What is the solution to the problem of hypocrisy? The answer is Christ, who is the exact opposite of everything that constitutes hypocrisy. Jesus “remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself” (2 Tim. 2:13). This means that He cannot be other than what He really is. He cannot act contrary to Himself as the truth (John 14:6). All that He says and does is truth, for He is full of truth (1:14).
Recently, I met an old man who used to attend church when he was young. He told me how he had left his church because of hypocrisy. Church members who acted devoutly on Sunday but lived corruptly the rest of the week had caused this man to stumble. It pains me to say that I have heard many stories like this in my almost twenty-five years in the ministry. Indeed, hypocrisy has become one of the stumbling blocks in Christianity. Sadly, the church will continue to deal with this problem until Christ returns and “separates the sheep [true believers] from the goats [hypocrites].” The hypocrites, Jesus says, “will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:32, 46). In this article, we will consider some characteristics of hypocrites and present the cure to hypocrisy.
Characteristics of Hypocrites
1. Hypocrites love pretending to be pious, while in reality, they are ungodly. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns His followers, “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others” (Matt. 6:16). The hypocrites put a mask on their faces and pretend to be something other than what they really are. In fact, in Greek, hypokritēs (the Greek word for hypocrisy) was used to refer to a stage performer who acted as someone he was not. Thus, a hypocrite is a dissembler, one who deceives not only himself but others through his disguise.
2. Hypocrites are concerned only with their outward religious appearance, with no regard for the inside of their hearts. Jesus addresses this issue in Matthew 23:25: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”
3. Hypocrites proudly parade their self-righteousness so that they are noticed and praised by others. Not wanting His disciples to be hypocritical in their giving and prayer, Jesus tells them:
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. . . .
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