Why is hypocrisy so repulsive to God?
Why is it so difficult to live with a hypocrite?
How can one identify a hypocrite? Luke 6:43-45
With what should a believer replace hypocrisy?
How are lying and hypocrisy similar? How are they different?
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